Very dangerous heat, out of ideas

[Frankie]

The temperature here today was 105, the heat index was 116, and some how tomorrow is to be worse. I have only been here about 3 months. My horses have never dealt with this and I am not so sure all I do is working, especially for a foundered horse who is IR.

Can you really make a difference in this type of heat?

They have tons of shade and I do mean a lot. I am giving them fresh water 4 times a day, came home from work twice to do it. They have a pool of water, they have a sprinkler, and now mud. I make the IR horse stand in the pool. They are getting beet pulp with gatorade and water. 24 inch fans going in all directions, but it is still nasty hot!!! Every time I go out and come back in I have to change shirts.

Is there a real solution in these types of temperatures?

I do believe part of it is they are just not use to it, should I be doing more? Something else?

Thanks for your help.

Sweltering in Western Tennessee!!!!!

 

[Holly at WhiteTailsMinis]

Carolyn, sorry you and your minis are having to deal with this horrible heat this summer. Its awful. But I think you are doing all that you can for them. I think shade, water, and electrolytes are the best for this kinda weather. You are doing everything right to me.

Hopefully it wont last that long. At least summer is almost over!! WHAA HOO!!! Bring on the fall!!!

 

[Marty]

The past few years here have been like this. Weird! August is the worst month and then it HAS to get better.

You are doing everything I'm doing on this side of the mountain and I'm worn out from all this worry and sweating like a pig too. I'm running that hose on the wash rack practiclly non-stop; a rinse for them, one for me, another rinse for them, another rinse for me......

 

[Frankie]

Does anyone know of any where you can go to sign up to win a cruise to Alaska??????

 

[ruffian]

You don't mentioned access to salt. Just a plain old salt block, not a mineral one.

 

[LittleRibbie]

Gosh Frankie and Marty...I never thought I'd be inviting my friends to come to Florida to enjoy some cooler weather. I gotta say...as hot as it is here I think you guys are really going through some crazy weather....117o...geeze thats crazy hot for Tenn. I would think.

Come on down...your all invited...Ft.Myers beach is calling your names!!

 

[Magic]

It's crazy how hot it's been in some places!

I just hate the heat. Humidity too. Horses generally do better in cold weather than in hot, so maybe I'm a horse?

Seems like that is all you really can do, what you are doing now. Some of my horses that don't seem to lick the salt blocks get some loose salt in their grain/soaked beet pulp mixture. You can put milk jugs filled with ice in their water troughs to help keep the water cooler.

We just got back a few days ago from camping in Wyoming and even the low elevation of mountain we were at was so nice and cool-- just in the 70's during the day. Now THAT's nice!

 

[bullockcorner]

"You don't mentioned access to salt. Just a plain old salt block, not a mineral one. "

O.K, enlighten me....why does it have to be non-mineral one?

The mineral ones are just salt with trace minerals added, so....

Thanks.

 

[love_casper]

I don't know how your place is set up, but is getting them a little mister system a possibility? When we were in L.A. we had one running all across their lot. They really loved it, on hot days I would look out and the minis would all be lines up each under a sprinkler. Once, a valve popped off and my gelding was sitting right under it, enjoying the shower. The system we had just connected right to the hose, and it really didn't use all that much water. Sure felt good to go out and feed!

 

[Erica]

It's miserbly hot here in Arkansas..........116 yesterday and just as hot today. July was the hottest on record I think they said for us, and looks as if August might be the same with record breaking heat already...

The heat and HIGH humidity makes it just awful, and even worse trying to work the 14 horses in the show barn......

They all seem to be taking it ok, but all have fans and get cooled off after working out.

Even the horses in the fields seem to be taking it fine, they cool off in the ponds or shade trees...but I'm sure they will appreciate a break from these temps too!

 

[Debby - LB]

Carolyn sounds like you are doing all you can. The main thing is to keep them hydrated. In heat like this I do same as I do in the Winter and add salt to their soupy beet pulp, this makes sure they drink enough water to help digest their hay. It's real shady where mine congregate in the afternoon too, trouble with that is there is very little air stirring where they are a lot of trees.

I also have fans mine can stand in front of, I do that every summer to keep the bugs off since I'd rather not use chemicals if I can get around it. This Summer they sure enough love their fans!

You need nothing fancy just go to Wal Mart and get the 10.00 box fans, I hang them on the outside of the fence with hay baling twine. Don't worry about the weather either, I have some I've used for 5 years rain won't hurt them.

 

[ruffian]

"You don't mentioned access to salt. Just a plain old salt block, not a mineral one. "

O.K, enlighten me....why does it have to be non-mineral one?

The mineral ones are just salt with trace minerals added, so....

Thanks.

Sometimes the taste of the minerals will put them off taking the salt. Plus the trace minerals aren't really enough to do anything for them.

 

[Frankie]

Well, it was so hot here today, you could fry chicken just by putting it on the grate of the grill, no charcoal needed!

I had the day off work and was so glad, if nothing else it made me feel better. They all got a nice cool bath, along with time in the pool. Like I said, I think it is just more they are not use to it just yet. But all are drinking good and seem to be fine, except for the foundered horse, he has so much heat in his feet. He was in the pool a good part of the day, and I kept the water cooler for him. I did try some ice, but it melted about as soon as I walked out the door.

But tomorrow is suppose to be better,,,,only at 100 degrees!!!

Hurray for cold fronts!!

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[wwminis]

Well, it was so hot here today, you could fry chicken just by putting it on the grate of the grill, no charcoal needed!

I had the day off work and was so glad, if nothing else it made me feel better. They all got a nice cool bath, along with time in the pool. Like I said, I think it is just more they are not use to it just yet. But all are drinking good and seem to be fine, except for the foundered horse, he has so much heat in his feet. He was in the pool a good part of the day, and I kept the water cooler for him. I did try some ice, but it melted about as soon as I walked out the door.

But tomorrow is suppose to be better,,,,only at 100 degrees!!!

Hurray for cold fronts!!

Thanks for the suggestions.

Carolyn,

We having the same heat here as you guys! We've had a couple mares colick from the heat! The best thing we've found is to hose them down and let them stand under a fan to cool off!

It was so hot here today that when I was taking a load of popcorn to the mill with my donkey drawn wagon, that popcorn started poppin and those donkeys thought it was snowing a blizzard and layed down right there in the road and frooze to death!

Now that's hot!

 

[minie812]

I add some loose salt to all the water troughs to keep them drinking

 

[Debby - LB]

LOL Bill that's hilarious!

yes it is