High Humidity questions

[Riverrose28]

We all know it's extremely hot out, but the humidity here is worse! I try to keep my horses cool, but I have several elderly ones and when I go out it is hard to breath out there. I try to feed real early and late so they spend most of their time in run-ins or in the barns. I feel though that it is not enough as far as humidity goes, so far so good I haven't noticed anyone haveing any respiration issues, but I'm concerned about my old guys. Is there somthing else I can do?

 

[Jean_B]

Plenty of shade and if inside, with fans blowing. And lots of fresh water. One friend had designed her own kind of "swamp cooler" where she set her sprinkler in a stationery upright position with a huge fan behind it, blowing the mist over the horses in an open paddock. They loved it because it kept them cooler.

 

[Marty]

Same thing here. Fans fans fans, hoses rinses, cool water and I do soak beet pulp full strength in Gatorade on this kind of day. I really worry about my old one too. Sonny is 32 and I get in a panic about him. Somedays when I can't hardly breathe I hose him, hose me, then hose him, then hose me!

 

[Bess Kelly]

I, too, have several oldies.......the humidity here is about 77 now with temps 96-102 (add "feel like" to that). When I go out and come in, it's straight to the shower! LOL. But, if there is a breeze, the animals seem fine. They sweat some but not excessively, they use the shade trees and run-in shade, plenty of fresh cool water, etc. They are pretty self-motivated to rest and stay in the shade. I go stand in their shade places to test the temps for myself. It is definately cooler there! Sun beating on you is harder that "just" the heat.

A breeze seems to be really helpful, so a fan if in the barn would be nice. Otherwise, they seem to be doing better with it than I am. It has a lot to do with the air conditioning we use -- IMO -- poor tolerance.