The Heat, never in my life.......

[Marty]

I have never in my life experienced heat like we are having from this heat wave before. Its going on now for about two weeks and has reached up to 110 and the "feels like" temp has been up to 120. . Needless to say I've been worried sick about my horses, especially Sonny my 32 year old Quarter Horse.

My horses have been going out very early in the am and coming back in as early as 10:00 am! I cannot believe in that time how hot their little bodies feel! OMG. I pulled out all the stops and have done everything you could possibly think of to keep everyone comfortable to no avail. The sun is scorching hot beyond description so its in the barn under fans and all that is doing is blowing around hot air. I have drastically cut down their hay while in the barn, something I never do, but they just don't want much right now so I am giving beet pulp soaked in water and somedays soaked in straight Gatorade. I'm also doing rounds of Probios or Activia. The only thing that is really helping is water, keeping everyone hosed down. That's a chore to do everyone a couple of times a day but it perks them all up quickly. I've been taking them out to the wash rack in pairs and holding them on the end of the leads and letting the water just run and run on them and me too! I also do a late evening turn out when the sun is down. We are ready for fall!

 

[Cricket8]

The temp here is 100* which feels like over 100. And we're in Ohio. My poor grulla mini (Cricket) is panting. I feel so horrible for my guys. Gotta remember Ohio very rarely gets this hot if at all. So insane. We are hosing the horses down as well.

 

[Lori W]

Our thermometer says 103 right now. Our mamas and babies are inside with fans, but the others are outside (shade, lean-to's, etc.) and at least there's a breeze. Keeping water tanks filled, sponging them off, putting fly spray on. Supposed to get a break on Sunday and temps in the 80s next week. We've broken high temp records the past several days and have been in the high 90s to over 100 for almost two weeks. Unbearable!

 

[Riverrose28]

I hear your cries, and feel your pain. Something horrable happens to us too as we get older, the humidity gets to me so bad that I can't catch my breath! Actually the last three summers have been just awful around here. All of mine have shade from trees and there run-ins with the exceptions of those in quarenteen or the stallions. I only put them out yesterday for two hours, then bak in after the stalls were stripped. The temps here are about 100 with a feel like temp of much more and tomorrow is supposed to be worse. Needless to say the dogs and I are holed up in the house. I did all the water real early this morning, and none of my stalled ones are going out, better to stay inside in the shade. Oh My the flies are awful, my poor little dwarf had blood on her legs this morning were her vet wrap had slipped done during the night, (she somtimes has a hard time getting up), so more vet wrap and swat for her, bless her little heart. I hosed one stallion done yesterday he was so sweaty after being out, and he rolled in the freash shavings, so now has them all stuck in his long mane and tail, but I'm not brushing it out till I can wash it, don't want the hair to split. I absolutly hate summer and winter, I only like the spring and fall, as these days it seems like Mother Nature is so angry at us!

 

[little lady]

It has been more miserably hot here than I can ever remember. It has been the second longest over 100+ degree days on record so far and it is 103 right now and going up and supposed to be 103 here tomorrow with a possible break coming in on Sunday. The miniatures are doing quite well with it but my big paint mare is sweating lots. I hope this isn't what the rest of summer is going to be like.

 

[vvf]

It's unbearable here too. It has been like this for the last 3 yrs. It is getting very hot, very early in the season... I just don't remember having weather like this before.. The grass is brown and is is so dry... but the cornfields are already tasseling and way past "knee high by the 4th of July"... They look to be at least 9ft tall.

I can only stand to be outside long enough to fill all the waters.. then back in, then out in a couple hours to do it again........

The air really does take your breath away, I wonder whats going on.. this is way too weird

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

While you are all baking from the extreme temperatures we are so happy to finally have days over 70F. It has been so cold and wet here that our horses that have been clipped often need blanketing to still their shivering. 2 nights ago it dropped down to 3degrees Celsius (pretty dang cold - zero is freezing ) We've been crying about not having summer, nearly 2x the average rainfall for June too. Yesterday we finally had a mostly sunny day that reached (I would guess since we have celsius readings) about 75F (23 celsius) and it felt wonderful.

I can't say I envy you the extremes you are struggling with, too bad mother nature can't find some sort of balance, a little less heat there, a little more sun here.

 

[Performancemini]

Way too weird and scary! It seems like it is heading toward 'the last days' as in the bible (though it could be years and years I suppose); but it does say 'famines, droughts, earthquakes,' etc. We seems to be having more and more of such things world wide. Not just one thing here and there, but chunks of it concentrated on us. I don't mean to sound 'doomsday', I guess I am just getting depressed and weirded out by all this.

Our minis are in by 8 am and out at 8 or 9 pm for the night. It only drops in the mid 70's and is muggy; but at least they can stretch their legs, roll and be out of the sun. Our barn is somewhat insulated and is muggy, but not totally unbearable with fans on. But the urine smell is a bit strong by evening. I really hate the stall cleaning-sweat dripping off like a faucet turned on. I bought extra shavings and I am doing more shoveling out than picking through. We are supposed to drop to 98-99 tomorrow (wow!) and on Sunday get a 'cool' front in and go to the mid to high 80's for the next week (sounds good to me!). Lord-may we be done with days of 90-100's PLEASE!!!

Everyone-take care of yourselves!

 

[eagles ring farm]

its also been awful here high 90's - low 100's not so used to this either in NJ

we also lost our electric last friday in a storm that took out alot of the state

thank God we have a generator we bought 9 yrs ago and haven't needed since the hurricane

came through here then. But electric was back on yesterday

Our horses were out in the am but mostly in the shade by the afternoon

I felt so bad we had no fans for their stalls at night but they seemed content with the barn doors open

as it did cool down nicely most nights. We have tomorrow in the 100's then only a few more days till we get in the 80's again

We are getting through this is the longest hot spell I ever remember around here.

But compared to the wildfires and other crazy weather across the country

we are very lucky in this little usually decent weather location here

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

It is rediculously hot here in Iowa as well. I have fans going in the barn but still pretty hot, they seem to be handling it alright though. My pasture horses are definitely warm but they do have shade and a shed to use plus I put a sprinkler out for them and they do seem to be standing in it alot, my two darkest colored horses use it the most though.

 

[Jill]

It's been really REALLY hot here, too, but looks like we're in for a bit of a break starting Monday

 

[Riverrose28]

OK this is serious now, the low tonight will only be in the 80's, and tomorrow it will feel like 115! I have someone coming tomorrow to help get hooves trimmed, guess I need to cancel that! I didn't get any stalls cleaned today, no paddocks picked out, which just makes my job even more hard when I get to it. I feel like I'm a terrable horse owner, as I can't even put my stallions out at night because of possable storms. Yesterday morning we had hail and awful wind, I got soaked bringing in my two old arabs that for whatever reason wouldn't come in without help. Normally I hate MOndays, but now I'm looking forward to Monday, the heat is supposed to calm down.

I have the most awful thought that we have done this to ourselves, with using our resources, fossil fuels and air pollution. Just haven't figured out how to fix it, as I do enjoy my luxuries just as much as everyone else.

 

[wingnut]

I have drastically cut down their hay while in the barn, something I never do, but they just don't want much right now so I am giving beet pulp soaked in water and somedays soaked in straight Gatorade.

Thanks for this tip. I'm replenishing water tubs/buckets a couple of times a day so I know they're drinking but I think this would be a good idea in the short term. I have the beet pulp (that the hard keeper won't touch), but the other 5 will devour it in seconds, I think.

 

[Cricket8]

Yep, tomorrow is supposed to be just as hot. The heat index up here in NE Ohio got to 110. WTheck! My poor mare has been off and on showing heat exhaustion signs. Poor girl!

 

[izmepeggy]

I only have two horses now..My riding horse and my mini.I board so I can't use fans..I take Poweraid bottles fill them with water and freeze them..When I water the horses I take the caps off the bottles and put on in the water bucket..Then go back a little later and take them out..The horses love the cold water and their new toy (so they think) And I've been hosing them down in the morning when I get off work and in the evening..It's 102 with heat index 105..I work at night..I work at UPS unloading and loading bellys of planes..Sure makes you thank the good Lord for air conditioning..And then I count my blessings that I wasn't among all the people without electricity...Now those people are having it HARD with all this heat..

 

[Minimor]

We're complaining about the heat here and it wasn't much over 85 today. Not sure what the humidity it but it's up there I think. There's a bit of a breeze at times but not enough. This coming week is supposed to be hotter. I'm sure glad we're not in the 100+ temps here.

 

[HGStables]

I dump gatoraide in all my horses water, they love it. You can also buy horse electrolites.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I set the back-and-forth oscilating sprinkler out. My two stood under it until they got cooled off, then they wandered away. I went out later and turned it on again and they stood in it again. When the water comes across the new mare she is so funny! Shaking her head, shaking her body, her ears back. But she doesn't move out of it. Dapper Dan just stands there, grazing a little. He is used to it. One horse stands where the water hits on one side, the other stands on the other side. I think they have figured it out.

This weather is pretty normal for us in SW OK. Not as bad as last year, so we don't complain--much. Shade is good. So glad we have power!! I heard El Nino is gearing up. That is much better for us than La Nina !

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I mix up electrolytes for all the critters so everyone including the horses have a bucket of water and a bucket of electrolytes whenever the temps are 90 or over. They love it and will drink the electrolytes when they need it. I started doing this 2 years ago, I use a 1/2T vitamin/electrolyte that is multi-species and then add 2 packets of unsweetened Kool-Aid either orange or cherry flavored in a 5 gallon bucket (I dilute it more for the horses, put about 2 gallons in then add water to fill to top. They love the orange, but will drink the cherry now too, or I also found Power Aid powder that is Fruit Punch flavored and they like that too, but that one is sweetened.

 

[rubyviewminis]

I feel so bad for all of you back east, and your horses. At least west of Missouri we don't have as much humidity, and those temps are not so unusual, except for this year. Here in particular I thought we were moving back to Colorado like conditions. But so far this year I am far behind on training because of the heat and wind and fires, it is just miserable. There are so many fires in so many states the air is stagnate with smoke. I was hiding out under a window swamp cooler the other day and didn't notice the mountain had a brush fire right in front of the house!

Oddly, we moved from 7040 ft elevation in CO to southern AZ years ago, and I could never get over the horses NEVER went in the shade of the trees or barn during the 100 degree weather! I never figured that one out. They sure seek it out here. Thank you for so many good tips on keeping them hydrated. Hoping you all get relief soon.