[QUOTE=horsepoor;8207302]
There are a lot of us in this state, I think, that are feeling this way. I live in an area that is treed and brushy and on a hillside, homes scattered all over – lots of fuel to burn and it won’t take much to start it. I have just a 2 horse trailer and 3 horses here so thinking I might move one off site “just in case” this week. It is scary.[/QUOTE]
I’m in a similar situation… 4 horses and only a 2 horse trailer. Definitely a worry.
If I remember correctly there was a lot of research about keeping horses cool and cooling them down before the Atlanta summer olympics (particularly for eventers after cross-country).
The strategy was to immediately hose the horse down (under shade if possible), scrape the horse, hose it down again, scrape again, and then put horse in front of fans. Add electrolytes to the horse’s feed (not to the water, and don’t depend on free choice salt if the horse is working hard), and monitor the horse’s water intake.
I would agree that horses that are used to this heat and humidity are probably okay with it. The real difficulty may be for those that are not acclimated. The same is probably true for humans and other animals.
I would either take the bunny inside or put its enclosure in a barn aisle with the fan going (assuming that the barn is substantially cooler than the outdoors).
It has been awful. It is way, way to hot. I can’t ride right now because of a injury but it is truly awful. We are not supposed to be this hot. When I can ride I ride early in the morning or late in the evening. I hide inside during the heat of the day or go down to the water for a swim/kayak. Other then that make sure to drink a lot of water, but a cold wash cloth on the back of your neck and we will just have to wait it out.
I hate heat so much. It is one of the reasons we moved to the PNW was to avoid the heat. It makes me sick. I want the rain back now.
Bliss
it is sprinkling and thundering in Redmond ( wa ) only 80 degrees
all the windows and doors and a open and the fan is blowing out the funk.
I love the smell of wet cement… petrichor ( which would be a great name for a slatey gray horse)
http://www.kplu.org/post/mass-oh-smell-rainfall-hot-concrete-after-dry-spell
OP, I think we got your weather in New England. It’s nearly July and today it’s wet, drizzly and barely 70 degrees. Everyone is complaining about the non summer weather and cooking in their crock pots.
I rode in shorts back when my BO allowed it, and at home in summer. On especially warm days I’ll hose myself down before riding so my clothes and ponytail are wet, and the horse as well. My heat tolerance isn’t what it used to be.
Virginia is always hot and humid in the summer, but this summer even moreso so far. Barn chores in the AM before daylight, riding at daylight (more to avoid the bugs than the temps), and evening chores at dusk. For my comfort, I like some of the technical T-shirts by Danskin (from Walmart, $7 each…can’t beat it) instead of cotton. White cotton T-shirts tend to get damp and just stay damp and heavy on me. Also, I couldn’t live without my Tropical Rider Tropix breeches in the summer. They are a true lifesaver. The “cool towels” (sort of feel like chamois cloth) that you wet with cold water and wear around your neck are wonderful. I went to a horse show a couple of weeks ago, and the cool towel made my day. It was 94 degrees with 75% humidity, and the towel did the trick (I put one under the crown piece of my horse’s halter, too). I drink lots of water and Gatorade, particularly the night before I know I’ll be at a show or “on the move” all day log in the heat.
For the horses at home, they have stall fans and get rinsed off on sweaty days. Honestly, I think they are more troubled by the bugs than the heat. I use fly spray generously to keep them comfortable. I scrub their water buckets daily before refilling, and I dump their trough every other day (this helps keep mosquitoes from breeding, too). On particularly muggy days, I may hose before I ride (and always after).
Sometimes you just get used to it. Other times (like today), you just don’t feel like dealing with it and choose to do as little as possible. I hope you get some relief soon. I can’t imagine how miserable it is for those who aren’t accustomed to it!
There’s always beach/lake riding!
It is hot and humid, but as a native Minnestan it’s really not that bad.
I had a lesson Friday afternoon and we both did fine. Then I rode at 9 am the last 2 days before it hit 80. I hosed him and scraped him after each ride and he cooled out fine. I’m finding a benefit of the heat is that JD becomes more work to ride which is letting us push him a bit without him getting too quick or anxious.
At home they both seem to be doing okay - mostly hanging out in their stalls or under the cedar trees. The hens suffer the most with their personal down coats.
All that said, I was thrilled to get rained on as we unloaded from our ride this morning. And I’m not looking forward to the heat over the 4th. They’ll end up in their stalls all day/night due to our shitty neighbors and their fireworks. Guess I better figure out how to hang fans for them. 
and yes, I’ll have the trailer hooked up and ready to go. I also have the county sherif # on my phone contacts and call on any and all neighbors that are lighting off illegal fireworks. While sparklers and such are legal out here, bottle rockets, mortars, and really anything that gets airborne are illegal in all of WA state except Indian reservations. You can get a list on the state fire marshalls website of when they’re legal by county/city and what is legal. Then don’t hesitate to call it in.
No beach riding or lakes or ponds or even rivers. Have you seen all the instances of flesh eating bacteria, even on the salt beaches in Florida this year? All over the southeast, too much bad bugs in the waterways.
Hose horses, put under fans, rinse and repeat.
[QUOTE=RedmondDressage;8207331]
I’m in a similar situation… 4 horses and only a 2 horse trailer. Definitely a worry.[/QUOTE]
And being in WA, probably idiots (shooting fireworks despite the conditions) all around, just like me!:mad:
One of mine is a young pony, so I’m looking at my trailer tack room, thinking if I take all the stuff out, would he fit? Or how hard would it be to load him in the bed of the pickup? Kidding. Mostly.
Ummm, isn’t the OP in the PNW?
[QUOTE=WildandWickedWarmbloods;8207471]
No beach riding or lakes or ponds or even rivers. Have you seen all the instances of flesh eating bacteria, even on the salt beaches in Florida this year? All over the southeast, too much bad bugs in the waterways.
Hose horses, put under fans, rinse and repeat.[/QUOTE]
Rode at 10–not too bad, just 77 degrees, but humid. I was soaked when done, but Mr. Horse got a good hose and scrape, then hand grazed in a breeze, so he was fine. Much cooler today, with clouds and possible T storms, but the weather service assures me that all week, it’ll be 90+, clear and sunny with lower humidity. Yay?
Yes, my hens are not happy–open mouth panting by late afternoon, even under shade. I give them cold lettuce and grapes to snack on. Not sure if it helps, but they seem to like it.
I must say, the drought combined with the 4th makes me wicked nervous. We are feeling a bit of CA’s pain–it’s been a very dry winter and spring, with no end in sight for this pattern. There’s virtually no snow pack in the Cascades, so run off is way down, and that means low river levels, dry forests and forest fires. One stupid person being careless is scary. My horse trailer is at my SILs 10 minutes away…we share…and that is scary to me too. I’ve planned defensible space around my place, so I’m not too worried about fire here. I know Horsepoor, and with her neighbors and location, I don’t blame her for being concerned!!
I JUST got back from a national park road trip last night and came down from Oregon and WA. Nevada and southern Utah–well over 100. Colorado–hot when not in mountain tops. Wyoming and Montana–a little better and cooler. WA got HOT when we got there–sorry, must have brought it with us. It was pretty stiffling Thursday, Friday and Saturday in WA and Oregon. About 70’s here by the bay now.
I live right next to the bay, so it’s usually OK, but I can go inland to show and it’s easily over 100. But, it’s not that humidity it was up there.
I have to say I was STUNNED at the massive number of fireworks stands in Wyoming, Montana, (and Idaho) WA, and Oregon. You don’t see them in CA. All we heard on the radio was about the heat and be careful. I’m stunned that they’re not banning fireworks. A lot of those states are as brown and dry as CA, but your grass is really long. Having lived through the Oakland fire, with my horses in Oakland, I would have truck and trailer hooked up–they can spread fast.
My cousin in Oregon was saying when the weather shifts to the El Nina pattern we’re “supposed” to get in CA and get actual rain in the fall, it gets really dry in the PNW. Scary.
I was kind of scouting possible places to move with water!
[QUOTE=thoroughbred21;8207324]
I’m a firm believer that if you hose your horse, you have to scrape thoroughly or hot water is trapped next to the skin and all cooling is inhibited. You can check this by putting your fingers up against the skin and letting them sit there for a few seconds to see how hot that water has become and how fast.[/QUOTE]
Yes. And also keep hosing until their skin feels cool.
Start early. Quit early.
all the snow reporting stations are at zero. There is snow higher up,but not much. Many of the rivers are so low they predict the prospective pink salmon run wont have a good reception. Two years from now there may be no run on smaller rivers.
There is a burn ban in all parks and forests, along with private property, which is a start. Lightning is the big culprit most of the time. These thunderstorms are a concern for the east slope. There are lightning strikes recorded in Puget Sound , but so far no reported fires.
Many people are calling for fireworks ban. I am all for it as I have spent many an hour cleaning beaches of the plastic crap they produce. Governor Inslee did not ban but did say he hopes people will refrain
but the sales have started so the barn door is already open and the horse gone.
Here comes the sun, through the parting clouds. The air is so thick you can feel it. It is not as humid as I experienced in Boston last July ( i didnt know eyelids could sweat so much) but stuffy and takes it right out of you.
I always tried to get my riding done by 10 am or after 7 pm. QAt least if it was warm, the air felt breathable.
I have found Kerrits technical fabric shirts and breeches to be wonderful. I can take off shorts and singlet put on these breeches and shirt and am instantly cooler.
I saw Riding Warehouse has cooling vests which look like a fabulous idea and I plan to try one this summer (it’s currently midwinter here)
After any work my horse and I go for a swim in the river and where possible I hack out in the forestry or along the river where it is cooler.
Here when we show horses are tied to the float unless it’s a major show. Many horses will stand happily under awnings or gazebos alongside the float. Horses are untacked immediately so they are not standing around with gear on making them hotter. We take blocks of ice in a cooler to add the water buckets and again use technical fabrics to beat the heat. My horses cover makes him cooler than if he was naked.
If anyone has used one of the cooling vests from Riding Warehouse I would be interested in hearing a review on them.
We get up and do the horses at 4.30am in Summer. It is too hot later.
I put the ceiling fans on in the house in the morning and it keeps the house cool. I then have a ‘nanny nap’ during thr day if I am not out doing other things.
I am living in the wrong state (Florida) because I hate the heat and humidity. I will gladly trade for snow any day (my husband isn’t enthralled with snow anymore, which is why we are still here Thus, he is not allowed to complain about the heat!)
My guy has allergies and cannot go out at night, which most people down here switch to in the summer. Therefore, he is out at 7am. I would be riding him then, but because of his limited summer turnout, I wait until 10:30. Then I ride and make it short and to the point. I don’t compete in the summer and my dressage and jumping instructors know better than to expect me for a lesson. Last year I was at least able to trailer to a covered arena for my dressage lessons, which was awesome, but the farm sold and we no longer have that option. When I am done riding, my horse is given a cold hosing and is in his stall for the rest of the day, fan on full blast. He doesn’t like the heat either and he is standing at the gate at 10, waiting to come in. We are hoping to buy a farm next year, and that will allow me to be more flexible with his turnout and I will be able to either ride earlier or in the evening.
I drink unsweet iced tea all morning long and wear Devon-Aire All Pro breeches…very light weight and moisture wicking. I wear a long sleeve shirt from Champion that I picked up at Target for about $20, that is moisture wicking.
I hate, hate, hate this weather and by the time I get home, I am worn out. Menopause was not a huge issue for me, but the heat does trigger hot flashes…just isn’t fair.
And I cannot believe that covered rings are not more common around here.
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