# Hot weather Horse keeping



## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

alright all you hot weather peeps. what are your tips and tricks to help keep your horses melting in the heat? Things are looking quite Grim for Arizona.






In all seriousness its supposed to be 114F and 120F Sunday and Monday and its going to stay in that range for a bit (we are coming from low 90s to low 100s. Mondays low will be 90F!). 
I am giving the horses extra salt, hosing them off and hoping they actually stand IN the shade.

What is yall's game plans?


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Don't live in Arizona.


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

Well with 2000*F temperatures... I think I might move too.. LOL! We've got the kiddie pool out to keep the humans cool this summer, and coming indoors at noon-time to 5:00pm..


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## Tihannah (Apr 7, 2015)

I couldn't imagine summers in Arizona. It's in the 90s here and it feels unbearable most days with the humidity. We stall during the day with huge fans in the barn and a smaller fan where we tack up. I hose down Tess's face, neck, chest, belly, and hind end (anything not covered by tack) before we ride and then all over after we ride. It seems to help.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

The people I know down there are getting up to ride at 2 a.m. and horseback by 3 a.m. They are done by 8.

I know they don't use fans, but provide shade with open walls and water. 

I don't envy you what's coming. In January, February, and March I envy the heck out of y'all.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Get up at 0430 to clean stalls, feed and bring horses in for the day. At about 2030, after the sun has mostly gone down, go out and feed night feeding and turn out for the night. With the xtreme humidity we've been having heat index of 116F here in OK and it's not a dry heat at all. Of course, since Monsoon has started for AZ, theirs isn't so dry either. The foaling barn has been just ugly, so I have the mares and foals destroying my front lawn because there are 2 huge shade trees there. I felt too guilty leaving them in. The big barn seems to cross ventilate better and it's actually pretty nice in there during the hot part of the day with the big fans blowing. Have a big trough I keep water in so we can just walk over and jump in when it gets too much.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

wOw, I guess there is a trade off, living where it is warm in the winter!
I melt when it is in the ninetys , and could not function in 100 Degrees F
I think I would rather have minus 25 F in the winter!


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## Roux (Aug 23, 2013)

Today it was 99 and we have a forest fire close by that has made the air quality really bad. I don't really have any hot weather tip but when I was out lunging and stuff today I was melting like an ice cream cone!!!


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

@Dream if you want to plant a few more trees out there, just let me know what kind. I've seedlings all over the place here right now. Been tossing a lot of them in the trash because I don't need them..

Anyone use misters for their horses? I'd feel bad for a black coated horse on not summer days, dark colors draw heat. Makes me wonder if a very light-weight sheet would get the heat off or make it worse?


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Where I am in Florida, it's been in the upper nineties and super humid. The horses are outside except for a couple of them that come in and hang out under the fans in a stall. They are all getting fed at about 4:30 am and again at about 7 pm. There's lot of shade for them to go under if they want and a couple of ponds that they splash around in sometimes too (no alligators). 
If anyone rides, it will be early in the morning or after eight pm. We also get a nice breeze coming from the east coast in the evenings which is nice. Personally, I don't really ride that much in the summer. I work all day in the heat and just don't feel like it and I'm sure the horses don't feel like it either so we get summer break. 

Here in N. Florida, it cools off come October and stays pretty nice through May so I'd take this over minus 25 any day. I've been that route already and I don't like it.


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## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

I live in Cairns QLD we get up to high 40s and the humidity is a killer. We feed salt + give electrolytes when it's dry season make sure the horses always have clean water that is in the shade + have shade lol we hose off if we don't have a drought in the afternoons.

I can't say for everyone but if I ride it's early morning or late afternoon


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I'm in southern Middle Tennessee -- according to our weather folks we are having "Florida-like" humidity.

I can't argue. Until Friday, the entire week was in in the mid-high 90's (97 one day) with a Feels Like of 105F. 

I lived in SoCal's Low Desert area five years, so I also know what that endless triple digit dry air feels like. Either way, high temps stink:icon_rolleyes:

I am fortunate to have a barn with electric. Each horse has their own entrance and their own barrel fan, set on outdoor timers.

My insulin resistant horse is a horrible sweater. He has the 42" barrel fan and it isn't uncommon to find him literally hugging that fan with his chest.

The fans are pushing hot air by mid-morning but it's gusty air and keeps the flies away.

They haven't been choosing to eat grass much more than a few hours daily. 

They are stalled at night, so I hose them down right before supper and jammie time. Both are in their early 20's and could care less about being in the barn for so many hours, when the heat/humidity is this bad.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Good to see you back on, *Walk*! 

Other than providing shade, cool water, and salt, we didn't do much different that the rest of the year when we lived in AZ (Mesa/Chandler) or the CA high desert (Mojave). We just didn't spend as many hours in the saddle during daylight.

When we did ride (teenagers don't care about triple digit weather) we often went to the quarry out toward Lodi and swam with the horses.

My Sister, who lives in the San Tan Vallley, AZ, will haul up to the river early mornings and ride up there and swim the horses, then head back home before noon.

Here in N. Alabama, with the humidity, I hide in the house, and the horses have plenty of shade trees. I am considering installing a mister for them, but if they don't use it, I'll find a use for it myself (or for the dogs).


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

It's 80*F here this morning and going to be a high of 93*F. So it's not too bad, yet. But definitely hot enough that if you're out working in it you're going to feel it pretty quick. ..... Never mind...... soon as I typed this it started raining. So much for the weather forecast! LOL!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

To be honest, we ride up until about 100 degrees. I think it was pushing 95 when we stopped yesterday. The hottest we've ridden is was 103. The horses have shade available, but don't always use it. Their choice. They have full water buckets. We do like to go out and hose them off during the hottest part of the afternoon. They always have salt blocks available, and they use them.

Some years ago, I was part of a group that deployed to the bombing ranges near Gila Bend. Since they dropped live munitions, the ranges were closed to all traffic once we were in place. We normally were there from 6 AM to 6 PM. We set up a parachute cover for shade. Temps ran 115-120 every day. When not working flights, we stayed in the shade, listened to music, did target practice with handguns, told stories, drank a LOT of water and almost never had to pee. I'm not going to pretend it was fun, but no one got sick. We were all a lot more limited for outside work when we were back in Texas, with its high humidity and 90+ temperatures.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I'll take desert heat over humid heat any day in the week. BUT......all that rain is what keeps OK green and gives my horses pasture, something they never had in So Cal or AZ. 

Yeah, the weather guessers blew it with the forecast. Supposed to be a 20% chance of rain up in the NE tippy tippy corner and dry everywhere else. Got the AC fixed yesterday and was having a great sleep for the first time in a week and all of a sudden heard thunder. Naturally, all the horses were still out, the front actually cooled things down enough that it wasn't imperative to have them in early. You want to see a crazy woman come jumping out of bed and running out of the house barefoot in her pj's, just mix some thunder and lightning in there. I'm thinkin' I may need a nap.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I hear thunder and lightning and go check on the horses. Cally will be hiding in the shelter, staying dry. Tango walks around, soaking wet like no big deal. He doesn't even flinch when the lightning and the thunder are almost simultaneous.

I final quit worrying about them.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I've known too many who have had horses killed by lightning and I have too much money tied up in these critters to take that chance. I run out and get them in under cover.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Smilie said:


> wOw, I guess there is a trade off, living where it is warm in the winter!
> I melt when it is in the ninetys , and could not function in 100 Degrees F
> I think I would rather have minus 25 F in the winter!


It may be miserable but it won't make you sick. I always feel sick on those hot humid days .

I won't keep any sheet(fly or summer) on when it's say 85+/humid. MAYBE for a horse with issues, I also don't sheet during the summer regularly, definitely don't do it to keep them cooler. They always have shelter from the sun so if they are hot they can stand in the shade.

I do need to clip my gelding though.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

i can handle Pennsylvania and DC in July with no a/c just fine. everyone else is melting am im dancing XD! Now i am melting and getting heat stroke. fun part is that my truck has no a/c so i get to drive 5 min to the horses from work, spend 20 min feeding and watering them (and giving them extra salt and pellet much) then drive 25-30 min home. I REALLY want to move! Colorado sucked when it hit 105 but it did not hit 120 -_-'. give me 14F with 3 foot of snow anyday!


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

At 10am here it was 87 with a feels like of 97.5 so wicked humid, though not unusual. High today is supposed to be 98 with a feels like in 100+teens. 

Things I do: hose down the horses in the early afternoon. Buy a watermelon throw it in the fridge, slice it up and offer it cold to the horses. Turn on the tower mister attached to the pasture fence post. Take them for a hand walk and go stand in the creek for a while. Make sure they are getting salt. Don't ask them to ride in the extreme heat and humidity even in the evenings (heat stroke is cumulative so if they cannot get their body temp back to normal before the next day heats up, then their body temp will go even higher than the day before over several days they can easily get into the danger zone). Dump out the water troughs three times a day and add fresh cool water from the hose.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

that scares me. my mare is at a family members and they have no shade. just a mister system i installed 2 days ago (that the goat almost broke). looks like i will be moving her soon.


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

Is there a place you could hang a garden shade mesh using ropes?

http://stuccu.com/s/Garden+Shade+Ne...890655&caid=54658d9fb1b1c614fc7a07b5&device=c


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

@KigerQueen

I'm the same as you, I thrive in humidity and wither in dry. Although I don't think I would handle 100F and 90% humidity well.

Yes, PLEASE get your horses under shade. Heard about a dog recently that died when owner left it out on patio with no water and no shade all day.

These are pretty common in AZ. If you can't find a place to move her, maybe you can rig something up? Install a fan to go with the misters perhaps?


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

cant install a shade as i cant do it myself and im getting push back for putting posts in the ground. no fan as the dogs will chew the cords (if the goats dont). my misters were on a timer but their goat headbutted it off the wall. so there is that.... ill look at moving her where im keeping the older horses. i cant seams to get all my ducks in a row but i can try to get them all in the same pond. or 2 at least lol.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Oh my gosh o,o
These temperatures sound miserable.
And here I'm unhappy in the 90s.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Zexious said:


> Oh my gosh o,o
> These temperatures sound miserable.
> And here I'm unhappy in the 90s.


I'm with you. My horse and I are sweating at 95 degrees and I think at 16% humidity, it is too much. We've been in the mountains too long, I think!


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

If any of you put in a mister system with fans, let me know how it works and if your horses like it. It's something I would be willing to install here. I already know that there are going to be nights where I'm having to stay up all night waiting for an unwelcome guest to come back for 2nd helpings to my smaller live stock.. and I'll have to wait up with my rifle to persuade them to go find supper else where.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

i grew up used to, or at least able to handle humidity and heat, growing up in Southern Ontario, around the great lakes
I re call working in the tobacco fields, in 100 degrees temp plus humidity. We never had air conditioning, and my room was up stairs Often I could not sleep until way past midnight, because of the heat, and after you took a shower, you would be dripping in sweat again
First time I took hubby back east, to my old stomping grounds of Niagara Falls, and home to visit my parents, in mid summer, not being used to the humidity and heat, it almost did him in!
Being away from Ontario for some time, I also was aware of how that heat and humidity hits you like a brick wall, soon as you stepped out of an air conditioned store
No way could I stand that heat today, and hubby complains and won't ride in temps over 20C, with dry heat!
I thus have to find others to ride in the summer in the mountains with me
I do re call those thunder storms in Ontario, and every year, some workers in the tobacco field and elsewhere, were killed
Of course we get them here also, and it seems they are becoming more severe when they do hit. Had a tornado go through one end of our land, luckily not on the end where our buildings are.
Hubby's main concern, on our last trip to La vegas, where we always take a desert hike, that April was too late, and it would be too hot,Luckily it was not!
On the other hand, we can be riding in late fall, on one of his hunting trips, and I will have a down coat on, sitting around the camp fire, while he is still in shirt sleeves!


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

Add in hot flashes, the issue men never have to deal with, and yeah, it's not fun, lol...


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I feel bad for horses when they aren't used to the heat. They seem much better equipped for the cold or at least in my experience.

When we moved to east Texas from Nevada(7000ft elevation) a late summer, the third hottest in Texas history, my horses had a hard time adjusting to the heat and humidity. They were white for the first month from the amount of sweating they were doing during the day. I didn't ride them, kept cool water available, shade, supplemented electrolytes and free choice salt.The next summer they acclimated better but I still provided the aforementioned and only rode in the mornings or late evenings.

I find that my horses and I do better in a dry heat. Some say there is no difference but I beg to differ. 90*F with 80% humidity feels a lot different than 90*F with 15% humidity. 
Hosing works better in a dry heat of course due to evaporation. In high humidity shade and a breeze seemed to help the best to aid in evaporation causing cooling.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

COWCHICK77 said:


> I find that my horses and I do better in a dry heat. Some say there is no difference but I beg to differ. 90*F with 80% humidity feels a lot different than 90*F with 15% humidity.


There's a HUGE difference in heat plus humidity and heat with very little humidity. Here we're taught that if you add the actual Temp F + % Humidity = The Heat Index (Feels Like) and anything totaling 105 or over, your in the danger zone and to be very careful. So, today was supposed to be 96F + 66% humidity = 162, extreme danger zone. It didn't get that hot, we were actually in the mid 80's and the humidity was 66%, so we were still in a "Watch Out" situation. The air was in the "Air you eat", it was so thick category. The danger is, you heat up and you sweat, but you don't evaporate much so you don't cool efficiently.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Hmmm...I went jogging this afternoon. Needed to take more rest stops, and didn't go as far. Only 25 minutes of actual jogging time. The temperature was 106 degrees. My special care for myself was drinking a glass of milk before heading out.

After I got back, I let the horses out of the corral so they could seek shade under our trees, which provide cooler shade than the metal shelters. 

You know what they did? They wandered around in the full sun, nibbling on weeds. After a few hours, Cowboy and Trooper went on opposite sides of the corral panels (Cowboy inside) so they could do "bitey-face" with the corral panel 'separating' them! In the sun!

So I scooped some hay pellets, and by the time I arrived with buckets of food, they were all 3 in the corral waiting to be fed. In the sun. I guess my horses and I are both used to the desert heat.

:cheers:​


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

bsms said:


> Hmmm...I went jogging this afternoon. Needed to take more rest stops, and didn't go as far. Only 25 minutes of actual jogging time. The temperature was 106 degrees. My special care for myself was drinking a glass of milk before heading out.
> 
> After I got back, I let the horses out of the corral so they could seek shade under our trees, which provide cooler shade than the metal shelters. You know what they did? They wandered around in the full sun, nibbling on weeds. After a few hours, Cowboy and Trooper went on opposite sides of the corral panels (Cowboy inside) so they could do "bitey-face" with the corral panel 'separating' them! In the sun!
> 
> ...


I haven't lived in the desert in quite a few years, but if I ever have my druthers, I'll go back to a dry climate vs this humidity. I never had to give MYSELF electrolytes in desert heat, but I sure do here!


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

It's 9:00 pm here and we still have a "feels like" of 96 vs Flagstaff Az, who has a "feels like" of 79 at 8pm their time. 

79, that's turn off the A/c and open the windows weather here! 

Yeah, there's hot and then there is hot and humid.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

^^^ Flagstaff is about 6-7,000' MSL. It IS a lot cooler there! South of Tucson, and about 3600' (same as me), a weather station is showing 92 degrees at 8 PM. I snuck in a short ride this morning when temps were in the low 90s, but ran myself when it was over 105. Supposed to be hotter tomorrow, though...don't plan on trying to run tomorrow afternoon.

Friday's Tucson Forecast: Excessive Heat Warning starts Sunday - KVOA | KVOA.com | Tucson, Arizona


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

At 97.7 (Tucson) it still feels like 93, lower than the actual temp vs. 10 or 15 or 20 or 30 degrees hotter with humidity. 

The sweat from your body just won't evaporate off to cool you the air can't hold anymore moisture...it...just..sits..there before rolling down your legs into your socks. Ugh.

I like the heat, we keep our A/C at 80, plenty cool for me, it's the humidity that does me and the horses in.


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

I imagine Texas in some areas are not much different than Oklahoma? It seems like it'd be pretty down by Corpus Christi though..


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

Some parts of Corpus "Crispy" are very pretty, other's not so much. I moved here from South Florida many years ago, so there is no comparison there!


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

today was horrid! our old man (31 year old black gelding) was wet from the heat so i hosed him and his stall off. its heat stroke weather for me. i have been getting massive headaches from over heating. i try to drink a gallon of water a day too.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Reiningcatsanddogs said:


> At 97.7 (Tucson) it still feels like 93, lower than the actual temp vs. 10 or 15 or 20 or 30 degrees hotter with humidity.
> 
> The sweat from your body just won't evaporate off to cool you the air can't hold anymore moisture...it...just..sits..there before rolling down your legs into your socks. Ugh.
> 
> *I like the heat, we keep our A/C at 80, plenty cool for me, it's the humidity that does me and the horses in*.


I would die! Lived without AC for far too long. Now that I got it, I'm using it! I can deal with it set at 74-75 during the day but I have to turn it down further at night. Those durn hot flashes @Kyleen Drake was talking about hit even worse at night:icon_rolleyes:


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

I lived in the Midwest winters for too long and also grew up without A/C, slept some summers in the basement where it was cool. 

I don't get hot flashes, I get cold flashes!


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## chl1234 (Jul 10, 2015)

I have lived in S. Miss where there is heat and humidity and now live in Arizona. In MS the horses were on pasture with trees. Shade or sun didn't make that much difference in the temp. Sometimes when it was very hot would put a sprinkler out in the pasture. Some of the horses liked to play in it, others acted as if I were trying to melt them (though they would stand out in the rain).

In AZ the pen has(HAD?) a few trees that provide shade. I try to make sure the horses have fresh water and free-choice salt at all times. However, what I notice is that the temperature doesn't seem to be the determining factor on where the horses hang out. Sometimes they are under the tree in the cool mornings and sometimes they are standing in full sun in the afternoon. I have gone to a lot of work to rig up a sun shade for a horse in a pen with no trees - and had the horse stand everywhere except in the shade. I think the most important thing is making sure the horses have plenty of water.


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

I make horsey popsicles. 

I buy the cheap foam disposable cups from the dollar store and fill them about 3/4 with water. Add a tablespoon of salt, a peppermint or two, maybe some chopped up apple or carrot, and then freeze them. 

If I run the sides under hot water I normally can free the ice blocks and reuse the cups. 

I then put them in their feed pans during the heat of the day and they all set to work licking.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

It got up to 98 here today. The neighbors are irrigating their field and some of the spray was coming over on our place. The horses were grazing everything they could under the sprinklers. 

They are so smart.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

When I lived in Mojave, I used to have to lock my blue-eyed, pink-skinned filly in the barn during summer days. Otherwise, I'd find her stretched out sun-bathing in direct sunlight. I think she wanted to be a sorrel. Used a lot of sunblock on that little girl.

Here in 'Bama, I've discovered my RMH likes popsicles. It doesn't matter what flavor. He'll take bites off the stick. But he doesn't like plain old ice. He's also black and I often see dried salt streaks on him from sweat. My grulla mare is rarely interested in 'treats' unless they are apples or carrots, although she does like granola bars and pop tarts. We keep the carrots and apples in the fridge so at least she gets some cooling. The only time I notice her sweating, though, is when I work her. She was born and raised in this weather, so I guess she's used to it.

As for the hot flashes - after two years of suffering through them - some days ever 10-15 minutes - I told my doctor if he didn't give me hormone replacements I'd likely end up in jail for murder. I feel much better now! LOL.


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## FaolchuThePainted (Jun 10, 2016)

I live in Arkansas and when it was really hot I'd get the hose and stop whatever I was doing every few minutes even when I was riding to hose off me and my horse also i figured out that not wearing my boots kept me a thousand times cooler


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I'll admit to being a very bad example for newbies. In summer, you'll often finding me working around the horses in bare feet and shorts. I'll groom, lunge, do ground work, shovel manure, etc. barefooted. I do have to be careful around Tango (the RMH) as he stomps his percheron sized feet to get the flies off his legs. I definitely don't want my feet under his when he pounds the ground!

As for misters - I ordered one yesterday - it should show up tomorrow or Monday. It's only 10 feet, but I figured I'd string it between a couple trees and see if the horses appreciate it. If not, it'll get moved into the backyard where I know the dogs will like it!


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## FaolchuThePainted (Jun 10, 2016)

The barn I used to keep my horse at before it burned down had misters they were the greatest thing ever


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

This is one of my first summers with hot flashes. They're new to me. I'm having a bit of a war with the husband over the thermostat. At night he tries to turn it up to 80*F, trying to be a cheap skate and save on the electric bill a bit. Then around 3:00am one of those flashes hit and I have sweat coming off me in rivers! I feel like I'm standing outside in a 120*F hot sun. So I turn the air back down to 75*F. And he complains, "I'm cold!" I'm standing in a cold shower, steam coming off me and he's telling me he's cold. I could just toss a pillow at his head! Rub it in why don't you! LOL! I'm out of ammo... *Goes to the kids' rooms to get her throw pillows back* Going to be a war up in here if he doesn't realize soon what these things are like when I try to tell him. 

Meanwhile, ladies if you're doing what I am doing, building a new house.. While you are at it, make peace with the husband by building your own room! And install your own thermostat in there! Have your own ac unit attached to it! Put your own bathroom in there - no more fighting over that lid up or down or small kids that 'miss the seat'.. I can't wait! LOL! 

Rained yesterday here in Okieville.. (I use that term affectionately and with humor). So it's a bit more humid. Not sure if we'll see the sun today. Weather forecast says we will, high of 90*F. So it's not the worst Oklahoma has yet, I won't complain too bad... I know there's more evil days ahead that are going to make me unhappy and not want to go outside at all. Those triple digits with high humidity, just around the bin.. I think Dream and I will love to see October by the end of this summer..

Looking forward to hearing how your horses take to those misters! Video please?? If you can??


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

Oh you ladies are going to get a kick out of this. My neighbors called the cops on me again. The nosy know-it-alls tried to nail me for indecent exposure this time. One of my ex-boyfriends is a cop here in town. He shows up, takes one look at me and starts laughing his bum off. "It's not that funny Keno, I just woke up." And he's still laughing.. My morning hair isn't helping the matter any. If he and I were not friends I'd thumped him good with a pillow and risked 'assaulting an officer' in the mix. "This is not funny," and he's laughing harder. I'm standing there in my cotton PJs. The dern things are as modest as they can get, I wear them around my father-in-law for goodness sakes! They go down WAY past my knees and try as you might are not see-though at all. I'm standing there, pulling my trash cans out to the curb for tomorrow, and my ex is about to fall over laughing. "Are we done here now?" He nods, "Yep!" And gets back in his car..

So tomorrow, when it's time for me to drag the cans back into the garage and get the mail. I'm deliberately going to make it a point to put on my one piece swim suit, same one I wear around my in-laws at the beach, give my neighbors something to really complain about.. lol They don't like my PJs, they sure as heck not going to like my swim suit.. "Hey boys, wanna go for a dip in your kiddie pool?"


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Oh, *Kyleen*, those night-sweats were the worst! It won't matter how low you turn the thermostat down; it won't help! I had my windows open in the dead of winter and would still walk out on the back patio butt nekkid trying to cool off! Then it'd be over, that sweat would freeze and I'd crawl back in bed and shiver until the next hot flash. But... if you want to show hubby how miserable you are during one of them? Snuggle up as close as you can get to him. Let him feel the heat radiating off you and soak him with sweat. You'll be miserable doing it, but He'll Finally Get It.

A friend rigged up a fan that actually blew up under the covers - she said that helped her a lot. She just basically made their bed up as two separate beds so he could stay warm and she could stay cooler. Me, I'm lucky. I'm single. No arguing over room temps or toilet seats. Except with my dog, who has never figured out how not to dribble slobber on the seat after sneaking a midnight drink.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

so got heat stroke today. This just about sums up how i feel about my state.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I talked to my sister who lives in San Tan Valley today. She said it was 116F! I think I'd be melting like a soft serve ice cream cone!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Don't aim to get so off topic but @Kyleen Drake or anyone else suffering through hot flashes or night sweats...Black Cohosh! You have to take them for about 45-60 days before they kick in and start working but they make a HUGE difference. I take a 540 mg capsule morning & night and while I'll still have an occasional flash it's shorter in duration and intensity. Every once in while I'll even think I may be done with them so will stop taking the supplement and then I find out real quick that I'm not through with them after all. The good thing is it doesn't take that long loading period if you just go a day or two without taking any. They are expensive if you buy them at a health or drugstore, Walmart a little cheaper although you need to be careful because they also carry ones that are only 40mg and those don't do diddly squat. Now if you have a Dollar General store in your area you're in luck because they have them for only $2.50 for a bottle of 50. Hope you don't live in my area because if I pass a DG and I'm not in a hurry I stop and grab what they have because it seems like they only get in 2 or 3 bottles at a time or at least that's all they put on the shelf at a time.


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

JC, I'll ask my doctor about it the next time I go in, make sure it won't clash with my IBS medications. 

Facebook says today is officially the first day of summer. What does he know? Says it's 73*F so far this morning and going to be a high of 93*F. So add in the humidity and it's going to feel around 100*F today. I have a good feeling I'm going to be going out to feed the horses at 6:00am a lot, just to avoid the heat. And having my horses stay in the barn at noon time under the fans, in the shade. I think noon-day is when the sugars in the grass is really high also, not really great for a horse that's well fed already.. Then let them back out again after 4:00pm when it just starts to cool off a bit. They can go romp in the shade trees, stretch some legs until dusk when it starts to get pretty again.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

If one wants to stand the heat, one needs to build up to it. I went jogging when it was 106 the other day, but I've been jogging a long time and have jogged in the 80s and 90s regularly this spring. So my body has adapted, and it is very good at conserving water and regulating its temperature. OTOH, we moved to Tucson in the early 1970s in January...after being stationed in Iceland. It was in the low 80s in Tucson that week, and we all felt like we were going to die.

Most people in Arizona avoid the heat. They don't do yard work in the 90s, or go jogging at 2 PM in the summer. If they tried jogging on a 106 degree day, it might well kill them!

Yesterday was brutally hot again...and my horses once again ignored the shade and acted...normal. They are used to it. But if someone brought a horse down from Washington state, the horse might be in a lot of trouble.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

non 100% true. i have lived here for about 21 years of my 24 years of life. i spend most of my time outside, have been takeing care of horses in 119F heat. and i still get heat stroke. ALOT. i get massive headaches, dehydrated and i almost puke any fluids i can put in my body. anything over 95-100 is my "danger zone" for heat. yesterday it was 108 (according to my phone, it felt alot hotter). it took me 5 min to drive to the horses from work. 20 min to feed and water horses then another 25 to drive home (remember i have no a/c in my truck, just 2 open windows). by the time i got home i was done. and i had a hard time cooling back down. took a nap with 3 fans on me in the a/c. today is supposed to be 117F. my fiance gets to drive me home as i know i wont be able to handle it and i cant drive when its that hot.

i will say though my old horse FINALLY used his shade. he dose not summer well and loses at least 150lbs in the summer.


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

There is a difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion. If you have symptoms of heat stroke, you need to seek medical care. 

Heat strokes vs heat exhaustion - Story | DothanFirst | WDHN


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Some folks can tolerate high temps, with or without humidity, better than others.

I never could stand the heat - I Used to get sick every summer putting up hay on my granddad's farm. I was a non-sweater back then.

These days I sweat enough to literally soak everything I'm wearing. Like Kiger, I also get head pains. Not headaches --- head pains. I worked outside all day Saturday and was dead in the water Sunday thanks to the Saturday's humidity.

DH is fair skinned and blue eyed --- he wears a hat but never wears sunglasses. He wears JEANS in awful heat. He can last in this crap ten times longer than me. Conversely he is shivering in sweats and winter coat when it's 35F and I'm still comfortable in shorts and t-shirt----tank top if I'm cleaning stalls.

It just depends on our thermostats

Black Cohosh--- I never needed it but I know women who swear by it


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

lol so heat exhaustion it is. we all call it heat stroke out here event though it is different. either way it sucks. i try to limit my outside time as much as i can now.


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

^^good to know you aren't on death's door. Had me worried for a moment. Stay frosty!


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

lol there have been days. today will suck because i go to my persenal trainer THEN get to go feed horses AND drive home. lovely part is that its only 10:50am and 106F out... it supposed to be 117 today. at least its not 120F!


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## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

It is beyond hot and humid here. I'm in an area where they don't measure the heat, instead they measure at the airport (where it's much cooler) and use that number for the entire area. It said it was supposed to be 96*F. Well over on my side of town it was/ is 100*F in the shade. I have several thermometers outside in the shade and in the sun. I'm not going out into the sun until much later in the day.
I went to Orlando a few weeks ago and it was 108*F in the shade, and I had to walk around in the open with the sun blazing on me, the humidity was horrible.

Typically I'll see people hosing horses off and throwing them back out, but I've learned better. If you hose a horse off, you need to scrape the water off immediately (in humid areas) to actually get the cooling effect. A better thing to use is Witch Hazel as it evaporates and creates a cooling effect.

Frozen watermelons, bananas, and even 'alfalfa pops' are commonly used here. I also always had one bucket of water with electrolytes in it and another two buckets of fresh cool water. One of which I would toss some ice cubes in during the day. Shade with fans was always preferable to misters down here due to lack of evaporation with the humidity.

You can also make swamp coolers, there are tons of videos on YouTube about how to make them and they work great.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

could not pay me to move to Florida with the heat AND humidity! you could pay me to move to Ecuador though XD! its beautiful there every time of year! Im looking at freezing some stuff for our older horses. issue is it will melt before i can get it to them and its still only in the 80s in the am.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Be aware that some horses just have no self preservation skills so I wouldn't say "they want to stand in the sun so it must be ok".


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

yep. our old man will look like a bag of bones in the summer. he stands in the sun and is drenched in sweat. so he gots hosed off 2 times a day (and i hose the stall off a bit to help with dust) and i water his food down ALOT! so about 1 1/2 gallons per 3 qt scoop of pellets (if not more). THEN he gets 4 tbs of salt 2 times a day and i fill his water two times a day. he is looking less sorry this year but "it" is just beginning. we are in the 111-112 range for the next 5 days.

I had a black horse the begining of the year. by fall i will have a bay



















thankfully the old guy loves his slop









(btw at 4:50pm its 115F out...)


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## palogal (May 30, 2008)

I chop up an apple a few times a day and put it in the water trough. My gelding thinks it's great fun to bob for apples. In that process he's also drinking and playing in the water. He generally realizes he's thirsty and drinks.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

KigerQueen said:


> yep. our old man will look like a bag of bones in the summer. he stands in the sun and is drenched in sweat. so he gots hosed off 2 times a day (and i hose the stall off a bit to help with dust) and i water his food down ALOT! so about 1 1/2 gallons per 3 qt scoop of pellets (if not more). THEN he gets 4 tbs of salt 2 times a day and i fill his water two times a day. he is looking less sorry this year but "it" is just beginning. we are in the 111-112 range for the next 5 days.
> 
> I had a black horse the begining of the year. by fall i will have a bay
> 
> ...


Cute 

I wonder if electrolytes may work better for him than plain salt?

I love all of these neat ideas!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Here is a homemade electrolyte recipe my vet gave me if anyone wants to make some up for their horse.

Mix in 5 gallons of water:

1 oz. of table salt

1 oz. of lite salt

2 oz. of baking soda

PLEASE NOTE! It's important to also make sure they have unlimited access to fresh water along with the electrolyte mix.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

*Kiger, * what handsome Gent:clap::clap:

*Yogi, *


> I wonder if electrolytes may work better for him than plain salt?


One of my horses hardly sweats and is not a big salt eater. When the temps get above 85, with matching humidity, I add electrolytes to his feed pan every day. 

I feed Farnum's "Apple Elite". He's 16.1H and only needs more-or-less one teaspoon daily to get him to drink a lot more water. 

Watch the manure for loose or runny bowels. That means the horse is getting too much of a good thing and should be cut back


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

JCnGrace said:


> Here is a homemade electrolyte recipe my vet gave me if anyone wants to make some up for their horse.
> 
> Mix in 5 gallons of water:
> 
> ...


Interesting, what is "lite" salt?


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

JCnGrace said:


> Here is a homemade electrolyte recipe my vet gave me if anyone wants to make some up for their horse.
> 
> Mix in 5 gallons of water:
> 
> ...


I'll have to try this. I used to buy the Electro-Dex which is cherry flavored. Mine hated it. Thanks goodness they liked their grain enough to get most of it down. Not that I really electrolytes much up here, it doesn't get that hot. We might have a week of 100*F with very low humidity. Sometimes I'll use it after a hard ride as I was told it aids in muscle soreness the next day after a big work. Not sure how true that is.


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## JulieG (Jun 25, 2013)

I'm in SoCal and while we may not get temps as high as AZ we do have our days 

We just make sure there's shade, plenty of water and salt blocks and they've always been fine. I prefer not to ride but we have some ponds nearby and some people will ride out and swim the horses. I would only worry if I had a new horse coming from somewhere that may not be used to our summer temps!


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

COWCHICK77 said:


> I'll have to try this. I used to buy the Electro-Dex which is cherry flavored. Mine hated it. Thanks goodness they liked their grain enough to get most of it down. Not that I really electrolytes much up here, it doesn't get that hot. We might have a week of 100*F with very low humidity. Sometimes I'll use it after a hard ride as I was told it aids in muscle soreness the next day after a big work. Not sure how true that is.


I'll get muscle cramps after a hard work and potassium (and other things) help with that, so I can imagine that being true in a sense.


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

Any of you ever go riding at night? It's 76*F here now, light breeze, all the night life is out. It's really pretty. If I had a horse I wouldn't mind going for a ride about now.. And no worries about sun burns!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Yogiwick said:


> Interesting, what is "lite" salt?


You can buy it at the grocery store. It's half the sodium of regular salt and uses potassium instead.

It's exact ingredients are: salt, potassium chloride, sodium silicoaluminate, magnesium carbonate, dextrose, potassium iodide


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Well, not really instead I should of typed it substitutes some of the sodium with potassium.


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

As far as tolerating heat goes, I think part of it is genetic. I have celtic/scottish and german blood, and do not tolerate heat well. I handle humidity (think Ohio or Kentucky summer) and cold much better. Then on the flip side, I do know some people of European descent that love this desert climate. However most of the ones I see out loving the heat are those of Mexican descent. Most others take a 'run for cover' philosophy.
I haven't studied it but I would bet that Arabians and mustangs from desert herds handle the heat better than say, an icelandic or some type of draft horses.

I was out in the heat minimally today, cleaning bird cages. I was in the water a lot, had plenty of fluids, and was in and out of the A/C the entire time as I went back and forth to get things. Still got a headache at the end of the day when all was said and done. I think in the extreme heat, body temperature is really important, getting yourself to cool back down. Fluids are obviously important, but I think body temperature even more so.

Kiger, are you taking cold showers at the end of the day? Can you even get cold water? Typically I can only get the lower end of lukewarm this time of year.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Kyleen Drake said:


> Any of you ever go riding at night? It's 76*F here now, light breeze, all the night life is out. It's really pretty. If I had a horse I wouldn't mind going for a ride about now.. And no worries about sun burns!


For sure! We did last night, it was too hot during the day and I had to do important adult ing type stuff in the morning when it was cool. We saddled about 8pm, ponied the other horses, trotted to the rodeo grounds and got everyone rode before it was too dark to see. I love riding at that time of the day plus the full (strawberry) moon last night we took the long way home to cool out. Sunrise and sunset is the favorite part of my day.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Kyleen Drake said:


> Any of you ever go riding at night? It's 76*F here now, light breeze, all the night life is out. It's really pretty. If I had a horse I wouldn't mind going for a ride about now.. And no worries about sun burns!


We used to go on moonlight rides during the full moon every month in the summer. It was fun, but I don't have anyone to do that with anymore so haven't been out trail riding at night in a while. It was really neat riding through the woods and seeing all of the firefly's lighting up.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I don't know what happened here in N. Florida but the daytime temps dropped to the upper eighties and nighttime temps are in the mid seventies. Humidity has dropped quite a bit too. Not complaining, I'll take it. I was actually able to go on a couple of nice trail rides in the last two days.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I'm Scot, Welsh, and Swedish, and lived in Mesa (Phoenix area for non-AZers) when I was growing up. I lived outside during the summer, and most of that time was horse-back. 105F with low humidity just didn't seem that hot. We'd ride to the quarry to let the horses swim on occasion, and feed them popsicles if we went to the store.

I think tolerance to heat is also very much age related. As I've gotten older, my ability to stay out in hot temps has definitely decreased. I don't seem as capable of staying hydrated now as I used to when I was younger, even though I think I drink more healthy fluids! Back then it was RC Cola with peanuts dropped in. Nowadays, it's water or Gatorade!


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

I'm okay outside until one of the bloody hot flashes hit.. Then I go indoors, standing under a cold shower. Then still damp, I'm standing under the A/C, several fans still blowing on me, and still got sweat coming off me. >.< lol

Getting warm here in Oklahoma. Morning started out 10* hotter than few days ago. It's up to 86*F. High today is set for 98*F. Very humid.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

As of 11:00 A M, so things will get worse:

Current conditions

Partly Cloudy Temperature: 91°F
Winds: West at 6.9 MPH
Pressure: 30.11 in.
Humidity: 59%
Dewpoint: 75.2°F
Heat Index: 102°F
Location: Shelbyville Bomar Field & Shelbyville Municipal Airport, TN
Last updated: Jun 22 2016, 10:55 am CDT

****

I am whining because the equine/dog chiro will be here at *2:00 PM.*. I still have to sweep the garage so she can work in the elder Lab ( an outside dog), ANNND bath both horses.

I can't postpone because this woman is the absolute best there is, anywhere. She's a DVM who took the Hollistic route. Does chiro, acupuncture, Chinese massage therapy (boy did that work miracles on my allergy horse), and she is certifies to sell Dr. Xie's herbal remedies,mwhich my IR horse is on.

Nice, I will turn the water hose on myself if I have to but I will have everything ready when she gets here, lollol.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

horseluvr2524 said:


> As far as tolerating heat goes, I think part of it is genetic. I have celtic/scottish and german blood, and do not tolerate heat well. I handle humidity (think Ohio or Kentucky summer) and cold much better. Then on the flip side, I do know some people of European descent that love this desert climate. However most of the ones I see out loving the heat are those of Mexican descent. Most others take a 'run for cover' philosophy.
> I haven't studied it but I would bet that Arabians and mustangs from desert herds handle the heat better than say, an icelandic or some type of draft horses.
> 
> I was out in the heat minimally today, cleaning bird cages. I was in the water a lot, had plenty of fluids, and was in and out of the A/C the entire time as I went back and forth to get things. Still got a headache at the end of the day when all was said and done. I think in the extreme heat, body temperature is really important, getting yourself to cool back down. Fluids are obviously important, but I think body temperature even more so.
> ...


Im German, Austrian, French, Irish, Swedish, Souix and Cherokee. lots of cold weather lovers. and the Souix (have more Souix in me than french and Irish) are from the north and eastern us so they also do not like the heat. 


as for handling the heat the mustangs/apache pony fair well. surprisingly my arab not as much.


also what is "cold water" this time of year XD! i spent all day at the verde river to cool off because a shallow river is cooler than our tap water!


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

@Change

If heat tolerance is age related, it must be true that I'm a "90 year old in a 20 year olds body", as my siblings say (I was always, in their opinion, irritatingly mature about everything). :lol:

I'm the person that after I've been out in the heat for just an hour, I have people asking me if I'm OK because apparently my face turns so red and I look so lethargic that it looks like I have heat stroke. Usually I don't even feel that bad when it happens, but I guess my body is saying otherwise. You'd think it would be sunburn, and sometimes it is, but most of the time I go home and it fades within an hour or two.

Trust me, I wish I tolerated heat better. But alas, its apparently not in my blood. I do get tired of hearing the old litany, "you just need to adjust to it". I have tried and tried to adjust to it. Spent numerous summers outside all day working with the animals, all to no avail.

I'm glad my horse is much more heat tolerant than I am. I would hate not being able to ride, even though I usually do early mornings now.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

my horses are done for the summer. i cant tolerate the heat and i am not getting up at 4am to ride for 30 min. nope. not happening. and night riding is mostly out as work demands im up early so after 9pm i turn into a pumpkin.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I only Liked your post because I get it.

If I could still ride, my horses wouldn't be going anywhere until late September.

From now until late September, I question why I chose to retire south of the Mason-Dixon from the OH/PA border, lollol


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

walkinthewalk said:


> I only Liked your post because I get it.
> 
> If I could still ride, my horses wouldn't be going anywhere until late September.
> 
> From now until late September, I question why I chose to retire south of the Mason-Dixon from the OH/PA border, lollol


I will remind you!

November, December, January, February, March (the hangover month), and part of April.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

sarahfromsc said:


> I will remind you!
> 
> November, December, January, February, March (the hangover month), and part of April.


Yes, that's right, lolol

Wher I loved, it was always mid-April - early May before things dried out enough to merit putting shoes back on a horse.

FWIW, we hit 98 F with a heat index of 108 today.

Rusty spent a total of 40 minutes outside, until 6:30 PM. Joker only left his fan to get water and salt, until 6:30 PM.

I shampooed both horses because the equine chiro came today. I made sure to soak myself with water hose, lollol

She kept Joker in my narrow aisle so they could both have use of the barrel fan, lol.

Rusty's fan is set up different but she angled him so it was hitting her, lol


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

After 10 winters in Wichita, KS, I swore I'd never live N. of the Mason-Dixon again. Never. I may not like the heat and humidity of the southeastern summers, but I hated the Midwest winters much, much more. When it's -10F and there's nothing to even slow the 45mph winds.... NO THANKS! 

I might consider areas out west above the snow line if it's in a mountain range with natural wind-blocks. Maybe somewhere between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon? Or the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. Until then, I'll tolerate the summers and appreciate winters where I actually can feel my feet most of the time.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

so the mister system was pointless. my mare destroyed it so they get to stand in the heat all day. almost $200 wasted...


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

Did they use it at all Kiger?? It makes me wonder why she tore it up. She like it that much, bored, or did she hate the sound it was making? 

Sorry you wasted $200! I really wanted to know if a horse would like those or not too! Dang it! lol


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I bought one for my horses when I lived in SoCal. ---- they didn't want anything to do with it. They thought I should stand there and run the water horse on their chests and shoulders for hours at a time, lollol


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

i think maybe 2 times. my mare is mad/board. thats the only time she dose things like this. the other horse helped too. so nope that was a bust...


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

So if I get any wise ideas to put in a mister, make sure I install it in a way where it's near impossible for them to tear it up! Good tip! Thanks! lol


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

lol i know right? sadly the pens are out in the sun and nothing but the pannels to connect it to. all well i tried. i mad my attempt. she will have to endure the heat untill the 2nd when i can bring her to a place that has shades.


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

I just posted a ton of photos of my place on my journal.. Everyone's always welcome to snoop there if you're curious. I sure am curious as to what everyone else is doing though this summer to keep horses cool.. I worry about Dream.. I know it's hot for her, and it's not even August yet!


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I've purchased a mister for my horses and have been scoping out where I might be able to string it where it is out of my gelding's reach. Cally behaves herself and doesn't try to tear things us. Tango is a typical 4 year old boy. If he can reach it, he'll play with it! LOL.

Off topic - yesterday I was pulling grass that was growing outside their yard and tossing it in for them to munch on. Tango got a little too eager for the next bite and bumped his nose on the electric fence. I have to admit I laughed at him when he squealed, spun and ran away from it. I know it didn't hurt that much, but it does him good to occasionally get a reminder!


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

All of the horses here have shade if they want to use it and the big pasture also has a pond. One horse doesn't get to go out there because her feet are horrible and she'll stand in the pond ALL day and she loses her expensive shoes. 
My old mare who is stalled all day under fans took to playing in her 40 gallon water bucket and turning her stall into a mud hole so I had to take that away from her. She now she has two 10 gallon buckets hanging. Funny girl, one bucket she drinks out of and the other she uses to dip her hay and play in. Kind of nice for me, I only have to clean the hay out of one. Her stall still gets wet but 10 gallons all over the ground is better than 40. Actually 80 gallons because she would dump the bucket and then get it filled again and then she dumped it again, what a mess.

These guys will try your will and patients and force you to out think them. Whenever you try to make something nice for them, they will find a way to wreck it.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

> *.
> These guys will try your will and patients and force you to out think them. Whenever you try to make something nice for them, they will find a way to wreck it. *


<sigh> isn't that another absolute truth. 

Joker the big fan hog, knocked the 42" fan over trying to itch his neck on it:icon_rolleyes:

The fan isn't even a month old ---- the fan blade bent ---- the new one is here and DH, who is currently the Knight-In-Shining-Armor, will put the new blade on tomorrow. I say "currently" because that is always subject to change, lollollol


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

well it happened. its 108F and our a/c died. so its like 85-90. the animals are not pleased and my 90 gal tank is over 86F. im amazed my fish dont all die in the summer as i put frozen bottles in the tank to try and cool it down. good think i hardy fish and bichirs.


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

Just got home from my riding lesson. It's 85*F outside but feels like 92*F. Add in a helmet my instructor made me wear, and it felt closer to 110*F. Bleh. I'm still trying to cool off. Feel a bit queezy..


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

KigerQueen said:


> well it happened. its 108F and our a/c died. so its like 85-90. the animals are not pleased and my 90 gal tank is over 86F. im amazed my fish dont all die in the summer as i put frozen bottles in the tank to try and cool it down. good think i hardy fish and bichirs.



Eeewe!


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

yep our house is down to 90. my room is about 93 to 95. my cat was crying at me because it was hot. i put frozen bottles in my tank to save my fish. the rabbits cot frozen bottles. the kitten got one though she is still crying at us. my other cat melted somewhere and my moms Siamese is VERY unhappy and the entire house must know lol! the dog is also pathetic.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

day two and still no a/c. looked like a scrub at work because the heat of the house made me sweat like i had never showered. my animals are all melted and my tank is almost 90f. amazingly they are surviving though not thriving. got a mini fridge and some hosing to make a chiller to help keep my tank below 85f for the rest of the summer. and the swamp cooler we got is makeing everything humid but 82 with 60-70% humidity is better than 100f with no humidity


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

Geesh @KigerQueen I can't like that post! That REALLY sucks. When are you having your A/C fixed?

Good thing on the swamp cooler though. I don't mind them because I tolerate humidity really well. My new dog bathing job has proved that. It is very humid, others are complaining and I really don't even notice it. I sweat, but still feel perfectly comfortable. Throw me outside and I start begging to come in!;

Too bad on the misters. Darn horses. Negra sounds a lot like Shan, in some ways. On the days its below 110F and we are trying to clean house, we throw the hair monger german shepherdX (2 of them) outside with misters and a big rubber tub (originally horse water bucket) full of water. They love it and seem to keep cool just fine, but one of them is a big baby and whines at the door anyway. I can always tell when they are too hot from the long dry tongues, heavy panting, and watering eyes. With misters and the tub, they barely pant at all, caught one dog more than once chilling out on the wet patio in the shade breathing through her nose! Really, them being able to jump in the tub of water makes a big difference.

I wonder if your cats and dog would tolerate it if you threw them in the tub? :lol:


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

I remember my ex father in law. He went out and go this kiddie pool for his dog. The dog was black, and dark colors attract heat more than lighter colors. It would be so funny. You'd pull up in his yard and the dog would be inside the kiddie pool and the only parts of it sticking out from the water would be its eyes and nose.. The rest of it would be sprawled out in all directions like a carpet.. too funny. But I guess the dog was keeping cool. FIL would go out and dump a large brick of ice into the pool now and then that he'd frozen in an old cut up milk jug, just to keep the temperature of the pool at a reasonable level..

Dreamcatcher Arabians warned me we had some weather coming our way. I managed to dash out, get my car windows closed just in time. (Thanks for that!) I'd forgotten to close them. 

Going to be in the high 90's today here. Very humid. High chance of rain. I'm hoping its one of our downpours. I need to go check out the drainage on that property I'm thinking about buying.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Almost every summer I would buy kiddie pools for my dogs to play in and cool off in. My current crop of dogs won't go near them, but I've had a few that would use them as their personal water beds... chin resting on the edge as they dozed. One, though, would dive in, slide across and jump out the other side. I always wondered what that dog would do if I set up a real 'Slip'n'Slide'!! 

My Sister bought one of those balloon pools for her Aussies. The dogs used it as an oversized water bowl. One day one of her Percherons got out of the pasture lot and into the yard. He walked over to the kiddie pool, walked in, pawed, then dropped and rolled! Of course he flattened the balloon side and all the water spilled out as he rolled, making a muddy mess, and his pawing tore the bottom... but she said it was the funniest thing. So funny that she didn't mind the fact that he'd ruined the pool. 

Wouldn't it be great if someone could figure out how to make a horse proof kiddie-pool?


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

we have NO clue when it will get fixed sadly. home owners insurance sent the request and we are waiting for someone to show up. in other news monsoon it hitting so its only in the low 100s so YAY!


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## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

Awe man that's misery.. You're at least a *LITTLE* use to the temperatures there?? I just noticed our A/C needs a freeon recharge. I called and ask my guy to come out, re-charge it, clean our ducts, clean the A/C unit, and do any adjustments on the thermostat that needs done. It's been acting a bit quirky. We set the house to 74*F, but the thermostat always reads above 78*F. 

Hope you have some way to keep cool until it's repaired. Animals too.. Got a lake nearby? River? Pond? A friend you can crash with?

I ran across these while looking for barn builders... And I was like, "What the heck!"

Evaporative Coolers & Swamp Coolers | Portable Evaporative Coolers | PortACool® 36" Evaporative Cooler PAC2K361S Belt Drive Single Speed | 653307 - GlobalIndustrial.com


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## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

I give up...I'll probably not ride at all again this summer. The weather is being...*ARGH*
It is either too hot and humid to ride or when it is 'nice enough' a freaking thunderstorm rolls in and ruins those plans. 
To top that off I now have a hole in my duct work for my A/C, now I get to crawl under my house and fix it...so much fun.

*Throws hands in the air and stomps away! I'm tired of adulting! I shall be a unicorn now!*

And just because I must be a masochist I'm heading down to Orlando this weekend to ride Mako. Why you ask? Because I'm a glutton for punishment and I love roller coasters and that thing is a beast! Might as well ride some roller coasters since I can't go to any lessons right? (Oh and it'll be 94*F with 63% humidity...or that's what the forecast says so far...and it's supposed to rain, of course.)


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

There's nothing more fun than to ride in the first row of a roller-coaster in the rain! It's like flying through bullets!!! Ouch!!!


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

well a/c wont get fixed until tomorrow. and we had our first casualty too. my green sunfish who i have had for 2 years could not do it anymore. he died today because we just could not get the house and tank temps under control. its 12am and i just took my dog outside and hosed him off because he is over heating. gave the rabbits their 4th frozen 2 liter for the day and gave them a 3rd fan AND misted them with water. the cats are sleeping on icepacks under the sheets on the bed. I finaly got the cooler in stalled (after 3 hours of fighting with it) for the tank (it involves 100ft of hose and a mini fridge with a pump. they SAY the a/c company will be out tomorrow (so 4 days with the house over 90 with 20-50% humidity because swamp cooler and monsoon kicking in). yep really hate az right now. the insurance company for the a/c will hear about this! i LOVED that fish. i mean i know its a fish but i put alot of time, money and energy into him and he was an all around cool fish. my entire family is upset because we would all stop buy and "talk" to him and he would just stare at us. (he also played peek a boo. weird fish).

sorry if im all over the place. im dehydrated (i have had 1 gal of water today but its not helping), have head exhaustion and am tired. not a good mix.


here are some pics of my poor guy we lost today


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Aw, Kiger - that sucks! I remember when our A/C went out one summer when I lived in Mesa back in the early 70s. My folks moved into a hotel; I was stuck at home (or running to the store for more ice) taking care of 3 dogs, 3 cats, and a 55 gal aquarium. The dogs and cats shared fans and kiddie pools on the back patio, half the fish died, and I slept in the bathtub because the porcelain was the coolest surface I could find! I loved living in AZ, but those 5 days were the closest I've ever come to HE double L.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Kiger, you need to make time to cool yourself down.

If you have a bathtub (many homes just have shower stalls), run some cold water in the tub and sit in it with a ice water to drink. Put some ice cubes in there if you can tolerate them.

I am thankful our A/C is working but I still take a bath in cool water and wash my hair with nothing but the cold water tap. I feel like my head is going to explode from the heat, when I come in the house, but the cold water running over the back of my head/ neck helps to cool me down.

I am sorry about your fish. Two years was a long time to get attached to him. 

Good thoughts coming your way


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

well lost half my other fish and my dino bichir has a cloudy eye now. tank is at 89F with 4 frozen bottles in at and a fan on it and the hood off. im about to but them all in buckets with bubblers and go to a friends house. but i cant bring all my pets with me. i asked someone to watch my rabbits but she cant and my parents or i cant afford boarding though if the a/c is not fixed tomorrow that may happen. kitten is panting on and off. its 102 out side at 1am. going to hose the dog off again. freaking out as i dont know what to do. buddy (dog) is not upd on his Bordatella or DPP because he never goes anywhere so i cant take him to petsmart for boarding. he may go to work with me on thursday though as the corporate building is cold.
oh and the fine print says the warranty company can take up to 72 HOURS to contact a a/c repair place! they were out today. needs a new compressor. they need to WAIT for an ok from the company to go ahead and ORDER the part! so it may be another 3 days or this!!! it was 114f today and it might get that hot tomorrow! 

as for the cooling off thing. we dont have cool water in the house at the moment. its warm at best. if i ran it for an hour MAYBE. hoped in a friends 9ft deep pool today. it was bath water. i had to dive to the bottom to find water under 85F. so i have been cooled off for about 2 hours today. 

Moral of the story? dont live in arizona!


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