Re: [RC] Horse Management in Excessive Heat - steelsidedown
Our temps are in that range, but not quite!
<phew!>
Keep water tanks in the shade, change water daily
as algae forms very quickly changing the taste of the water. Also in my
field where it isn't possible to get a water hose to the shady area, I freeze
milk jugs of water and put 2-3 in, in the early afternoon. (who wants to
drink hot water when its 98' out?) BTW, 4 horses emptied a 60 gallon tank
today! I'm sure a little foot soaking and splashing happened, but still
OMG!
Salt out and available in block and loose, and a
bit added to food.
Turned them out during the day, as the usual cool
shady airy barn has turned stifling -- even with huge fans & misters.
They seem to rotate around the field to different shady spots as the sunlight
changes.
Tons of fly spray and/or white fly sheets. My
guys in sheets are not sweating today, the "naked" one is -- go
figure.
Like much of the other parts of the U.S., northeast Texas is in the grip
of a major heatwave. Consecutive days above 100 degrees. Today it
was 96 by 10 am; it's now just 2 pm and already 104. Night temperatures
aren't going much below the low-mid 80s so the horses aren't getting a
"cooling break" even during the night.
Am interested in some discussion about horse management during heat waves
(beyond the obvious--access to cool fresh water, free choice salt,
shade). Change in feed protocol? Mandatory e-lyte supplementation
to make up loss during excessive sweating? Change in amount of forage,
which produces heat?
Thanks!
Beth
Denton, TX
See the all-new, redesigned Yahoo.com. Check it
out.
