~~~~~Beer For My Horses~~~~~
We’re at that time of year when you can cut the air with a knife…
I think the humidity levels are higher than the temperature…
Everyone is miserable…
I’m a weenie and I try to hide inside…in the dark…in the air-conditioning…as much as I possibly can…
…..chores are miserable…
…..going outside is miserable…
…..everything is miserable…
…..mold is growing on everything…
This heat can cause issues for the horses too…
Anhidrosis with horses in Florida can be a big deal…
Sometimes they just don’t sweat…….and that’s not a good thing…
I’ve found that pouring some cheap beer on their food starts them sweating almost immediately (so far)…
So see…..Willie Nelson had it right…..”Whiskey for my Men…Beer for my Horses…..”
…..(is it bad that I know the name of John Wayne’s horse at the end of the video?)-(and that Willie’s song is the ringtone on my phone?)
One of the first rules of thumb with a horse who has an elevated temperature is to start hosing them to cool them down…..
…..that way the water spray that is saturating their fur “should” bring down their temperature…
***BUT during Florida summers…..that rule has to be tweaked…..***
By all means hose a febrile horse on a hot summer’s day…..
…..but because the humidity is SO HIGH…..that hose water will NOT evaporate to help cool the horse down…..
…..in fact…it will help to insult their already hot bodies and potentially make things worse…..
So by all means hose…hose…hose…..
…..but do it in front of a fan and out of the sun…..
…..and give them beer…..
