I often have people ask me how the horses handle the heat- I always have to joke and say better than we do! It's the people who have to do the work- feeding, watering, cleaning, all the daily chores in the 110 degree heat- the horses get to hang out. Of course, all of the real activity, the horses who are being worked for adoptions, riding lessons and turning out is all done in the early mornings and later in the evenings. The heat does obviously affect the horses though, especially the more compromised ones- those who are very elderly, have health issues, the very young, etc. For example, little Florecita has three fans in her indoor stall to help keep her cool. We work hard to make sure all the horses have access to clean water at all times and all have access to a shelter.
One of the things that really gets to me is when people do not have adequate shelters for their animals. I imagine the people sitting in their air conditioned horses or under their porches (after all it's too hot to be outside) while their animals have to endure the sun. The excuse of "well, even if I did have shelter for them, they prefer the to stand in the sun". It doesn't matter- animals, like people, MUST have access to shade- whether they choose to stand under it or not- it MUST be provided.
Anyway, off of the soap box for now, enjoy these photos of today at the rescue:
HUGE thanks to Mike of Las Vegas who donated this beautiful three horse aluminum horse trailer! It is in brand new condition and is wonderful! Our little gray rescue trailer has seen better days, this new trailer is going to work so perfectly. It will be put to work rescuing horses, bringing adopted horses to their new homes and bringing sick horses into the vet clinic...
Speaking of vets, it seems we have our own Shiloh Vet Tech- Mojo loves to lick wounds on other horses. I know, he's weird. Here he is "helping" Sally clean Roy's leg wound under City Center...
Clementine, our old blind Mule is starting to fail. We are watching her closely but she is having a difficult time keeping her weight up and adjusting to losing the sight in her one remaining good eye...
Cute little Jack in the Gummies. This older pony recently returned from his foster home and is enjoying hanging out with his Shiloh friends...
Whitey and Florecita spent time in the turn out this morning. In photos, it's difficult to see just how small she really is. She doesn't even reach up to my knees...
Dayton, Okay Corral...
A peaceful Okay Corral...
I am in the process of taking updated photos of the recently returned adopted horses. This is Puma...
All looks normal on this side...
But the other side shows huge scars from a Mountain Lion attack when she was very young. As her former adopter, Linda, told me, "She is a very interesting horse with a heart of gold. She needs someone who will look past her exterior and see her gentle and loving spirit." Linda loved Puma very much but had to move across the country and could only take one horse with her. Puma will be re-evaluated for adoption very soon... 
2 comments:
NICE trailer!! That is so cool!
Love how Mojo licks hurt animals. I have a dog who does that too.
As for the people who don't provide shade, URRRRGGGHHH. That is my pet peeve and for the 4th yr in a row I get to watch my neighbors horses in tiny 20x20 pens with no shade. Worse, there are shades laying right next to the pen and no one bothers to put them up. They have a 22 yr old son living with them getting extreme DUI's, no job, but he apparently can't be bothered to put up a shade. It drives me right up a wall and then some. I've spoken to them about it, offered to come over and help.... I'm to the point of trespassing on a full moon and just doing it. They'd probably take it down just to spite me.
Makes me so upset to see this old horse they have putting his head in a hanging metal feeder just to shade his face. Predominately white paint horse. Wish they'd put down the beer and just prop up those shades. They told me "We're going to build a barn". Yeah right.
Mikey, can't animal control make them put up shade?
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