Extended high temperatures throughout the country are creating problems for both the wild horse population and horse owners at shows and races. Whether it is a racing thoroughbred that dies after a race during which temperatures approach triple digits or badly sunburned and dehydrated horses in a BLM holding pen, the summer heat can be devastating to horses.
No shade or water in sight for wild horses
Extended high temperatures throughout the country are creating problems for the wild horse population as well as for show and race horses and horse owners.
© 2013 by Peter Schmalzer
In Utah's West Desert the heat and lack of water have become a threat to Utah's wild horse population.
According to authorities, temperatures became so hot so quickly this year that staying ahead of drought conditions has been a challenge.For the past few weeks, Utah's Bureau of Land Management has been shipping thousands of gallons of water every week to fill troughs for wild horses in the Cedar Mountain herd of Skull Valley in Tooele County.
"Right now, what we're doing is a preventative action. We're trying to stay ahead of it so the horses stay healthy," said Kevin Lloyd, BLM wild horse and burro specialist.
There are other water sources in the general area, but drought conditions mean that horses won't travel as far. "They get weak, and they get to the point where they can't leave the water source. And at that point, they basically stand on the dry water bed until they die," Lloyd said.
Reports show that in spite of the BLM's best efforts, sometimes the horses don't drink the water that is brought in because they are caught in strange circumstances and having people bringing water in can frighten them away, but with the heat, some horses are staying close and waiting for the troughs to fill up.
The day after a 2-year-old filly died following a race at the State Fair, the California Horse Racing Board's Medication and Track Safety Committee took the first step Friday in potentially establishing guidelines with a hearing on when it's safe to race on days with high temperatures.
California racetracks don't have a statewide policy on heat and racing. Other racing venues and equestrian events use the Heat Stress Index of 180 as the limit to allow competition, said Dr. Rick Arthur, the CHRB's state veterinarian. The state will use 180 as an unofficial guideline for now.
In Reno Nevada, the wild horse advocacy group, Wild Horse Education, is very concerned about conditions where horses are being held during the current heat waves. Staff members visiting the areas where the horses are held see mares that have recently foaled in obvious states of dehydration and without around-the-clock access to water.
Other light skinned horses are badly sunburned with peeling skin that is not receiving care to prevent infection and ease the pain associated with the sunburn.
Wild Horse Education has written a request to the BLM to add additional water sources for the horses and to provide shade for the horses, especially those with lighter skin that are prone to bad sunburn.
Laura Leigh, Wild Horse Education president says that without immediate steps to remedy the situation, "...we will have sick and dying animals unless something is done today."