Man, oh, man is it hot today! We are in the midst of a heat WARNING, which is something I've seldom seen. I am not one to complain about the weather, as a general rule. I have lived in some extremes--from the dry deserts of the Mojave, to the humid summers of the southeastern swamp lands, from the 120 degree summers of Las Vegas, to the WAAAY below zero temps of high altitudes and high latitudes. This year, though, my first full year in IL, is my first time seeing most of the extremes in the SAME location! Illinois had some record-setting cold spells this winter, and this week, the 113 degree index is like I'm back in south GA. Just a week ago, I was working on digging a new sidewalk and hardly breaking a sweat. Now, I can barely take 3 steps outside before the sweat makes me look like I'm fresh out of the shower (but certainly don't smell that way, I'm sure!!). I think we only have one more day of this, so I can bear it. Man, it's hot as blazes out there though!! We've been putting ice packs in with the bunnies, I brought my guardian dogs in to the coolness of the basement (one is due to whelp in just 2 weeks, and was MISERABLE!!), I've kept the broilers in the barn brooder a little longer than normal, and ensured all the other critters had fresh air, cool water, and plenty of shade.

What do you do in this type of heat? Just out of curiosity, what conditions are your limit for working the teams?

in this heat my horses think there on social security, I think there is a heat and humidity formula where it is no longer safe to work them, one reason mules were so popular in the south, they like heat better than a horse.

The reason mules do better in the heat is because they will take a break when they get to hot and they will start back on their own when they cool down. I have worked some horses in some severe heat but you have to be careful. When I was little I remember Grampa telling about losing a horse from the heat.

I got home from work in the heat of the day yesterday and horses were wet just standing in the pasture.

We do rotational grazing, and some of my paddocks don't have shade. With this heat wave, I've been forced to let the stock into the shaded paddocks during the day, and then run them up to graze fresh, unshaded paddocks at night. Even in the shade, they just stand there and drip sweat. Our heat wave is supposed to end tonight.

The weather report here says we will be getting a little Snow in the high country tonite. I am not even close to finishing my hay crop.

I work the horses early in the morning for a couple of hours , for example, yesterday we raked hay for a neighbor , and then they are in the barn with access to outside if they want to . There is also a big fan running.

Hot, Hot, Hot, Sean and Danielle, welcome to Illinois weather, I am about 40 miles from St. Lou. we always say if you don't like the weather stick around another 5 mins because it is always changing. feels like the humidity dropped a bit today and supposed to change some starting tommorrow. Horses are definately miserable, usually have a fan on by the barn. as far as working the horses, i believe they can handle way more than me, so I am "lazy" one.