Having fun and working hard at keeping our ponies cool this week

By Lexy Mitton

This week’s amber weather warning meant we suspended riding for our ponies’ comfort. But did that mean we took time off? Absolutely not, says Lexy in her Stay Cool! video. And what’s not to like about seeing Olaf enjoying a cool shower?

Riding is only a small part of our story, but horse care is huge in our lives. While many of our participants love honing their riding skills, they all take part in caring for our lovely ponies. Horse care, understanding their needs, and learning to listen and connect to horses are a huge part of what we do, whether the sun’s shining or not.

And when the weather’s hot, horses need access to plenty of water, cold showers, and salt licks to help replace the salts lost through sweating. Horses are naturally efficient at regulating their body temperature, and being outside with access to airflow helps. But when the temperatures soar, we know they’d prefer us not to tack them up with a sweaty saddle and human! Imagine how you’d feel?

Besides, hosing down a horse on a hot day ranks among the most fun you can have around ponies!

This month we’ve got through a LOT of salt licks! If you’d like to top up our supplies (which will definitely make Olaf happy as well as Natalie), just head to our Donate page.