Disasters and Social Media

Happy October! How can that be? It is true what they say…the older one gets, the faster the days zip by!

I am sitting at my desk, wishing the weather would make up its mind. Tropical Storm Imelda is off the coast of Florida…no threat to us, thankfully, but bringing us much needed rain. But the rain chances are constantly changing and all I seem to do today is turnout and bring in horses and donkeys. It is frustrating when the radars show rain all around us, and true to the summer rain pattern this year, the liquid gold goes all around us, which is frustrating. My pastures desperately need the rain! What a contrast to last September, when Hurricane Helene caused so much destruction to my beloved Appalachian mountain region, followed soon after by Hurricane Milton, which gave us a glancing blow. I don’t want anyone to go through a hurricane, but please, send rain to DeLeon Springs, Florida!

Hurricane season still has two months to go, and unfortunately, we have other disasters to worry about, so here is the link to my annual disaster blogs. This particular blog will link you to the multi-part series:

I mentioned in a blog last month that I had created a TikTok account. I hate to admit it, but I am having a lot of fun creating posts and videos! I have been generating more interaction with the TEXT box posts, which are so easy to create. What has generated the most response? The amount of turnout time horses get has been viewed over 26,000 times, with nearly 500 comments. I am happy to say that commentors have overwhelmingly stated that their horse gets on average 10-12 hours a day of turnout, with many getting close to 24 hours, weather permitting! My post asking about blanketing was also a hot topic, (no pun intended.) with nearly 7,000 views and some heated discussions. A more recent comment was spot on, wondering “why some people get so pressed about those of us who choose the blanket life. Just because horses can be ok without blankets, doesn’t mean they have to be.” Most comments were in favor of blanketing, especially if the horse was ill, elderly, clipped or young, while a very few felt that if wild horses didn’t need to be blanketed, then neither did their horse, regardless of the temps. I don’t understand the comparison of domesticated horses to mustangs. Do people think that the life a wild horse is all rosy and rainbows? Do they not think that they suffer from the weather? I am in Florida, and yes! I blanket! I have had thin-skinned Thoroughbreds who needed a sheet at 59 degrees, while my wooly Canadian born draftx rarely needed any help, at least not until he got older and didn’t grow as much of a coat as he did as a yearling. Every horse is different and should be blanketed accordingly!

In other news, the USDA, is closely monitoring a case of New World Screwworm that was found 70 miles from the Texas border in Mexico. This means that they have traveled more than 300 miles from when first discovered in July. This is the furthest north that the NWS has been detected and is of grave concern to American livestock owners, which includes horses. The flies were eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960’s, and the United States is enacting a five-pronged plan to eradicate them again. As a result, U.S. ports are closed to cattle, bison and horses being imported from Mexico.

The NWS can infest any warm-blooded mammal, making all animals and humans at risk. An infestation of screwworms is life-threatening if left untreated. Any open sore is susceptible to the NWS, with the ringed, cylindrical shaped larvae being deposited in open wounds. Adult flies are a bit larger than common house flies with orange eyes, a metallic green or blue body and three stripes along their back. Maggots hatch from the larvae and burrow, or screw their way into the wound, hence the name, and feed on the live tissue, causing wounds to quickly deteriorate and leading to death if untreated. Infestations can also lead to loss of appetite, fever, head shaking, and enlarging wounds. As with any wound, it is always vital to keep the site clean and protected if possible. And as always, it is vital to perform fecal egg counts and to deworm accordingly. If you missed my blog about deworming protocols, check it out here:

Hopefully, the NWS never makes it across our borders, but it is always good to be vigilante about the health of your horse!

Enjoy the weather! I have waited months for this and am finally getting back in the saddle, after giving Gabe a few months off. Who wants to ride when the heat index is 115? I somehow convinced my husband to rearrange the chicken and duck coops and the goat pen, and to move the boat/carport, which will give me a massive riding area that is flat and level (I honestly don’t know why he puts up with me!) After next week, once finished, I will have no excuse not to ride!

Equine Affaire is next month! In my next blog, I will give you the scoop on what you need to know about attending and how to find me!

Don’t forget to hug your horse!

Lori