Ahhhhhh?.major sigh! We just put our September issue to bed, so I have a few seconds to breath and blog, before plunging into October. (Ya, we nag-mag editors have no clue what month it really is?ever!) It’s apparently July 16; our August issue should be out soon; we just finished September, and now working on October? Can you say, “Who’s on first?”

I’m heading out the barn shortly to give my poor Thoroughbred gelding, Memphis, the coolest bath I possibly can. It’s about 106 degrees or more here in Dallas today?which is high for July (even for us Texans). My guy has anhydrosis, a condition that prevents him from sweating in scorching temperatures. This can obviously be quite dangerous since horses, like people, rely on sweating to keep their body temps regulated. I have him on One-AC, which seems to help to some degree and make sure he gets salt and electrolytes. These help, but not to the point I wish they would. Anyone have other tips for treating horses with anhydrosis? If so, I’d LOVE to hear them.

I have a coworker (and several other sources) who claim giving your horse a beer one meal a day can help with the condition. Apparently, the yeast in the beer is supposed to help stimulate the sweat glands. Guinness is supposedly one of the best. BUT, I’ve also heard beer can cause digestive upset, etc. So, not sure how to play this one? Anyone have experience sharing a cold one with her/his horses?

Poor Memphis-Pooh in the scorching Texas heat!

I just want to try and keep him comfortable. When I go out to the pasture, and Memphis is panting like he just ran the Derby, it terrifies me. And, when it comes to riding?it’s 6:00 a.m., or nothing. It stays in the 100s until the sun goes down. Ahhh?am ready for fall.

But, after seeing Erin’s post with her ears’-up photo, I had to laugh (at both of us). We were absolutely freezing that day! And it was in the mid-50s to low-60s! (Wimps?) It reminded me of a photo shoot I did the second year I was with H&R. We used to run a supplemental publication called Everything for Horse & Rider?for riding apparel, tack, miscellaneous products, and so on. The pub is for both English and Western models. Since I primarily do the English thing, I was the fortunate candidate to wear hard-core winter-wear in 110-degree August. That was a grand time. My brother’s BFF, Joey Davenport, was the “cowboy” model?at least his clothes weren’t thermal!!!!

Talk about making sacrifices for your career?in jest, of course!

Below photos are from the aforementioned photo shoot; and, yes, that is Mr. Memphis modeling along with my brother’s BFF, Joey Davenport, and my good friend’s QH gelding, Scout. How hot are we???