Are you in Las Vegas?  If you are a horse owner, this post is for you.  It keeps coming up, year after year, that horses are being kept in corrals with no shade.  I ask you to think about this a moment.  No shade.  In Las Vegas, we reach the 100+ mark every day for at least 3 months a year. We don't see frequent clouds or rain. Imagine yourself in your horse's shoes (no pun intended there.)

A horse is a warm blooded mammal, with a normal body temp of about 101.5F.  They are hotter blooded than we are, plus they wear fur year round. Place yourself in your horse's corral, with no shade, no way to move to shade, and no relief in sight. There's a bucket of lukewarm water with bugs, hay, and dirt floating in it.  Now, you are there, at high noon, the sun beating on you, and being a gentle creature most of the time you can do nothing but bear it.

Do not break the law.  In Clark County, Title XXX specifies the minimum area of 120 square feet of which 90 square feet must be covered to provide shade.  For more information on what they will do to you, see the Nevada Revised Statutes: 574 and the jail time you could serve.  This means you must have at least a 10 x 12 corral with a 10 x 9 shade at a bare minimum.  I personally think these are small, small minimums, and are barely within humane keepings for a horse.  I keep my horses in a 24 x 24 with a 12 x 24 shade that runs north to south, angled down on the west side. For the most part, the horses have shade from 9 am to 7 pm in the summer, and about 10 am to 4 pm in the winter.

I OFTEN hear that horses are outdoor critters and don't need shade. Not true. Pure Bunk. That's the cheap, lazy person's excuse. The wild horses in Nevada, as seen on our beautiful quarter, can move to higher ground where it is cooler if there is no shade.  Otherwise, you will often see them standing in the shade of a pinyon or cypress, even a Joshua tree, to get some relief from the hot Mojave sun.

You should know that I, as an animal advocate and veterinary technician, will report the address of any place I see that doesn't provide these minimum conditions for horses on the property. If YOU want to report a violation go to the Clark County website and make an on-site complaint.

www.accessclarkcounty.com is all you need to know. Horses are not stupid, just unable to speak our language.  I'm sure a few would like to smack their owners upside the head now and then. Nevertheless, when we put an animal in a pen and make it dependant on us, we OWE it proper shelter, wholesome fodder, and clean water.  A bit of snuggle now and then doesn't hurt.

If you need help caring for your horses, goats, sheep, cows or poultry, or would like to schedule some consultation time, don't hesitate to contact me at www.allpetscs.com (All Pets Concierge Service, LLC).  I can transport your horse or your hamster, feed your goat or your guinea pig, and we are always happy to make new friends!