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Profile picture for Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor @jenniferhunter

@shelly61 Thank you. The photo I have here is of my old horse and the last time I rode him as he was aging right before he retired. I bought a younger horse and had both for a while. My older horse passed a few years ago. When there is dust either inside a barn or outside, I simply pay attention to air currents to try to stay upwind and hold my breath when I need to do that. I have asthma and don't want to inhale any of it. I do sometimes put on an N95, but it's usually too hot to wear one while doing physical work. I'm mostly outside grooming the horse and I don't have an inside arena. I kind of worry about that for the dust that gets kicked up and I don't want to breathe it. My horse is boarded and I don't have to do a lot of chores. Sometimes I have breathing issues due to asthma and I do have a respirator in my car in case I'm out anywhere and really can't breathe. I also have a can of oxygen and it really helps during those times my lungs are reactive and I am waiting for the inhaler to kick in. I have to be careful with hay and not breathe the dust. It can have mold in it, and my horse is pretty sensitive to that too. If he gets exposed to it, I have to give him antihistamines too. He's actually getting small square hay bales because they have a lot less mold and those large round spools of hay usually have a lot of mold in them because they are wound so tight. The farm recently had to get round spools because of supply issues, and my horse was coughing, so they just got the small bales for him and he's OK now. He's getting his own hay in a stall with pasture grazing part of the day. Sometimes while trail riding, you may go past a wet area that has a lot of mold spores. I will give my horse his antihistamine before we go out just in case and I have my inhaler with me. Horses are wonderful, aren't they? I'd love to hear about yours. How do you manage with dust avoidance?

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Replies to "@shelly61 Thank you. The photo I have here is of my old horse and the last..."

Wow....'you go girl'...... live your life with your 'buddy,' that beautiful horse. Animals are remarkable! Hope, all in all, you and your 'buddy' can manage it all well enough to keep yourselves out of the 'trouble' we all know can happen no matter how careful we are.
Happy trails to you and your beautiful 'buddy'.
Barbara.

I too have a horse. This hot weather has been tough. The barn area is very dusty especially with fans going. My BE has made it tough to ride but hoping to get back to it. I hesitate to spend time in barn and too hot to stay outside with heat index near 100. Love the horses though.