Local Livestock Also Affected by Bad Air Quality

RENO, Nev.- The arena at the Pair of Aces Stables, located in the historic Silver Circle Ranch, is deserted. Jumps and obstacles are useless. It’s not because there are no horses or riders. The animals, on the other hand, are literally resting in their stalls.

This is because the air outside could be hazardous to the horses’ health if they are physically driven and inhale additional smoke-filled air.

“We actually have smoke protocols in place,” explains Liz Reader, owner of Pair of Aces Stables. “And last week on Thursday night or Wednesday night when the smoke rolled in, sent an email out to my clients and told them what to expect until the smoke clears,” she recalls.

Aside from stall rest, Reader and her crew aim to keep the horses as hydrated as possible.

This means that water is constantly available. However, their hay and feed are also watered down, so the animals are continually taking in water whether they recognize it or not. The goal is to keep the animals as comfortable as possible so they don’t get sick.

Horses will be groomed on a daily basis as well. It allows the animal to get out of the stall, engage their mind, and allows the groomer to see if there are any physical changes.

“A medium tissue message keeps their body active,” Reader says. “We can do stretches, carrot stretches, leg stretches.” We just provide high-quality grooming services. “We try our hardest to keep their bodies going,” she says.

According to the reader, they are still in the show and competition season. Authorities and boards, on the other hand, have learned to pivot and adjust schedules until the air quality improves and the horses are at their peak.

Meanwhile, she says she’ll keep an eye on the A-Q-I in the hopes of seeing better skies.

Reader says that once the AQI reaches 150 or lower, the horses can resume their normal routine.

Credits: KoloTV