I moved three of my horses from the Oh/PA border to the Low Desert area of SoCal for five years of living h****, lol

At least they were on my own property.

1. IMHO, your horse would be better off living live in a mare motel ---- a large open air area with a roof over one section. Mare motels are pipe panels. I would even pay extra money for a larger than normal exercise space, if possible.

2. I fed my horses a psyllium daily feed thru to help prevent sand colic AND also the formation of sand stones.

3. If you will be self-care, keep her water clean and have a white salt block next to the water tub. She won't need electrolytes if she is a heavy drinker. She will need electrolytes if she drinks ten or less gallons of water daily and you don't see her eating any salt.

4. Feed her light --- both in type of feed and the amount given to her.

5. And last but not least ------- watch her hooves.. My Tennessee Walkers hooves went thru a horrible metamorphosis when we lived in SoCal. My Arab, on the other hand, reached back in his desert-bred gene pool and his hooves stayed nice and pretty?

We moved to Tennessee five years later, and wishing a couple months, my Walking Horses hooves breathed a sigh of relief and returned to normal, lol

5.1. While it is true horses should not have to have oil on their hooves, sometimes that awful dry arid no humidity desert air combined with the abrasive sand will make the heel bulbs crack.

If you see that happening, don't waste your money on the standard hoof oil treatments. Buy Mollimentum hoof grease.and buy yourself a cheap 1" paint brush to slather it on the heel bulbs, and hooves once or twice a week. It will not melt or roll off the hooves in the hot desert temperatures.

I hope this helps and Best of luck out there --- I thought I would like life in the Low Desert --- instead I hate the h*** out of it and couldn't wait to get back where there is grass, lol

 

Thank you so much. Is there a daily psyllium supplement you recommend? I was looking at Smartpaks but I only see the monthly 7-day purges. Would those be fine, or is daily a better choice?

Her current digestive supplement has psyllium, but only 650mg. I'm assuming that's nowhere near enough, but this is all new to me! I'm used to grass. 😂

As far as electrolytes, she drinks okay but I'm afraid that with the change from humid heat to dry heat she won't drink enough. Would it be better to supplement electrolytes or salt? Right now she gets pelleted salt in her Smartpaks in addition to Smartdigest Ultra.

 

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Thank you so much. Is there a daily psyllium supplement you recommend? I was looking at Smartpaks but I only see the monthly 7-day purges. Would those be fine, or is daily a better choice?

I can't remember for sure, but I THINK I fed Equi-Aid when I was in SoCal from 1998 thru 2003. They had a daily feed thru and I fed it continually for the entire five years.

Searching today, I don't see any any daily feed thru's. I can't remember how many milligrams was in a serving. At the very least, my thought is to buy the Equi-Aid and do the purge recommendations

Her current digestive supplement has psyllium, but only 650mg. I'm assuming that's nowhere near enough, but this is all new to me! I'm used to grass. 😂

As far as electrolytes, she drinks okay but I'm afraid that with the change from humid heat to dry heat she won't drink enough. Would it be better to supplement electrolytes or salt? Right now she gets pelleted salt in her Smartpaks in addition to Smartdigest Ultra.

It might be best to get her on an electrolyte, and monitor how she drinks, at least for the first few months.

Hay --- mercy I forgot about the hay ---- I bought hay that was shipped down from the Imperial Valley. It was three twine (~115-125 pounds) Bermuda hay. I only paid $10-$12/bale and managed to get out before the price of hay shot thru the outer stratosphere.

Ditto@Trailhorserider;, regarding the area of AZ you will be moving to. That will play a huge part in how you feed your horse and how much it will cost.

When I was moving to SoCal, in November, 1998 I missed my last layover as we ended up stuck in Flagstaff thanks to a BIG honkin' ice and snow storm. There was no way this side of Hades and back, I was risking everyone's safety trying to get down the other side of that mountain. As Fate would have it, the cashier at the Quik Mart/ gas starin turned out to be a fellow Pennsylvanian and found a layover close by for my horses.

So yes, your location is going to be important regarding hay and water availability:cowboy:

 

Take some of her current hay with you. If she's eating alfalfa, beware that the hay available in much of the southwest is very different than that in the rest of the country. A friend who moved to Arizona from Illinois likens the Arizona hay to 'rocket fuel' for her horses. The price of hay is also much, much higher, so bear that in mind.


You want your horse housed in an airy shelter with as much space and shade as possible. Mare motels (roofed stall with an attached pipe pen) are ubiquitous in desert areas.

 

Just out of curiosity, what part of Arizona are you moving to?

There are really hot, desert areas like Phoenix and Tucson and then there are the mountains of northern Arizona which actually have some trees and slightly cooler temperatures (when they aren't burning up with forest fires).

I used to live in Phoenix and now live up in the mountains. Much nicer (about 20-25 degrees cooler than Phoenix) BUT we still have no pasture of any kind and we have to worry about wild fires every time it dries out.

I would love to live somewhere where there is grass!

Most horses here are kept in "pens" year round and are fed hay year round. Alfalfa is the easiest to get and the best quality. I try to feed about 50% alfalfa and 50% bermuda hay (second easiest to get hay).

You actually pay MORE for grass hay here than alfalfa and the quality is usually not as nice because I guess alfalfa is grown for the dairies so it is more common and cost less than grass.

I just got back from buying some alfalfa this morning. $16.50 for a 100/lb bale. But I think I got cheated......he swore it was the same price as bermuda and usually the alfalfa is a dollar a bale cheaper. :evil:

 

Thank you all so much for the information. It is so helpful.

We are looking to be in the Phoenix area, so very much desert I'm afraid!

 

Yeah no. I'd never move to the desert - the crispy English countryside is already bordering too much. I was curious as to see about the other responses RE keeping on sand. GL OP

 

We will be in the Phoenix area, either Goodyear or San Tan Valley.

I've been looking at a lot of barns and can't find one that does more than 3 days turnout, but most only do 1. I'm hoping once I know my actual move date and when I'll be able to ship Sunny, I can talk to some barns and see about all of the options.

If any of you in the area know of any reputable barns, I'd love some suggestions!

 

Why is turnout so unavailable the in the desert?

 

Because land is expensive and there are no pastures unless you have irrigation. Most people can't afford acreage with irrigation. Land is cheaper out of the cities but then you have to put in a well. So you may have turnout but still no actual pasture. In the Phoenix are, most horses are kept in pens and then if you are blessed enough to live near a mountain preserve you have a place to ride. Otherwise you have to trailer out.

I guess the short answer is, land is at a premium?

 

Trust me, your horse would not have enjoyed being turned out in a dirt lot with no shade today. It was 100 degrees at 8 a.m., it is 100 degrees now at 9 p.m. it was 116 degrees mid-afternoon. Despite the brutal heat, my four geldings were fine in their shady stalls in front of their fans. Their water is in the shade and stays cool. They are eating well and not distressed. Two of my guys came from Montana and one from Utah this year. The three ranch horses have adapted wonderfully to living in stalls with occasional turn out and being ridden 3 or 4 times a week. They quickly adapted to the heat.

Arizona stalls are unique in that they are made out of pipe/mesh with a roof over them, but open to air. They are often referred to as pipe stalls or mare motels. My horses can interact with their buddies on either side, and keep an eye on all the activity around the barn. They are actually really happy and we'll adjusted. Of our four, one is restless and a little destructive in his stall -- he's the one that was born and raised in Arizona.

You can find board in San Tan Valley with turn out in irrigated pastures. Keep an eye on Craigslist, as they are generally privately owned and not widely advertised. Turn out is limited because it is so hot and arid that grass gets grazed down to dirt really quickly. Not all acreage can be irrigated, it is a challenge to keep anything growing in the summer.

San Tan Valley and Queen Creek are very popular with horse owners -- lots of riding opportunities for all disciplines, and much lower cost of living than Scottsdale or Cave Creek. People have been keeping horses here for hundreds of years. The style of horse keeping has evolved to best deal with the challenges of our weather. There are numerous national-level reining and cutting barns here, as well as the mecca for Arabian breeders. I don't think the heat is any worse than extreme humidity or extreme cold in other states.

Horses are adaptable. Yours will probably appreciate the lower humidity and be just fine.

 

Thanks so much, this really made me feel a lot better!

 

I feed psyllium for the first week of every month. Having plenty of hay will also help move it through the gut. You can also hear the sand using a stethoscope. It sounds like a grinding wet sand sound versus normal gurgling gut sounds.

If your horse starts itching or rubbing the tail, adding oil to the food will resolve dry skin in about two weeks. You will also need to stock up on lotion, sun screen and lip care products for yourself.

Don't dismay over the lack of turnout. In the heat horses will run over each other to get under any kind of shade. Even if they have the choice of barn or big lot, you'll find them all under the shade.
Were in our monsoon season now so every afternoon is bringing us hail (we had snow plows out yesterday to move it off roads), torrential rains and lots of lightening. The rains cause flash floods, partly because we don't have soil -its either sand, clay or rock. It doesn't soak in, but rolls across the top. And flooding is also worse in the burn scar areas of recent fires. So make sure you are aware when out riding. We often ride on creekbeds because of the footing, but you can be quickly swept away even if the rain is miles from you. It is not uncommon for a storm 20 miles away to produce lightening right over your head. Our saying is, "when thunder roars, head indoors." Many people are killed by lightening every year, even in seemingly sunny skies.

Aquaint yourself with the cholla cactus and avoid it like the plague. It has vicious barbed spikes and I swear it jumps out to get you. Scorpions are another nuisance so get in the habit of shaking out everything before you put it on, horse tack included.

When you get moved, have a vet do a wellness check on your horse and ask about supplementing your electrolytes with additional salt. Both my horses are desert natives and get what they need in their feed, but I do add table salt. They also have rock salt on a rope in their stall.

On a side note, if you are bringing house pets they will need special attention too. My niece was at work when her home a/c went out. She came home to two lethergic pups. Unable to find an a/c repairman for several days she had to scoop them up and move to a hotel. Brown outs happen, and storms often knock out power. The utility companies are really good at trying their best to restore everyone in a few hours.

It will be different. Some people love it, most hate it. We live at about 6,000 feet so it's not as hot as lower elevations. Even so, a nice day trip to 8-10,000 feet is a yummy treat for people and horses alike.

 

IF you end up at a place that only feeds pellets (alot in the phoenix area do as its easier to store) see if you can get them soaked. and good luck finding a place under 500 per month that dose daily turnout. my place you fight it out with the 40 other boarders for the turnout arena. soo im lucky to get mine out once a week at this point. fyi its not dropping below the 100s untill 3am here in phoenix this week. i use hoof flex on my horses hooves monthly. its so hot and dry that the hooves crack and chip otherwise. most farriers suck. or they get lazy so you need to be proactive with who you use and when their work starts to slide. alot of horses have underslung heels and people think its normal.... you want EVERY vets number within the metro area as if an emergency happens good luck getting your vet out (called 5 vets at 11pm to try and save a horse last weekend).

you want large pipe stalls. mine are in 16x20 covered stalls currently. alfalfa is the cheapest hay but it is HIGH quality compared to most states. makes my 4 HOT so bermuda is your friend. you will want a ration balancer as our hay is missing key nutrients. unless you end up on Lakin lite pellets. they are balanced by the university id Kentucky.

Keep an eye out for not sweating! anhidrosis is a real thing and DANGEROUS when its 116F 2 days in a row!

Fan are pointless when its over 105F. its like having a hairdryer on your face. i use misters on my 33 year old.

careful on trails. bikers have 0 respect for ANYONE EVER. they will all but crash into your horse half the time. or ride outside the flarking bike lane forcing you into the other lane on the road.

ANY place you go NEEDS arena lights. in summer unless you are ok riding at 5am, you wont want to be at the barn untill 7:30pm to 8pm.

BE AWARE i have yet to find a place that feeds by weight. we all feed by volume. it is all eyeballed so your horse will have to adjust. Most places only feed am and pm. you might find a place with noon feeding. also i have only ever been to one place that uses water buckets. most are auto waterers. you will need to use electrolytes (i use orange gatorade powder since my horses are brats) to help in fall and spring.

Fall and spring are colic season. cool night temps and hot day temps cause horses to not drink enough. horses drop like flies during that time.

i cant think of anything else atm. i am in the phoenix area so if you have questions ask away lol.

 

Thanks so much! After hearing some input I believe I'm alright with her only going out once or twice a week, especially if she's in a mare motel with room to move around. Most of the barns I've been looking at are in the $350 range, which is doable for me.

I appreciate everyone's help!!! If anyone has barn suggestions in the Phoenix area I'd love to hear them!

 

Depends on how fancy you want to go. Even if it's way out of your price range, go have a look at Los Cedros up in Cave Creek, it's worth the drive just to see it. You're also going to want to figure out where you're going to live in the Phoenix metro before you pick a barn for the horses. Depending on where you are, it can take an hour or more to get across town during rush hour. You don't want to pick a place in Buckeye if you're in Casa Grande or a barn in Casa Grande if you're in Goodyear.

 

When I lived in the desert (Apple Valley, CA & Tucson, AZ), the main thing I watched for was dehydration. I got away from automatic waterers because you can't monitor how much the horse is consuming, not to mention if one horse gets destructive and breaks a pipe, the entire barn is without water. So went to 5 gal pails, that way if anyone was off I knew it and the worst they could do was dump a couple of pails in their own stall.

Keeping the horses in 'mare motels' was by far the most ideal situation. They had shade and good air circulation and at least mine were 24 X 48, so much more generous than a box stall. I had a big arena at each place, so could turn them out in the arena when I wasn't using it. I took a bale of hay and made several piles around the arena, so they would move and graze, even though I had no pasture. I'd buy the big jar of generic Metamucil from Costco and fed 1/4 cup every day for 1 week, each month. Never had a problem with colic or stones.

The horses will adapt and will adjust their rhythms to living in the desert. You will too. We got up around 4:30 am and rode out in the dry washes until 7 and were back in by 8 am and we'd go out about 6 pm and ride until 9 or 10 pm, during summer. Winter was lovely for riding, nice cool days but not freezing, and of course, no humidity except during monsoon. Then ....... well......the less said about monsoon the better, but it passes quickly.

 

As of right now I think we're going to be in the Goodyear area, although not certain yet.

 

If you end up in Goodyear, you'll be near lots of horsey folks. The feed stores will be able to point you in a certain direction too. Good luck, it's going to be a real culture shock for you, but I think you might end up liking it over all. We miss the desert and are considering moving back in the not too far distant future.

 

Join the Arizona horse Network if you are on FB. it is how the horse community finds things out here lol. how i found my barn too. maybe post on there with price rance, area and turnout requirements. you might find a nice privet barn with daily turnout or a public barn with 2 times a week. never hurts to ask. its a small world out here so if a place is crap you will hear about it.