The Road to the Tevis Cup, Post # 11: (Not) riding in smoke from wildfires

Fantazia’s endurance training has been put on hold due the the insane fire activity in California (and much of the West coast). Riding in smoke from wildfires is a bad idea. When I got up Sunday morning, I thought I had escaped the worst of it. I had gone to Paso Robles to train in the deep sand of a riverbed (see my post on Conditioning in Deep Sand), and I extended my stay because Paso was one of the few places in California that did not have dangerous air quality.

The Sequoia Complex fire
Riding in smoke from wildfires is very unhealthy
Recommendations from research centers
Recommendations from Susan Garlinghouse, DVM for horses during and after smoke exposure

Then on Sunday, as I was getting ready to go on a ride with my friend Laurie, I received a voluntary evacuation notice from the Tulare County Emergency Alert system. That was for where I live with my boyfriend. After an intense exchange of texts with my brother and mother, I determined that they were on mandatory evacuation. I had my boyfriend’s truck and trailer. My family needed me (my son texted as much). I didn’t want to get blocked out, if the situation worsened. I headed home.

The Sequoia Complex fire

The Sequoia Complex Fire (SQF) is actually two fires. The Castle Fire started in the Golden Trout Wilderness (destroying my plan to ride in Shake Camp to Maggie Lakes). The Shotgun Fire started just south of Sequoia National Park. Now they have joined and are consuming much of Sequoia National Park. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are the land of giant sequoias, below the timberline. And a lot more, peaks, lakes…

SQF has also consumed Balch Park, a Tulare County Park in Mountain Home State Forest, close to where I grew up. This is the second time in three years my parents have been under mandatory evacuation. The first was for the Pier Fire, which threatened all of the town of Springville, CA. The SQF looked even worse for my parents a few days ago, but they’ve got the nearest part under control now, so we are hopeful.

Riding in smoke from wildfires is very unhealthy

We know that it’s bad for humans. Those of us who have lived through purple air, or even red air, which is also extremely unhealthy, know how it burns. (How Wildfires Affect Our Health.) But what about horses? Clearly, no one is going to ride when the Air Quality Index is Unhealthy to Hazardous for humans (at least, I hope not).

I don’t ride unless the AQI is under 100. I will hand-walk when it’s in orange (101-150; unhealthy for sensitive groups). I try to discourage galloping around, but my mom’s geldings and Fantazia ran up and down for five minutes a few days ago, when we were in the hazardous zone.

Dr. Garlinghouse’s advice

Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, presented pertinent fire/smoke inhalation information on Monday, September 21, to an AERC audience (you had to be a member to participate). I am now updating this blog post to reflect her recommendations.

It’s okay to exercise a normal horse (one without a compromised respiratory system) in AQIs up to 150. This includes all but the most strenuous work. From 150-200, easy to moderate work is ok (walking, trotting on trails with no steep inclines, all arena work). Over 200, best to avoid any real conditioning, but walking, trailer training (if not a fight) and so forth okay. Over 300 it noxious for humans and horses.

Personally I avoid exercise myself with AQIs over 150, so I am not likely to do anything with my horses!

Recommendations from research centers

This piece from Kentucky Equine Research advises no training at all with AQIs over 200. For levels between 100 and 200, they imply exercise is all right as long as the horse isn’t sensitive.

This report from the UC Davis vet school advises not exercising if you can see smoke in the air. They also suggest keeping the airways lubricated by providing plenty of water in places that will encourage the horses to drink. They also suggest that horses be given 4-6 weeks off work after smoke inhalation. It’s not clear what they consider smoke inhalation, but I am pretty sure that two days of AQI over 500 all day (it was that bad yesterday and the day before–Sept. 16th and 17th) qualifies.

Recommendations from Dr. Garlinghouse for horses during and after smoke exposure

Basic care

Keep horses inside if possible, especially if AQI over 300. If horses are outside (usually the best thing!), try to keep them from running and playing.
Minimize dust. Water everything down, including food.
- Protect hay (cover it possible).
- minimize grazing on ashy pasture.
Feed wet hay and “soups” (add water to feed if horses will eat it)
Encourage drinking. Place water source near feed source.
Supplements that can help:
- Vitamin E: 1000-2000 mg/day during stress
  - Natural (choose d-alpha tocopherol and not dl-alpha tocopherol)
  - Preferably water soluble
  - I use Nano-E from Kentucky Equine Research.
  - Dr. Garlinghouse also suggested Emcelle.
- Vitamin C; 5-10 mg/ day during stress only.
  - Horses make their own Vit. C, better than any supplement, so no need to supplement normally
- Vitamin A: Feed lots of carrots
  - Don’t supplement, it’s unstable.
- Omega-3 fatty acids
  - Flaxseed, chia, marine oils (if you can get your horse to eat them)
    - Golden ground flax from Tractor Supply
    - Simply flax is competitively priced at Amazon
    - KER has a palatable fish oil option
- Selenium (make sure horse is getting enough. This is complex and a topic for another blog post!)
  - Dr. Garlinghouse recommends Selenium yeast from Platinum Performance
  - Most Selenium products contain Vitamin E, like this one

How long to wait after smoke exposure before conditioning

If the horse has been exposed to more than a few days of AQIs > 150-200, especially if exercising during the exposure, wait at least two weeks, and preferably 4-6 weeks, before hard exercise.
If the horse has been exposed to AQIs greater than 500 (this was my question!), then wait 4-6 weeks after the AQI is below 150 before exercising. Hand walk only.
- No excitement–heart rate needs to stay below 100 (not difficult in a fit horse… though how fit mine will be after two months of doing nothing, I don’t know.)