Storm's Sanctuary

12/01/2026

Dash and Daisy getting stuck into the rounds before the rest of the family realise mums arrived…

12/01/2026

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As the year of the snake Is ending, I’ve had a snake in my laundry on the line, two snakes in the house. One snake bashing down the glass window to get to the cat. And one residing in the back yard… they aren’t leaving without a fight! Looking feared to the test of the fire horse… enjoy.

09/01/2026

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09/01/2026

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09/01/2026

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Your horse is NOT cooler under a cotton rug.

I've always been one of those people with an inquiring mind. I’ve never been good at just doing something because “that’s what people do”. I’m the one who asks “but why?” and I still do that to this day.

And today is a perfect example of that.
It’s meant to be about 44 degrees at home, and because of that, I’ve taken all of the cotton rugs off my horses. Normally, my working horses wear cotton rugs with tail bags to keep them clean and to avoid burrs in their tails, but once we creep over roughly 37 degrees, I take the rugs off and my horses go naked.

So I asked myself the question:
Are horses actually cooler under a white cotton rug on a blazing hot day, or cooler with nothing at all on?

Before we even look at the research, there’s something that matters more than rugs: shade.
All my horses have access to shade in every paddock, and if you don’t have natural shade, you really do need to create some. I’ve put up posts with shade sails in two of my paddocks, simply so the horses have the option of standing in shade if that’s what they want.
And to be honest, in weather like this, that’s not optional – it’s an animal welfare issue. All animals should have access to shade in extreme heat.

Because I’ve been wondering about this rug question for years, I finally sat down and did some proper reading. The research was straightforward and made a lot of sense.

Here’s the simple version of what I found:

• Horses cool themselves best by sweating and having airflow move across their skin.
• Even a light cotton rug reduces that airflow.
• Rugs trap humidity against the body and slow down sweat evaporation.
• A rug acts as insulation – even a thin one – and slows heat leaving the horse.
• Bare skin with airflow and access to shade is the most efficient cooling system a horse has.

Once I understood the physiology behind it, the decision became easy. On extreme heat days, my horses are always better off unrugged, with plenty of shade, water, and airflow.

I like having evidence-based reasons for the choices I make. It’s not about being fussy; it’s about doing what actually keeps the horses comfortable in our weather.

So today, with the temperature heading into the forties, mine are all naked and perfectly happy with that arrangement.

PS .... Kizzy is still keeping the hostage to herself 😆

09/01/2026

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Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you are requiring emergency transport for your horses or loved livestock. We are able to assist in times of need and are here to help keep animals safe during this critical time. With catastrophic weather conditions forecast for tomorrow, we urge everyone to stay alert, keep adequate water on hand, and take all possible steps to protect your animals from harsh and dangerous conditions. Your safety and the wellbeing of your animals is our priority
Please call Jackie on 0448 389 290

Or get on our website and send booking stating it’s a fire evacuation and we will get back to you immediately

26/12/2025

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23/12/2025

Wishing you all a safe and happy Christmas……

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23/12/2025

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