What’s everyone doing with their pets this summer? How are you keeping your pets cool? Does the heat make your pets feel as lazy as I do 😉  Anyone having any summer pet visitors?
     
A team of Budweiser Clydesdales came to visit at the University of New Hampshire. They had open barn hours where you could stop by and visit the horses, so of course I did! They are such gorgeous animals!
These horses are SO spoiled! The staff was constantly rotating them out of their stalls for baths to help keep them cool. Of course they also had multiple fans in their stalls to help with the heat.
When talking to one of the care givers, I learned some interesting things. Budweiser has it’s own breeding program, so the horses are born into the Budweiser life and don’t leave. They work from about 5 years old until about 15 and then they are retired. Budweiser retains the retired horses and they get to be turned out to relax and enjoy the rest of their days. The horses I was able to interact with all had super friendly and mellow personalities. They loved to have their giant heads scratched. Â I made a point of driving by the barns while they were there so I could see them turned out in their paddocks. So fun to see these giant creatures trotting around, nibbling each others’ necks, and enjoying the grass.
My own pets are enjoying the summer from the comfort of the air conditioned house.
Hector is really enjoying all the fresh fruit of summer. She particularly likes cherries this year!
We got a couple of kayaks, so of course Cali needed a life jacket. I haven’t brought her out on the water with me yet, hoping she likes it!
My son’s cat, Martin, is staying with us for the summer. He’s a really, really good cat. Super friendly – he actually demands to be patted all the time. If I walk into a room, he runs and throws himself on the floor at my feet. While I’m working, he will climb up my legs to get my attention and then throw himself on his back so I can rub his tummy.
Martin used to eat mostly dry food with some occasional canned food as a treat, but my cats get a little canned food every day and Martin has really learned to enjoy it! At first he had very little interest in any flavor of canned food, but now he starts howling and pacing the kitchen about 4pm every day waiting for it!
I’ve been doing some reorganizing and cleaning out, and this old desk chair is going away, but the cats thought it was the greatest thing ever when I moved it away from my desk. Can you find the three boy cats? Martin blends right in!
My old lady, Logan, mostly keeps to herself. I caught this rare moment of her and Puck snoozing together. I feel bad for Logan. She doesn’t really enjoy the chaos of the other cats, especially Martin who is young and has lots of energy, but she holds her own.
The new desk I set up is in front of a window, and Martin’s shelf has been in that window. Martin thinks it is fantastic that I moved a desk under the window. Anytime I go to sit at that desk, Martin jumps up, waits for pats, then purrs, and goes up to his shelf.
We set up a new patio this year and a few nights ago we were out enjoying it. Cali was outside with us, and suddenly this giant owl swooped right over my head! I think he was hunting Cali! We had a fire going in the fire pit, so I think he changed courses quickly when he saw the humans and the fire, but I didn’t waste any time getting Cali in the house. Poor pup wouldn’t have had a chance against this bird!
Overall, the pets are having a pretty lazy summer:
Enjoy your summer and stay cool!
