23/06/2026
☀️🐴 Hot Weather Advisory for Connemara Pony Owners & Farmers 🐴☀️
With the current high temperatures across Ireland and an Orange Fire Risk Warning in place, the Department of Agriculture is urging all animal owners to take extra precautions.
For your ponies and other animals:
💧 Ensure a constant supply of fresh drinking water.
🌳 Provide plenty of shade and shelter from direct sunlight.
🐎 Avoid handling, transporting, or exercising horses during the hottest part of the day.
👀 Monitor animals closely for signs of heat stress, including rapid breathing, lethargy, drooling, and loss of appetite.
🚿 If a horse shows signs of overheating, move it to shade, offer cool water, and seek veterinary advice if there is no improvement.
🔥 Please also be vigilant regarding fire safety. Avoid lighting open fires or barbecues in high-risk areas and report any suspicious fire activity to the authorities.
🌞 Finally, don’t forget to look after yourselves. Stay hydrated, seek shade where possible, and avoid strenuous outdoor work between 11am and 3pm.
Let’s keep our ponies, livestock, and communities safe during this spell of hot weather.
