Will My Horses Survive Florida?

[@mialfaequestrian]

I've heard of many people who moved their horses to Florida and had major issues. I'm glad you took the proper precautions and that your time in Florida went well thus far. I hope you have a great trip! ❤

[@CarmellaAbel]

Thank you!

[@catlady4ever]

I am an old Florida native. I never owned a horse. But have cats and dogs. This content is all so true!!!!! Even us humas have to take precautions outdoors, especially during spring and summer.

[@SharonP8356]

Well done!!!! Researching and preparing..you guys are awesome! I watched Raleigh's Florida nightmare...this was a very informative video! We east coasters are not kidding when some days the bugs are driving us to the point of insanity...you do not get used to them, but learn how to prevent and cope...and I am up in New England, not more southern where it is much more humid and hot! I Love watching your journey and glad Florida was a joyful stop along your path of adventures!❤

[@CarmellaAbel]

I’m glad you enjoyed it! We are learning along the way! I loved trail riding innNew York, but also noticed how bad the bugs were up there as well!

[@deniseheidelmeier4950]

Raleigh Link’s video was enough to scare me away from wanting to move to Florida

[@ichallengelife]

aKthUalLy the birds that woke you in the morning aren't herons, but sandhill cranes :3 Good to hear you guys prepared so well and it all paid off!

[@CarmellaAbel]

😂😂 oh, they are cute though!

[@StinkyWorm]

Is nobody gonna talk about how cute this clip is 😭♥️ 1:30

[@mimibreyes3532]

Im glad everything worked out!!!

[@julieinak]

Congratulations! How lovely! The herons you saw are actually Sandhill Cranes! Great so see. Have fun!

[@pariahmouse7794]

South Carolina here- rain rot and scratches are the bane of our existence, haha... (Well, mostly for the horses, but...) You are such a good horseperson, you are living the dream, but doing it with sense! I wish i could afford your premium content!

[@larachapman5175]

Welcome to Florida! We are Wellington people with property in Ocala as well. Both big horse places! Summers are terrible for horses but the fall and winter and even spring are good.

[@jessicanelson-88]

always enjoy your new videos. Florida is way too hot for me. I'll stick in New England. have fun and safe travels

[@CarmellaAbel]

I can’t wait to get to New England next summer! Blessings!

[@TheProjectEquestrian]

Nice Storytelling! Beautifully done!🙌

[@CarmellaAbel]

Thank you so much!

[@diggingmary129]

I was the middle comment that had concerns! I’m so glad you guys looked into EVERYTHING!!! (And to be fair I thought you were going south first then heading north!) Man those plants and bugs are scary!! I’m even more happy you guys did it!!! You’re following your dreams and being so smart about it!! Watch out for the sand spurs and safe happy travels!!!❤ God bless P.S. Colin needs a gator (ATV) in Florida!! 😊

[@CarmellaAbel]

Thank you for thinking of us! If it weren’t for the comments sharing Raleigh’s video, I would have never done the research. Blessings!

[@georgiagonzales3769]

I moved from Michigan to Florida last November. Haven't had any problems so far. What I'm most concerned about is sand colic. So she gets Sand Clear every month. Have to admit the summer was brutal. Fly's and heat.

[@teresahoss]

Sand colic is my main problem but I'm using the Equi Aid pellets now, I watch the poop and if it starts looking like cow poop I use them more often, every day if I have to. Switching to Unbeetable has also helped. For the heat in the summer my horses like to just stand under the fans all day and I hose them off.

[@twirlinginameadow]

I’m glad you enjoyed Florida so much!❤️🐴 Meanwhile, as a Florida native, I crave and dream of getting out of here 😝🤣🤣 I want mountains, hills, forests, and cooler weather!!

[@glyniscoleman4813]

Me as well 😊

[@Lurloveshorses]

Enjoy your warm sunny stay in Florida 🎉

[@CarmellaAbel]

I’m loving it so far!

[@Broke_horse_girl]

she was stupid and moved in the middle of summer... you're doing it in winter so its ok. none of the horses at my barn have ever had any problems here, some have allergies but nothing some meds and good baths can't take care of

[@ruthhamilton4882]

Agree, used to move standardbred racehorses from MI to FL every fall, stay the winter and back north in spring. Other than more scratches (heel scabs) in FL, they were ALL fine.

[@nicolaxoxo1]

Not true, not all allergies or anhydrosis can be “solved”. Some horses end up needing to leave Florida. Look at sale ads….many specify that the horse must go to another state. Having moved a horse in from up north (I did this in late fall) I had huge issues and would never recommend it to anyone

[@Broke_horse_girl]

@@nicolaxoxo1 ok well i was talking about my experience. most of the horses at my barn have been born here so they are used to it. ofc there will be problems no matter what people do but, you should of gradually moved them

[@nicolaxoxo1]

@ gradually moving gradually would have been impractical but also it wouldn’t change the fact that my horse is violently allergic to the coastal and Tifton hay. Nothing will change that fact. Allergies like that don’t change with the season, if anything they get worse with continued exposure.

[@thenakitaharris]

woowww those herons look amazing, I absolutely love herons after coming across them when I was in Arkansas - the ones you saw look different then the herons I saw in AR so its interesting to learn about different bird varieties! your florida chapter looks BEAUTIFUL and what a great campground setup. love seeing the clips of the horses investigating the bamboo, so cute

[@wannabemuleskinner]

I'm so glad you got to enjoy my home state. I love Florida, and as you know we have a vibrant and thriving equestrian community and industry. As long as you take it as you did, you'll always be fine. I have friends from Canada that travel down every winter and their horses do fine. That said, certain breeds, such as mustangs, have a reptutation for being "itchy and bitchy" but many do well if their owners willing to provide the necessarry allergy shots. Florida is a different, but very special, animal. Summer is a brute, even for natives. Usually I continue to train through the heat, but this year was something else. I'm glad you decided to do your forray in winter when the climate is easier to adjust to :) Shameless plug: visit my channel if you want to see what endurance and cattle drive riding in Florida looks like.

[@cowgirlprince5810]

Yes we get hot in July and June August. But Dec to may it say cold I I own a mini Shetland in Florida yes in the summer we do have yellow fly and horse flys and you need watch for sandflies but if keep fly spary on them keep in front of a fan in the summer you won’t had a problem but you also need watch for sand colic if feed your horse on the ground.

[@aaronbrigham4743]

Wow congratulations on your new place and that's good knowledge to know about Florida's climate and yes I agree with you there climate is more humid than the western part of the country and it's pretty amazing cuz I'm doing ekon nutrition when horses come from different parts of the country they're not used to humidity. Like some horses like you were saying that you know that were from the western part such as Colorado and they went to Florida in the middle of the summer their immune to it. Learning stuff everyday. 🙏🐴

[@CarmellaAbel]

Humidity is tough on everyone 😂 best wishes!

[@j.elizabeth4621]

I’m pretty sure Elisia Wallace lives and trains in Florida. I don’t know who this other KZbinr is but it looks like she’s filming in summer. Summer bugs are pretty awful.

[@AniruddhaR]

I love you all so much!! You are my biggest fan, favourite KZbinr! Be careful, be safe. You are the best, best, best. You all helped me so much also. My cow Lakshmi gave birth to a beautiful boy calf and another cow named Gauri is PREGNANT ❤!! But something happened to my cow named Swasthi. One day, her hoof went so long and she got a big wound and it started bleeding so badly, badly, badly. And I immediately called the vet and he told that we will come and see the would and treat it so they came and treated it and I am feeling like the pain of the hoof has increased but it is healing. Another thing, Swasthi has a boy calf and he got a cut on his face that day so I don't know what happened but it is all good now ❤😊! Please be careful, safe, you can do anything in life, don't give up no matter what happens, believe in yourself. Me and my family believes in you, ourselves and the whole world. All the best, be safe, be happy 💙❤🙏🐴🐎!!!!! BTW when do you guys vaccinate the horses?

[@CarmellaAbel]

Glad your cows are doing well! We vaccinate the horses either once a year or twice a year depending on the vaccine. I had the vaccines done right before we left on our trip in August!

[@donnalbackus606]

What is the campground called 🎉❤❤

[@CarmellaAbel]

This is the Fechtel Tract near Orlando!

[@glyniscoleman4813]

​@CarmellaAbel Fectel is wonderful we trail ride there quite a bit you get swamp and dry woods all in one ride

[@williamwhite1596]

Heat humidity and bugs ! God Bless !!!

[@stephenshy9941]

I’ve lived here for 25 years in North Florida, I’ve had horses here for 24 years and they’ve all done very well. The only issues I can attribute to Florida is Sweet itch aka lrain rot, with proper care it’s really not a problem, one of my horses a red horse with pink skin gets the sweet itch in the summertime and the other one which is more of a orange horse with gray skin doesn’t have any issues at all. So I think just like humans it all depends we’re all different and so are they. I love Florida people try to get me to leave, but I love it here with me and my horses and my puppies. God bless you and enjoy Florida. You picked the cold and part of the year to come. Can’t wait to see more videos. See you down the trail. 🤠 PS some of the most athletic and greatest horses in the world come from Ocala Florida. It’s the limestone that’s what my father always told me he was a professional horse trainer all his life.

[@patriciaantolik6741]

Beware of fire ants!!!

[@tbjtbj4786]

If that bear was flowing you. It was debating about having lunch.

[@laurasarka1387]

Those are sandhill cranes.

[@That1cowgirl-nn3zc]

I’m from Florida and all of my horses are here and they’re fine

[@jennyrosd2003]

Another possibility for some reactions is if the horses have been vaxxed for the trip. Can be a shock and an immune suppressing thing to do on top of the travel and the change of environment. Just another thing to add to the mix.

[@Equestrianma]

I dont know what happens in Florida a im British but have a great trip

[@CarmellaAbel]

Thank you! Florida is an interesting place to learn about and visit if you ever want a fun adventure 😂

[@faryn17]

Where is this in Florida?

[@theidlehandsworkshop3884]

We've got 5 horses here in the Florida Panhandle, 2 of them are hardy mustangs and have no problem with the weather, two of them are in their 20's and just simply don't care and then there's the 30+ year old mare who was born and raised here and much like the other two, she doesn't care either. The bugs are horrid no matter the season, even in the winter we get lots of everything buzzing around. There's a fellow wood worker over in Australia and we were comparing how similar Florida was to Australia in that damn near everything around you is trying to kill you or at least suck your blood :/ Right now we're cautiously enjoying the colder weather and it gives my big draft a chance to be a kid all over again without, the biggest problem we have now is the massive amounts of rain we get... one of the jokes is that Florida has two seasons - Hot and Wet as well as Cold and Wet... that's about it in a nutshell for the weather. Glad you're enjoying your trip to our neck of the woods though, if you want, feel free to take some of the critters and bugs back as souvenirs to give to others lol.

[@CarmellaAbel]

😂😂 thank you!

[@MealoCrochet]

Where do you get your saddle pads?? Thanks!

[@CarmellaAbel]

I got it from a small tack store in Virginia!

[@MealoCrochet]

@@CarmellaAbel Thanks!!! Do you know what the brand is? I really like them!

[@Horsilly]

This is a bit unrelated but… I have that map! 3:50

[@Sporkle180]

❤🎉

[@bonniebertoldie1527]

Where are you staying for 10 dollars a night, me and my guy and 2 horses want to go!!!

[@CarmellaAbel]

It’s called the Fechtel Tract; great camp and great trails!

[@bonniebertoldie1527]

Thanks​@@CarmellaAbel

[@denisedaigle-zd3ps]

Wisconsin.was way worse. As far as bugs go and mosquitoes were colossal,way big and worse than Florida. I was born in Florida not saying I like Florida. I'm just saying Wisconsin Bugs were worse and I did move horses from Wisconsin back to Florida. Ones that were born and bred there and had no issues.

[@glyniscoleman4813]

I swear sandspurs grow on trees at fectel they are so bad out there

[@joannesmartens9442]

Raleigh made the mistake to go in summertime, i follow diferent people in florida and their horses have any problem. Also some ritch people take their competition horses to europe in summer and return to wellington i winter to compete there. I'm almost sure raleigh horses had wounds of insects. She should have gone in full spring, so her horses could be support this environment, and give them vaccinations for that climate. But she did wise to leave in time. But i feel sorry for all her problems she had .🎄

[@nicolaxoxo1]

I moved my horse here in late fall. Guess what?? STILL had major problems!!! There is no way to know in advance if your horses will have allergies to the hays or bugs. Or if they have issues with inability to sweat. Not to mention the prices of good hay. I pay $24 a small square of Timothy

[@FrenchFrog-mk6uw]

Raleighhhhhhhh❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@user-jk5ur9dh5h]

Any near encounters with pythons and alligators? 😬

[@CarmellaAbel]

Fortunately no 😂😂

[@catlady4ever]

Hopefully yaw learned to do research, before spending so much to find a mistake.

[@nicolaxoxo1]

I actually live in Florida year round (unfortunately) and have a horse here that I brought in from out of state. I referenced the myriad of problems in a comment on one of your past videos where you were discussing prices of hay. For some reason you deleted my comment. I don’t know why because EVERYTHING I said was true!!!

[@CarmellaAbel]

Hello! I never delete comments, unless they are inappropriate, so I apologize that this happened, although I’m not sure how it did! You can share your thoughts here if you’d like.

[@nicolaxoxo1]

@@CarmellaAbel my original comment on your other video contained nothing inappropriate, only facts that could have been helpful to you before you visited Florida 1) Hay….some horses (like mine) end up being allergic to the coastal/Tifton hay commonly used here. Her coughing was so bad that I could barely stay on her back. Medications did not help. Fortunately I was able to move her to another boarding facility and once I switched to Timothy or Orchard grass hays, she never coughed again 2) the cost of hay here is astronomical since most is brought in from out of state or even from Canada. I pay about $23/ small square bale of Timothy or Orchard or mixed. You would have been better off to stock up on hay while you could buy it cheaper in northern areas before coming here 2) the cheap coastal or Tifton grass hays put your horses at a greater risk for colic die to their fine texture 3) if you aren’t staying on sand footing, many areas of Florida don’t drain well, and horses, even those with normally good healthy feet, often develop thrush or white line due to the wet footing 3) you are fortunate to be experiencing good cool weather. This is a rarity as we often have hot weather even in “winter “….I use my air conditioning year round, except for these blissful times. People who don’t experience the true Florida heat and humidity don’t really understand just how bad it can be. It’s hard on horses as they most often don’t live in air conditioned barns (although I have heard there are some in Ocala). I look at my horse now after being here a year and she is unrecognizable. Many horses end up looking worse for living in Florida year round. The other thing about Florida that I dislike is that most of it is very flat. I am a Virginian and I miss the hills and mountains! They really get your horses in shape. I have lived or spent time in many states, but IMO, the part of Virginia I lived in (Warrenton and Middleburg) was the prettiest and the best place for horses. Florida used to be cheap but not any more. My property taxes and outrageous homeowners insurance now exceed my mortgage! Boarding stables in my county (Pinellas County which is a coastal suburb of Tampa and the most densely populated county in Florida) are super expensive and the quality of the facilities and level of care does NOT correspond to the high prices. Somehow it is normalized (and legal!) to have 30-60 horses on tiny acreage here. The sad result is that the horses only get turned out in minuscule paddocks for 1-3 hours a day max. It’s horrible and I truly regret bringing a horse here. If you are looking to ride on the beach, see if it’s still allowed up by St Augustine. When I lived there people were allowed to even drive on the beaches and ride horses and walk leased dogs. None of that is allowed over here in Pinellas County beaches. As you can see I am not a fan of Florida. I only returned here because my elderly mother had a bad stroke. What part of Virginia did you formerly live in? Once you sell it can be hard to jump back into the market. It’s good you are seeing the country, if only to make you appreciate what you had

[@nicolaxoxo1]

@@CarmellaAbel PS for your dog, be aware that sandspurs aren’t the only hazard here. Foxtails are horrible. They have a barb that makes them painful and hard to remove. Often the dog licks the area and it can become infected. And fleas are legendary…..often resistant to many preventative treatments. And they are around all year. You might want to consider buying some Capstar pills in case your dog picks up some fleas so you can quickly kill them off before they infest your rig. A monthly preventative flea treatment which includes a heartworm preventative and general worm treatment is a good idea because mosquitoes are out year round too so rates of heartworm infection are high here. The only thing that’s less of an issue than Virginia is Lyme disease. Of note, in many areas of Florida the coyote population is out of control. They have no natural predators here and can have up to 19 pups. Where I live they are even on the beaches! They have lost their fear of man, the other night I was walking my large Akita and the coyote was walking by pretty unphased. Once I opened my front door to a pack of 4. They slowly mosied away after I yelled. They have been known to snatch cats off screen porches and small dogs off long flexi-leads. So take care and don’t let your dog roam out of your immediate sight

[@nancybraybrooks5509]

thank u for the video. i have said that if i move anywhere it would be florida. Great gov. but ya i see u have to do your homework!!

[@CarmellaAbel]

Florida is great, but definitely a lot of things to consider!

[@syd1621]

listening to people talk about my state 😭

[@donovanmedieval]

Raleigh's a bit extreme and uncompromising. Don't worry so much about following her advise to the letter. I've never been to Florida, or owned a horse. I road one 38 years ago. Don't tell her I said this. I'd hate to make an enemy of her.

[@sunsetstables72]

Dude i wish you could hear yourself. First of all you clearly know nothing about horses and quite literally said you've only ridden once and secondly you don't have a clue behind Raleigh's intentions to help other equine owners on having a decent knowledge of how horses adjust to climate change.

[@Broke_horse_girl]

@sunsetstables72 i love Raleigh but that was just stupid what she did. moving horses who are only ever used to cold and dry straight to the other side of the country where its humid and hot in the MIDDLE of SUMMER where its normal to have 75% humidity and be 90-100 degrees ofc something was bound to happen

[@sunsetstables72]

@@Broke_horse_girl I agree that she didn't do the right thing but we should remember that she's also trying to correct it by warning others not to make the same mistake that she did. And donovan over here is talking shit about Raleigh, so yes I will stand up for her.

[@KitCat_Eq]

I wouldn’t really call it “talking shit” that would imply the commenter is being rude or purposely painting her in a bad light… but they were just honestly and kindly stating what they thought. You can’t deny Raleigh is a bit of an extremist. I love her and I love what she stands for, but she is definitely extreme and uncompromising.

[@donovanmedieval]

@sunsetstables72 I think her intensions are for people to treat horses better. Am I wrong about that?