Outdoor animals brave high temperatures

VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - During the middle of the hot afternoon, you'll find Ashley Phelps and her family in their barn.

"These are my babies. These are my children," Phelps said.

Phelps said her three horses have never been in temperatures this high.

"They're out in it all day, and that sun is blazing out there," she said.

It's been a full time job making sure they're staying safe.

She checks on them every half hour.

"They just stand around and they don't do much but eat and drink water. It's about all they do."

Her family has taken extra measures this week, installing more fans, including one that's self-made with dry ice, wetting the horses down with cold water, and refilling their water every half hour.

Lack of rain has made it even more difficult.

"With them not being able to graze we buy a lot of hay, they go through a big round bale of hay you know, every week, week and a half."

Phelps says most importantly, you have to put your animal first in this weather.

"You have to make sure that it's ok for the horse. Ride only if you have to, early in the morning, late at night, and you know, I'm not riding mine."

A tough week with conditions that don't seem to be letting up anytime soon.

"Anything we can do to keep them cool. We're going to try."

Animal lovers like Phelps continue to work extra hard in beating record high temperatures.

The family has used 10 thousand gallons of water for their pasture.

Despite extra efforts, they're still nursing one of their horses back to health, due to the hot temperatures.