Hot Weather Riding
Exercising your horse in very hot weather can be a risky business due to the threat of heat stress and potentially heat stroke. Heat stroke is an extremely serious condition for horses which can cause them to collapse and may prove fatal if left untreated.
Any horse can suffer discomfort in hot weather and there are
various factors to take into account. Horses, just like humans,
are individuals and have individual needs. Breed, size, coat
length, normal body temperature and overall fitness all play a big
part in how much heat a horse can cope with before heat stress
Ride at the coolest time of day
Early mornings are ideal, when both air and ground temperatures are at their lowest points. Although air temperature drops in the evening, heat stored in the ground can still elevate a horse`s temperature.
Provide Shade | Pop Up Canopy
Shade can lower temperatures by 10 degrees. It is important to seek out shade while resting or tacking up. Trees are the obvious source of shade but you can also bring shade with you in the form of a pop-up canopy. These canopies provide instant shade, are portable, and easy to set up. Make sure you get one that is tall enough for your horse to stand under.
Essential exercise only
Limit exercise to only what is absolutely essential to maintain the horse`s fitness and wellbeing. Warm up carefully, keep to a steady pace and avoid any sudden exertion, it is just as dangerous in hot weather as in cold.
Monitor breathing and sweating
As a horse`s temperature rises, the breathing rate will increase and become shallower, resulting in discomfort and lethargy. By observing your horse`s normal breathing rate, it should be possible to know when there is something wrong.
All horses sweat, it is part of their natural cooling process. However, a full body sweat can indicate heat stress and a total absence of sweat, known as Anhydrosis, is a sign of both overheating and dehydration. Both are very serious problems. Use a sweat scraper to removes excess sweat and promote uniform drying.
Towards the end of the exercise period, cool down in the usual
way, it is just as important in hot weather as at any other time.
A steady walk on a long rein with a loosened girth is one way.
Better still, dismount and walk the last half mile.
Once back home, remove saddle and bridle as soon as possible and wash the horse off with cool water in a shaded area. Pay particular attention to the back, flanks and legs. Continue until sweating has stopped and breathing appears normal. Use a natural horse shampoo for best results.
Once the horse appears comfortable, offer plenty of tepid or cool water. Avoid icy cold water as this may cause the horse to colic. You can always carry water to your horse with a handy collapsible water bucket.
The average horse will intake 5 to 10 gallons of fresh water per day. Just like humans different horses crave or need different water amount intakes. Be sure to always have sufficient water on demand with larger water tanks.
During exercise in hot weather, horses lose a lot of their natural
body salts due to sweating. These must be replaced by using
electrolytes which can be added to drinking water or horse
Use Common Sense
The most important thing of all is to use common sense where your horse is concerned. If it is very hot and there is no essential reason to exercise - then don`t! Get to know your horse really well, observe how he behaves or reacts to a variety of situations, how much he normally sweats and his usual recovery time after exertion. Learn how to monitor his temperature and heart rate correctly.
This is particularly relevant in competitive barns, where occupants are religiously monitored, observed and treated accordingly. Racing grooms know their horses especially well and can tell exactly how their charges are feeling on any given day. The main point is that the more you know about what is `normal` for your particular horse, the faster you will know that there is a problem and the quicker you can deal with it.