![\"\"](\"https:\/\/yourhorsefarm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Beach.jpg\")
sweat may be reduced, and the horse may not be able to sufficiently cool himself.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Horse shows, trail rides, and other riding events have many of us going full steam. And of course, in between these big events, we need to keep our horses conditioned. Not to mention\u2014riding can be a great stress reliever from work and life, in general!<\/p>\n
But during the summer months, how hot is too hot to ride? Though there\u2019s no clear-cut answer to this question, research points to some general information to keep in mind:<\/p>\n
Like us, horses cool themselves by sweating. However, under certain conditions, their ability to sweat may be reduced, and the horse may not be able to sufficiently cool himself.<\/p>\n
According to research that\u2019s been conducted on this very issue, there\u2019s a simple math formula
\nthat can help us determine whether or not it\u2019s too hot to ride: You simply add the ambient
\n(outside) temperature + relative humidity (in F) and then take the following into consideration:<\/p>\n
If the sum of is less than 130, riding conditions are ideal;
\nAt 130-150, horses will have a decreased ability to sweat;
\nAt 150 or higher, a horse\u2019s ability to sweat is greatly reduced; and
\nAt above 180, conditions could be fatal for your horse.<\/p>\n
For example, if it\u2019s 90 degrees F with 70% humidity, the heat index would be 160, which is
\nconsidered dangerous.<\/p>\n
Of course, every horse is different, and you will need to keep in mind several factors such as
\nyour horse\u2019s level of fitness, any health conditions (like allergies, anhidrosis, or heaves), the
\nintensity of the riding, and whether your horse is acclimated to his current environment. Any one
\nof these factors could affect your horse\u2019s ability to cope with the heat.<\/p>\n
If you do decide to ride when it\u2019s hot, be observant for signs of dehydration and\/or overheating
\nin both yourself and your horse. Profuse sweating, elevated pulse or body temperature, white
\ngums, or \u201csticky\u201d skin that doesn\u2019t immediately go back after you pinch it are all signs of an
\nimmediate problem.<\/p>\n
You can bet if the rider is hot, the horse is hotter\u2014this is probably the best piece of advice to keep in mind this summer.![\"\"](\"https:\/\/yourhorsefarm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Una-Schade-3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Horse shows, trail rides, and other riding events have many of us going full steam. And of course, in between these big events, we need to keep our horses conditioned. Not to mention\u2014riding can be a great stress reliever from work and life, in general! But during the summer months, how hot is too…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":38494,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n