when is it too Hot to ride

[Sheryl Danke]

I have heard so many people talk about when is it too hot to ride...

What is your opinion on when is it too hot to ride?

I have a gelding that is a yankee...LOL...and he sweats alot!

I have a bay mare she hardly sweats...

 

Happy trails

sheri

[dusty414]

I am from Ky and use to ride a lot when I was living there. I never would trail ride, or ride much period when it got over 90. To me that was too hot, too hard on me and didn't want to stress my horse, and he was in reallyl good shape at that time. If I was going to go to a show I may try and ride only about 30-45 min 3/days a week and that would be the max, but I sure wouldn't go on any long trail rides if it was upper 80s or over 90 and high humidity.

[Sheryl Danke]

Wow some really excellent thoughts. I do agree with Dusty, if its too hot for me, I know its too hot for my horses I have rode when its boardering too warm and I do also carry electrolytes, I have seen a horse on one of our rides go down, and that convienced me to not ride when it was hot! My gelding sweats something ferious my bay mare doesn't.

[The Rossons]

Night riding is the solution. There will be a full moon this Saturday and we are planning on enjoying it.

[Kayla Baxter]

We have been riding in the evenings so hopefully that is helping a little.
We also take Gatorade in the squirt bottles to give to the horses in case we can't find water. It's full of electrolytes and they seem to love it. lol
This heat is ridiculous.

[Alice Coble]

Where were you riding, Linda? Had you had an opportunity to water? I always feel like my horse is in shape and foolishly think it won't happen to me. I would never get over it if I felt that I had caused his death.

[Linda Ferree]

We were riding at Fountain Creek and we had just stopped and let them rest in the creek and get water. I though Goldie was in very good shape, she is my 5 years old mare that I rode at Laurel Hill with you.

[Alex Brown]

I've been getting up early in the morning to ride my horse, and even then I can't ride her long because of the heat. It doesn't help though that we don't have much shade to ride in. I think it's really common sense though, as someone else said. If you pay attention to your horse you should be able to tell when it has had enough.

[Sheryl Danke]

I really miss riding, but I refuse to put my horses life at risk. When the heat index is that close to 100 I wont ride. I have friends that call me wissy because I wont. But I love my horses and it would break my heart to hurt one of them.
I know the other morning it was only like maybe 9:30 and they were already starting to sweat.
and I like you alex don't have alot of shade where we ride.
guess It will just be early morning rides for a while.. =)

[Linda Ferree]

I would rather be called a wissy than have a dead horse.

[Keith Phillips]

The cold beer is essential on those hot days when you need to give your horse a few extra breaks. Add some ice cream salt to your ice and it will keep it much colder!

[Leslie Perry]

When your horse STOPS sweating, it's time to worry. That means they've depleted their water supply and the ability to cool themselves. And you CAN put cold water on a hot horse! That is an old wives tale! I dump my saddle bag's melted ice on my horse on hot days and have had a dozen people berate me for this, but they did it at the Olympics for the eventing horses. I figure they know a lot more about it than I do! I've also read that a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water is really beneficial when it's humid because the alcohol helps the sweat evaporate. Haven't tried it myself, but again, I'm reading what world renowned vets and horse publications say. I know my horse has never keeled over because I gave him a good dousing of cold water on a hot day!

[Alex Brown]

Yea that is just an old wives tale. I always spray my horses off after a long ride, it helps cool them off faster plus it gets rid of a lot of sweat that attracts more flies. My horse science teacher said that he knew of some vets that did a study on it and they found that it does not harm the horse. And if you watch the thoroughbred races they will sponge off those horses right after the race to cool them down. It doesn't really hurt anything, nothing's ever happened to my horses after I spray them off with cold water.