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

[Duane Lovett]

I think its to hot to ride when the ice wont stay in the saddle bags long enough to drink the beer in them. We are heading to Many Cedars now though so I feel this weekend it will be to hot to ride, but we gonna give it a go.

[Leslie Perry]

Beer in the saddle bags...if that isn't a good indicator, nothing is! Perfect answer!

[Jeanne Abel]

What happened to you?  Wayne, Paula, Tommy and I camped at Many Cedars this past weekend.  With all of the water and shady trails, (not to mention the cold beer) it was a great weekend to camp.  I ordered Tommy some new saddle bags.  They are going to be really neat!  They have two zippers, one for loading and one for getting a beer out plus extra insulation, and a beverage holder and pouch on both bags. 

Jeanne

[Stephanie Geddie Crews]

Depends on the horse. Most horses are at their best between 15 and 60 degrees. So hotter than that and they start feeling effects sooner. However most people ride during the hottest parts of the year. My advice would be to keep your horse in shape, let them stay outside most of the day, so they are use to it, only ride where you will have access to water frequently, and let them tell you when to quit.

[ReubenT]

my paso fino is from hot and humid country, (including his ancestry from ancient times) and he sweats like crazy. Good thing, helps keep them cool. I would be concerned about a horse sweating less having a harder time in the heat. The hotter it gets the lighter the riding should be. That is; it may be ok to ride when it's really hot but take it real easy, rest often and get to water more frequently if possible. Out of condition horse will have a harder time in heat, as will a fat horse.
We probably tend to be easier on our horses than people were long ago when they were used for everything.

[Melinda Smith]

Reuben, I was glad to read your reply about your paso fino. My 3yo buckskin QH sweats more, I believe, than any horse I have ever owned. I have been a little concerned about this, but now I am looking at it from a different perspective. Thanks.

We don't ride much, at all, in the hottest part of summer. We figure if we are miserable, our horses probably are too. We are planning on going to Many Cedars soon and hope we will catch some better weather than we are having this weekend. We probably wouldn't go, but my husband has a new horse and we want to take him out to see how good he does on the trails.

Hope everyone and their horses stay well hydrated in this hot weather! It is SO easy to overheat!

[Leslie Perry]

Absolutley GREAT advice!!! It's funny that you mentioned when horses are the most comfortable. I read that just a couple years ago and I couldn't believe it! The article said if you are comfortable, your horse is warm. 75 seems great for us, but horses prefer much COLDER temps. Since I read that, I only put mine in the barn(in winter) if it's sleeting or really windy. I know people that don't even have a run-in shed and their horses do just fine with woods as their only shelter. (A wind break.)

[Adrienne Walsh]

You can also ride in the early morning or late afternoon/early evening. In Arkansas where I grew up, lots of people would do night rides in the hottest part of summer. Last year we took our horses to the Duck River outside of Columbia and rode our horses bareback in the river...it was great fun! Took some hay bags with hay and picketed them between 2 trees to eat when we weren't swimming with them. We enjoyed it and I think they did too!

[Audrey Faye Rody]

I always carry some electrolytes and banamine,just in case the heat gets to them,I think the humidity is worse than the heat!!! If it's hot but not to humid ,I'll opt to ride some ...but if it's humid we stay at home!!! It's hard for a horse to cool down and dry when it's humid!! Laurel hill would be a good place to ride right now,it's shady and you can get to water just about anywhere you go!!! There is a little road riding ,but mostly in the woods!!! Have fun and keep safe, just use good common sense!!

[mike brown]

well this weather is toohot, we went on a (what we thought) was a short ride 7 hr later the horses were done in . we called a vet and was advised to keep hosing themdown and take their temps. their ok but never again.

[Linda Ferree]

We went on a short two hour ride and my horse went down in the heat. I felt terrible. I thought I had killed my horse. Not going to ride her again in this heat. She is ok now but I learned my lesson.

[Sheryl Danke]

Linda..I can't imagine how you felt..that would just scare the tar out of me. and when a horse looks at you with those big brown eyes, it melts your heart.