Carlyle Padded Plain Raised Bridle
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Keepin' Cool in the Summer Heat
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As we all know, the summer months in this area can get very hot, with the humidity only making it oppressive. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity is not only hard on the human, but it is especially difficult for the horse. As a result of the extensive research conducted before and after the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, we have a better understanding of “the physiological limits of horses competing under hot and humid conditions” and “how horses should be cooled under these sorts of conditions.” These findings have also provided insight into the ways in which you may keep your horse cool and your summer riding enjoyable despite the sun’s blistering heat.
Everything about the horse, from its physical appearance (large, massive muscles; long nasal passages; full-body coat of hair) to its digestive process of a high-fiber diet, is designed to generate heat and maintain warmth. For this reason, the summer months are actually harder on the horse than the winter ones. When the horse moves, the energy generated from the muscles creates heat. As his activity becomes more intense, whether it is trotting, cantering, galloping, or jumping, his core temperature increases several degrees. Once that core temperature reaches a certain point, the messages are sent to the brain, which, in turn, signals the body to start the “cooling” process of its thermoregulating system. At this point, you may notice your horse start to pant or “blow” as he increases his respirations in an effort to exchange the warm air for cooler air in his lungs. You may also notice the network of veins become visible as they bulge beneath the skin – an effect produced by the faster heartbeat pumping the warmer blood and other body fluids from the core to the skin surface. This process works with the following cooling mechanisms:- Evaporation – heat is dissipated as liquid turns to vapor, which occurs when the horse sweats and the moisture is absorbed into the air
- Radiation – heat is released into the environment, since the surrounding air temperature is lower than that of the horse
- Conduction – loss of heat when the body comes in contact with something cooler, most often in the form of water as when the horse is hosed or sponged down – even the cooler air of a shady tree
- Convection – loss of heat as air currents move over the horse’s body, cooling the surface temperature, as with cool breezes or fans
While the horse’s body successfully expends heat through these methods on normal days and in a typical workout, on hot and humid days these mechanisms often do not function as well. If the temperature outside is higher than the temperature of the horse, then the means of emitting heat through radiation fails. A “breezeless” day makes convection very difficult and the increased moisture in the air of a humid day will not allow for the absorption of moisture from the sweating horse. As the cooling mechanisms fail, the horse is left defenseless against the rising temperatures, resulting in heat stress, dehydration, hyperthermia, and heat stroke.
Below are a few suggestions, compiled from various resources, on how to keep your horse cool when the temperatures soar.- Clip the Coat. As the temperatures begin to rise, experts recommend clipping your horse’s coat to 1/8th or 3/16th of an inch long. This will aid the cooling mechanisms, giving the skin more exposure to allow greater heat dissipation. Initially, you need only to clip the entire neck area, since up to 80% of the body’s heat is released from the head, neck, and breath. When the temperatures reach above the 80s, then you can clip the entire coat (you may want to leave the saddle and girth area alone to prevent chafing, especially since not much heat exchange occurs there). Since you have taken away his protective coat against cooler nighttime temperatures, as well as flies and other insects, you may want to cover him with a light sheet for the times when the temperatures drop, increase the insect repellant, and use a fly scrim when turned out. You will want to clip the coat every three to four weeks, until around August, when the first signs of his winter coat appear.
- Ventilated Barns, Shady Pastures, and Nighttime Turnouts. Even though your horse may not be working, his areas of rest can get quite warm and uncomfortable, too. There are many steps you can take to make those situations cooler, as well. You can make some minor modifications to your barn and his stall:
- Install an exhaust fan up in the “ceiling” or rafters of the barn above the horse’s stall to draw up and out the warm air from the stall and draw the cool air in.
- Install movable metal or plastic vanes on the grillwork of the stall to catch any natural breeze that may exist in your barn, redirecting the breezes from the aisles to the stalls in accordance with the direction of the airflow.
- Install sprinklers above the horse’s stall that emit a high-pressure spray mist. This option is very effective in that it can cool the environmental temperatures as much as 10 to 15 degrees.
- Attach a two-way fan to the stall grillwork to draw warm air out and push cool air in (you can use rope or elastic cords with hooks on each end), securing it to the upper part of the stall to allow the horse to avoid any draft, when necessary. Also, make sure that all cords are out of the way of curious teeth.
If you only keep your horse in the pasture, then make sure there are plenty of trees to offer shade. If the only source of shade is a run-in shed, then that should also be well ventilated with an exhaust fan or vents.
If you have the option, you may want to turn your horse out at night when the temperatures are cooler (this is also good for preventing sunburn and for reducing exposure to flies and other insects).
- Feed and Supplement. For most horses, which are ridden for pleasure maybe three to four times a week, the nutrients they receive from foraging the grass and hay are sufficient. Grain may be added, but just enough to maintain weight. For competition horses that are worked on a daily basis, either through exercise or competing, larger amounts of grain can be given. Since grain does not generate as much heat during the digestive process, feed it to them on training or non-competition days. For those days on which they will compete, just provide them hay since its water and electrolyte content are important to the depleted system. For additional energy, especially important for competition horses, experts recommend adding corn oil (up to two cups) to the horse’s feed. Though the research is on going, scientists have found that a diet high in fat is easier to metabolize and does not generate heat.
When the horse sweats to cool itself, the fluid excreted through the surface of the skin contains a number of minerals, including sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium, and magnesium. Most of the time, horses need only lick a salt block to restore the necessary minerals. During hot days and strenuous workouts or competitions, however, a horse can lose as much as 13 quarts of sweat per hour – somewhere between 4 and 10 per cent of his body weight. These electrolytes must be restored, and may be done so by mixing two easily-accessible ingredients– three-part sodium chloride (table salt) and one-part potassium chloride (Lite SaltTM) – and adding four teaspoons of it into his feed. You can also purchase a commercially available electrolyte supplement, which may also be added to the feed or water. If you do add it to the horse’s water, make sure you also have a bucket of just water – some horses don’t like the taste of the electrolyte solution, and it is more important that they have some fluid intake.
- Water, Water, and More Water! One of the most important ingredients in keeping your horse cool, especially during and after a hot ride, is water. It is such an integral part of the cool-down process. Even before you ride on really hot days, wet your horse down thoroughly – it helps the cooling mechanisms to function more effectively.
Also, make sure your horse is well hydrated before you begin the exercise or trail ride. Then, take breaks during the workout or trail ride to allow the horse to drink water, whether it is from another bucket in the arena or at the streams during the hack. By offering your horse water to drink before, during, and after the ride, he is not as likely to “overstretch” his stomach and colic. Do not provide ice cold water to drink, however, because that can cause cramping.
During those same intervals, wet down your horse, especially on the head and neck areas. Keep a bucket of water in the arena that you can easily reach from your horse (this way you don’t have to keep dismounting and mounting each time). On really hot days, you may want to stop more frequently, in 10 to 15 minute periods. On trail rides, stop at streams or other water sources and dunk a sponge to wet him down (in order to prevent repeatedly dismounting, tie the sponge to a rope or, as one rider recommended, a phone cord, that may easily be pulled up from your horse’s back).
Following the ride, you will want to take special care to cool your horse thoroughly, since the core temperature can still rise even after you have finished. You will want to proceed with hosing or sponging him down with water. If he is dangerously hot, use ice cold water* or even mix in some alcohol (approximately 4-6 ounces in a bucket of water), which is very effective on humid days since it evaporates 100% even with a high level of moisture in the air. Also, you will want to keep the water flowing over him – either through sponging or hosing him down. Even though you can use ice cold water, do not use ice bags to cool specific parts – that won’t promote adequate circulation. Also, while a cloth drenched with cold water laid over top of the poll or neck may seem cooling at first, it will quickly warm up and actually insulate the heat.
During this “cool down” phase, your horse should not stand still for any length of time. Take time to walk him in order to keep the blood flowing – a key to each of his cooling mechanisms. Experts suggest walking him about 20 – 30 seconds, and then sponging him down for the same length of time. After he has cooled down some, you will also want to allow him opportunities to drink water (not ice cold). If you have allowed him time before and during the ride, he will not be as likely to take in too much. By alternating each step in this process, your horse should cool down in a more effective manner and without any negative consequences.
When you compete, keep in mind that it may be difficult to keep him cool, especially if there are multiple performances or if it is a long endurance ride. Immediately following a performance, quickly cool him off using water, which on hot days, may be mixed with ice or alcohol. In between the performances, keep him cool by making sure he has plenty to drink and is sponged down frequently. One rider has suggested taking a spray bottle with a mixture of water and alcohol to mist your horse before entering the arena – especially effective on humid days. While on the endurance ride, stop frequently to refresh your horse at the water sources provided on the trail.
- Ride When it’s Cool. One way to make sure your horse does not overheat when your are riding, is to exercise during the cooler times of the day. Since the humidity is often worse in the morning (between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.) and the sun’s heat may still be strong in the evening, you may even want to ride in the pre-dawn or nighttime hours. Gradually push back or push up your riding time to allow you and your horse to adapt to working during those periods. Keep in mind that, though your horse’s eyes may take longer to adjust to the darkness, he actually sees better and is more sure-footed than humans. He can see under a moonlit or starlit sky as well as on an overcast day. If, however, you need to ride during the day, do so in a covered arena. The sun’s intense rays are absorbed by the horse, thereby generating more heat and endangering the cooling mechanisms.
- Acclimate Your Horse. Of course, there are always those times when you can’t control when you ride, especially in those instances when you compete. The best thing to do is prepare your horse for those times by conditioning him to perform in that type of heat and that time of day. Gradually introduce your workout sessions to those times of the day by conducting brief sessions and then slowly lengthening the exercise time. Begin by alternating the times of day when you exercise until finally he can work during the hottest part of the day without becoming stressed by the heat.
You will also want to acclimate your horse to a new environment when you move him from a cooler region to a warmer one. This may take time if your horse is not in condition in the first place. Regardless, start slow and gradually build on each session, allowing him time to adjust. For those who compete in different regions, take plenty of time to arrive early (as much as two weeks) to allow time for your horse to adapt to the hot temperatures of the competition site.
It is important to be careful during the acclimation process, because you don’t want a horse to suffer from anhidrosis, a condition in which he is no longer capable of sweating. This occurs most frequently when moving horses from cooler to warmer locations.
- Schedule Your Travelling. Your horse can become very overheated just riding in the trailer from one site to the next. If you can, avoid the heat of the day and travel when it is cooler – in the early morning, evening, or nighttime hours. When this is not possible, make frequent stops to provide your horse with water to drink and to sponge him off.
- Don’t Work So Hard. On those days when it is really hot, reduce the length of your trail ride or the time of your workout session. If you are exercising your horse, just practice lateral moves or turns on the forehand. For those horses that are not in competition or not in condition, just “a thirty-minute walk on a hot day can be a good workout.” You can also reduce the warm-up period, but don’t leave it out. Though it takes less time in the warmer months for the horse to warm up his muscles, he still needs to generate enough energy and heat to move his massive frame.
The heat index is a useful measurement of determining how hot it is. A slightly modified version takes the sum of the outside temperature and the humidity, minus the wind speed. The resultant number is the heat index. For example, if the temperature is 80 degrees and the humidity is 40%, but the wind speed is 5 miles per hour, then the modified heat index would be 115. If the number is less than 130, then your horse is not likely to suffer from a heat-related injury. If the number is around 150, however, you should reduce the workout time and intensity of the exercise, especially if over half of that number is represented by the humidity. If the number is above 180, then it is just too hot for any activity – for your horse or you!
- Less is Better. Try not to use thick, heavy, or large saddle pads, since these cover more of the horse’s body and insulate the heat. You want to leave as much skin exposed for heat transfer.
- Know Your Horse’s Vital Signs. The key to determining whether your horse is too hot or overworked is to know his vital normal vital signs, as well as his recovery rate – the time it takes for those vital signs to return to normal. By monitoring these measurements, you will know when it is time to stop work, how quickly to cool your horse down, and when to call the veterinarian.
- Temperature: Normal temperature is between 99.5o F and 100.5o F. With exercise, this temperature can become elevated several degrees. If the temperature reaches 104o F or above, you need to immediately cool down the horse via the methods described herein. At temperatures above 105 o or 106o F, the horse’s “physiological systems start to fail to regulate.”
- Pulse: At rest, your horse’s heart beats between 36 and 44 beats per minute (bpm). When exercising, a pleasure horse’s heart beat can accelerate up to 120 to 150 bpm, while that of a race horse can be around 220 to 240 bpm. During the cool down, the horse’s heartbeat should drop to around 60 or 70 bpm after a short period of time. For those horses that are not in good condition, it may take as long as 30 to 60 minutes to lower. If you have monitored your horse’s recovery before and noted that it usually takes approximately 15 minutes for the heartbeat to decrease to 50, but 30 minutes later the pulse is around 70, then you know that something is wrong.
- Respirations: At rest, a horse takes between 12 and 16 breaths per minute. This may be calculated by counting the number of rises and falls of the flank in a 15-second period, and then multiply by 4 – you then have the number of respirations per minute. The number of respirations will increase as the horse works harder and will be high as a hot horse cools down. This panting, which is evident with respirations over 80, is the horse’s effort to draw in as much cool air and expel as much warm air as it can. As the horse cools, the breaths per minute should decrease, as well. On average, during the recovery process, the horse should be at less than 40 breaths per minute within a half-hour.
By taking these recommended precautions and steps toward cooling your horse and keeping him cool, you and your horse can have safe and enjoyable summer of working, competition, and pleasure riding.
* With the advent of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, scientists conducted extensive research both prior to and during the games and found that ice water sponged down on a hot horse, even on the large muscles, resulted in a quicker and more effective recovery. Contrary to the popular belief, they determined that it does not cause tying up (severe, painful cramping of large muscle masses).
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