ArizonaRealCountry.com 5 August 2018 Q: How do you tell when it’s too hot to ride your horse? A: It’s not just the rising temperature that puts your horse at risk; it’s other factors such as high humidity, lack of airflow, and direct sun rays that combine to make the outdoor environment – let alone exercising – uncomfortable if not downright dangerous. That’s because horses, like humans, cool their bodies primarily through the evaporation of sweat. However, if the air is already high in moisture – like it is when the humidity level is high – then this process doesn’t work very well. And if there’s no air moving or no shade available, then a horse can overheat even more quickly. Two more things to factor into the equation: is your horse is acclimated to the weather and is he conditioned for the exercise? Likewise, a horse that’s already fit is going to tolerate exercise on an exceptionally warm and muggy day better than a horse who’s just been standing around and hasn’t become efficient at cooling. That said, there is a “Rule of 150” that many people rely on as a gauge for when they should take it easy and when it’s safe to exert themselves outside. Basically, the “rule” is if you add the temperature to the humidity and it’s above 150, you should think twice about exercising during that time (examples would be 90 degrees F and 60% humidity, or 100 degrees F and 50% humidity). And if there’s no breeze and no shade, the body can get overwhelmed pretty quickly. In essence, use common sense, make sure your horse always has fresh water available (even right after a workout), and don’t be afraid to bring his body temperature down quickly with cold water or even ice (yes, right after a workout). Oh and now would be a good time to provide some electrolytes! Q: What are the signs of heat stress? A: Signs that your horse is suffering from heat stress are lack of a desire to play or eat, or come when called. Unnatural behaviors like this are great indicators, as is lethargy in general. Heart rates may go up and the horse may appear to pant. If the temperature (taken rectally) is higher than 105 degrees, you may want to consult a veterinarian. When electrolytes are lost through sweat, important vitamins and minerals are lost as well. This can lead to bad blood circulation and even blood thickening, which is never a good thing. Temperature and humidity combine to create painful tissue injuries and other areas are affected as well. This can lead to ataxia, which has to do with the horse’s lack of ability to control the movements of their muscles. If you suspect that your horse may not be getting enough water in the hot months, do the pinch test. Pinch a fold of skin and observe whether or not the skin remains pulled up. Also, another great way of testing that is to put some pressure against your horses’ gums. When you let go, there should be a white spot that is slowly filled in with the normal pink color. If not, consider the fact that your horse may not have enough fluids and take corrective actions. Q: In this kind of weather what are the guide- lines for giving or not giving oral electrolytes? A: As long as they have constant access to fresh water, most horses that are in light or no work will meet their needs adequately without electrolyte supplementation. Once a horse starts to work hard enough to sweat, they lose salts and minerals (electrolytes) generally equivalent to the rate that they are sweating, which must be replaced through the diet. There are a couple of ways to offer electrolytes; one is to hang a water pail with electrolytes added for the horse to consume free- choice. A more consistent method is to add the electrolytes directly to the diet to ensure the horse is actually getting them every day. There are many commercial electrolyte supplements available at the tack shops that are flavored for improved palatability, but you can easily make your own by combining equal parts salt (sodium chloride) and lite salt (potassium chloride) and feeding a couple of tablespoons of it per day. Fortunately, horses do not suffer from dietary induced hypertension from excess salt like humans do, so this is a safe way to supplement the electrolytes they lose through sweating. This will also stimulate thirst to encourage them to drink more, which is also desirable to guard against dehydration Q: What exercises could I do with my horse when it’s too hot for intense riding? A: You could explore long-lining or ground- driving, as well as work-in-hand and double lunging. The training books “101 Longeing and Long-Lining Exercises” and “101 Ground Training Exercises” are excellent hot summer projects. Besides the value to your horse, walking, talking, looking where you’re going, and handling a long whip all at the same time will take a certain amount of coordination and practice on your part and are excellent skills to add to your repertoire. Summer is a great time to connect with your horse’s brain as well as his body, whether it’s through exercises or through clicker. There are lots of options out there for staying busy during the “dog days” of summer, including practicing your horse health skills. Arizona REAL COUNTRY the magazine Mike Barna Publisher mbarna@963realcountry.com (602) 622-3695 Erika Smith Royal Editor erika963realcountry@gmail.com Misty Voitovski Creative Director Contributing Writers C.L.”Lee”Anderson, Desiree’Byrne, Kimmie Dillon, Arman Ghazi, Charlie LeSueur, Jim Olson, Robert Piekow, Liz Potof, Alan Rockman, Bob Roloff, Buddy Uldrikson, JolynYoung Arizona Real Country is owned and published by Barna Broadcasting LLC. No person, organization or party can copy or reproduce the content on our website and/or magazine or any part of this publication without a written consent from the editor’s panel and the author of the content, as applicable. The publisher, authors and contributors reserve their rights with regards to copyright of their work. Follow Arizona Real Country for news, events, giveaways and more! 801 W. Wickenburg Way Wickenburg, AZ 85390 (602) 622-3695 ArizonaRealCountry.com Ask the Vet HOT, HOT, HOT Basically, the “Rule of 150” is if you add the temperature to the humidity and it’s above 150, you should think twice about exercising during that time.