By Sharee LaRue
E
xtreme heat and horses do not mix. What is extreme? That depends on where you live and what they are used to. Regardless of the temperature outside, horses must endure it unless they live in air conditioning. There are also times that they need to be exercised, hauled, and competed on. This article will simply outline safety measures, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.
Avoid riding if heat index is over 180 •
To calculate the heat index:
Add the temperature in Fahrenheit and the percentage of relative humidity. • If the sum is below 120, there should be no problem exercising a horse. • Suppose the sum is between 130 and 150; the horse will probably sweat but should not experience any problems if he gets plenty of water to replenish fluid lost during sweating. • When the heat index exceeds 180, do not exercise a horse because the horse’s heat dissipation systems will not be adequate to prevent heat stress.
Dehydration Tests
60 Working Horse Magazine Summer 2021
• Press your fingertip against the horse’s gums. When you release your finger, you will see a white spot. If the pink color returns in one to two seconds, this is normal. If it takes three to four seconds, your horse is dehydrated. • Make sure your horse’s head and neck are straight and not turned to the side. • On the neck, pinch the skin, pull out, and release. If the skin goes back in a second or less, your horse is good to go. If it
