When Is It Too Hot to Ride Your Horse? By Kentucky Performance Products
To ride or not to ride? That is the question.
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Temperature alone is not a good guide when it comes to deciding if you should ride on a hot summer day. It is the combination of heat and humidity that should be your major concern. Your horse’s natural radiator is a combination of skin surface and sweat. As your horse’s body warms up, his sweat glands release sweat: a combination of water and minerals. As the water evaporates off the skin it cools the body down. When the relative humidity (a measurement of moisture in the air) is over 75%, the ability of your horse to cool himself by sweating is greatly diminished. This occurs because the air is so full of moisture your horse’s sweat can no longer properly evaporate and cause cooling. While high heat (85°F or higher) or high humidity (above 80%) alone is not a problem, the combination of high heat and high humidity should raise red flags. If the combination of the temperature and the humidity (temperature + humidity) is over 180, skip riding for that day and give your horse a cool bath instead.
You can download a helpful riding guide here.
When and where to ride during warm weather
You have checked the temperature and humidity and it is not in the danger zone, but it is still hot. There are choices you can make that will keep both you and your horse more comfortable during your ride.
- Feed an electrolyte daily during hot weather. It will stimulate your horse to drink and help keep him or her hydrated. Electrolytes also replace the essential minerals lost in sweat.
- Ride in the early morning or in the evening when the sun is not at its hottest.
- Ride in the shade, either in the woods or in an indoor arena, with good air circulation.
- Be aware of your horse’s fitness level. Whether obese or thin, unfit horses are less able to deal with the stress of exercising in hot temperatures.
- Cool your horse down properly after your ride and be sure an abundant supply of cool, fresh water is always available.
About Kentucky Performance Products, LLC:
Fight back against dangerous dehydration and electrolyte imbalances with Summer Games® Electrolyte.
Summer Games is a unique blend of both electrolytes and trace minerals specifically formulated to replenish critical electrolytes in the proper ratios. Summer Games supports healthy electrolyte balance so horses stay hydrated, perform at optimal levels, and recover faster after exercise or in stressful situations.
Summer Games contains a research-proven electrolyte formulation that was originally developed for the horses competing at the 1996 Olympics. Formulated using the results of extensive research studies investigating the composition of sweat, Summer Games contains both key electrolytes and trace minerals in the actual amounts that are present in the sweat.
- Adjustable serving rates allow you to easily meet your horse’s individual electrolyte needs.
- Affordable price allows you to consistently replenish key electrolytes in appropriate ratios.
- Concentrated formula ensures your horse receives both critical electrolytes and trace minerals, not sugar and other fillers.
- The unique ingredients in Summer Games support optimal performance and speedy recovery during exercise or stressful situations.
The horse that matters to you matters to us®.
Not sure which horse supplement best meets your horse’s needs? Kentucky Performance Products, LLC is here to help. Call 859-873-2974 or visit KPPusa.com.
