EXERCISE IN HOT WEATHER
Many people ask when it’s too hot to ride.
“Overheating is dependent on both the temperature and the humidity,” says Christine Staten, DVM, a large animal veterinarian with Adobe Veterinary Center in Tucson, Ariz. “A heat stress study done by Kentucky Equine Research said that if you add the outside temperature [in degrees Fahrenheit] to the humidity [percentage] and the number is over 150, it is dicult for your horse to lose an appropriate amount of heat. Every horse is dierent, so you should talk with your veterinarian about your specific horse and your specific climate.”
The horse’s average temperature ranges from 97.5 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Know what is normal for your horse so you can tell if his temperature rises above his normal range.