How Hot is Too Hot?

Summer is here! Now it’s Summer Camp Season! It’s time for swimming, picnics, and all around FUN in the SUN! When we think about all the outdoor activities we enjoy, of course our four-legged companions immediately come to mind. But, how do we know if it’s too hot out for them?

A good rule of thumb is following the heat index, and of course knowing your individual horses overall health and needs, and your riding situation.

We keep a close eye on the heat index, which is the temperature + humidity. For us, if the temperature is 95 or above, we reserve the right to cancel riding. This is for not only the safety of our herd, who is mostly made up of older horses (and some that don’t sweat!), but also the safety for our riders who may not be able to tolerate the high temperatures as well.

We are lucky enough to have a covered arena with a large fan, and during this time of year that’s almost always the arena lessons take place in! We also regularly cold hose our horses after lessons.

So, there you have it! Following the heat index, keeping a close eye on our horses, and keeping them cool with fans and cold hosing makes riding in the hot weather manageable!

Here is an example of a heat index chart for horseback riding, with some cool facts about horses body temperature!