How hot is Too hot?

[lauren123]

Me and Sox are meant to be competing on Sunday in two showing classes. It's his first time travelling to a open show ground aswell.
I checked the weather for Sunday, it's meant to be 24 degrees!
I'm know unsure if it would be too hot? We are only doing two classes that are back to back. So if I was to go I was thinking. LOTS of water. Warm up him, do the two classes, untack, attack him with water, back on the trailer and home.

 

[Doodle92]

Robin has evented in those temperatures. It was actually fine. (We we’re def more worried than him). If standing in the trailer kept front ramp down, as I do anyway, to encourage any air there was. He travels well so dosnt get hot and stands calmly once there. I was more worried about the travelling and potential to be stuck in traffic as it was a 3 hour journey. Took huge amounts of water. The organisers had provided water at the end of the XC so he got multiple buckets of water thrown over him and was completely cool by the time back at the trailer.

I would go. If you feel he is getting too hot you can always not do the second class but there will probably be a lot of standing waiting in the line.

 

[carthorse]

You know whether or not Sox copes well with heat, and also if he's fit enough to work in the increased temperature.

If you go keep your warm ups shorter than usual, by this point he either knows the job or he doesn't so all you need to do is loosen him up. Whenever possible keep him in the shade - if you can see his shadow he isn't in the shade - and wash him off inbetween classes. Remember that in hot weather you don't scrape off water, leave it to evaporate.

You might want to take some Speedibeet or quick soak mash that he likes to make up very sloppily so he has some fluids in him if he doesn't drink much when he's away from home.

 

[Doodle92]

On the drinking side. Robin would never drink at competitions and this worried us too. The addition of a small amount of apple juice and he would slurp it up.

 

[chunky monkey]

Blimmey 24 for you. Its supposed to be 28 for us here.

If your competing in the morning its generally cooler so that would probably be fine. I would be more worried about being in the trailer to travel if it was a long journey. So get the trailer doors open as soon as you get there. Mine dont travel much so always sweat up on journeys.

I agree wet food like sugar beet if he doesnt drink when away.

Ive done fun rides when it was very hot. They do get tired quicker in the heat.

 

[Mary Poppins]

For showing I would go ahead. There is lots of standing around and the physical activity is limited.

 

[Jessey]

I only know the american rule of thumb (they have much hotter places than us so its well publicized) which is if the heat index is over 150 it's too hot, heat index is temperature in Fahrenheit plus humidity in %, so 24c is 75f, plus humidity of 65% (that's for here but check your area) so its 75+65=140, ok to ride but be really careful, seek shade when you can, rinse off as soon as you are done, make sure cool water is available (don't just leave your bucket by the lorry in the sun to heat up), and def max ventilation in the trailer/lorry because travelling for an hour is the same as schooling for an hour on the horses body!

 

[GaryB]

It was 31c for my SJ clinic yesterday. Harvey had electrolytes the night before and salt in his breakfast to try and makes sure he began the day at 100%. He wasn't sweaty when he came off the box so I was pleased and encouraged by that. I kept a close eye on him while we were riding and as soon as we finished he was hosed down. He had a big dose of electrolytes in his tea last night.