Is it too hot to ride?

jools

New Member
Oct 3, 2005
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I'm going up to see my share in an hour or so....and its scorching here...supposed to be having an hours riding with her,is it too hot to ride for an hour?

Will she get tired etc?

Dont want to overheat her if you get my meaning.
 
Was just going to post saying that last year David H replied to a similar thread saying that horses cope much better with the heat than we do - but he beat me to it!!!
 
I've taken to hosing before I ride, as I find that being black Daffy gets very hot. I try and let him dry off around the saddle area as much as possible.

I expect him to perform at a show on Sunday, so he has to be able to do it now. We must've done a good hour and a half last night, and it was quite fast work with a big hill to climb. He was fine, and if I felt he was a bit tired or a bit hot, we'd stand for a few minutes in the shade.
 
Daffy Dilly said:
I've taken to hosing before I ride, as I find that being black Daffy gets very hot.
There is a danger with this. If you dont get most of the water out of the coat it will act as an insulating jacket and actually make the horse hotter when worked. Works on the same principle as a divers wet suit Serious work with a sweat scraper required.
 
I do it and scrape him off, then he stands for about half an hour or more whilst I do the water in the field. I was thinking I might have to do similar to cool him at the show on Sunday, but if we get there early enough we should get parked in the shade, and I can always stick him in the trailer.

Even though it's nicer for riding in summer, I always find there's so much more to think about than there is in winter!
 
I was worried about riding in the heat although have been doing so and sponging him off afterwards as don't want to lose all the work we've been doing by having time off due to the sun. I remember a friend of mine always used to say its too hot for the horses to be ridden etc but I had a lesson in it the other day and we worked him just as normal. Then I got to thinking how people still compete in the heat and goes to shows etc. It's all about being sensible. Thats really interesting about the water working as an insulater if you do not get it all out before a ride.
 
There were days last year when all we could manage was a gentle walk, but that is more for my benefit. I do not cope well in heat. Actually Silver is not a hot weather horse - he is a very warm horse naturally. Yesterday I rode at about 4.50pm and this suited the both of us, still hot but there was a breeze and the sun was slowly going behind the stable block.

He's been sponged off every time I ride for about a month now - very hot little hoss. Not tired just hot.
 
A good way of cooling them down effectively and quickly is to hose the insides of the hind legs - the veins stick right out there, so you're cooling the blood as directly as you can.

It's amazing to hose and then scrape - the water that you scrape off can be so warm!
 
Just got back,only worked her for 40 mins,had a few trots an a few canters round the indoor.sweat was pouring off her so I decided that was enough,jumped off and walked her round to cool down.

Got her back in her stable,untacked her and gave her a good sponging down.

Looked like she was enjoying it lol
 
The share horse that I have just got back from riding on also got a bit hot and just stood in his field while I chucked buckets of water over him :rolleyes: :p . Naturally, I made sure he wasn't sopping wet before I left him.
 
I've been wondering if it's too hot to ride too. I lunged Charlie on tuesday and he was so un-enthusiastic he's usually springy and trotting really fast.

I'm riding him tonight as he hasn't been ridden since Sunday. I am loving this weather but I don't like riding in it too much.
 
'Spose it sounds bad, but...I prefer the hotter weather as our nappy cob becomes quite mellow = can't be bothered to argue! We only womble along on slow hacks anyway.
 
all this hosing off talk... how is everyone coping with the hosepipe bans? are there exemptions for farms / stables?
 
No ban up here thank god.

I was riding Candy today and it was like she couldnt be bothered moving,I usually ride her for an hour in the indoor,but today we just did half that.
We did a little trotting,cantering,changes of rein etc. She stopped and then wouldnt move,couldnt even kick her on...so I thought she'd had enough.
 
I think businesses are exempt. You are allowed to fill public pools. I was thinking about this the other week when I was hosing off my share's legs. This incidentally was last month when it had been pouring and it was dirt from the outdoor school. At the moment, I'm away on business in Doha and it's well over 40 degrees. Just logged on in the hotel. Looks like I'm missing the good weather, the last few weeks it's been so muddy. He been coming in from being out in the day a complete mud monster. I just stare in horror at this once grey now brown creature who is waiting for me with a big smug grin on his head. When it's warm, I like to go for a bit of a potter in the fields. You see foxes and rabbits and pheasants. ( this is london so we get excited about wildlife here)
 
I didn't ride either today. It was too hot for me especially as I was working at the yard so when it came down to it I said no. I get really tired in the heat (I drink lots and stay out of the sun as much as poss :p) and I'm not in a fabulous mood today so I thought it best to leave him be. Plus I have a lesson tomorrow and no doubt it will be a hard one. xxx
 
Dolly is such a bloater at the moment, she has to be worked pretty much every day- we've only missed one day in the last fortnight:)

I have to say she was reluctant today, but I didn't take her out until after five, and it had cooled a bit by then- ten mins stretching excersises, half an hour longlining, with a couple of short trots on the straight, and a couple of longer trots on a circle, followed by another ten minutes stretching.... I was sweating like the proverbial pig, she was barely glowing:rolleyes:

Must be the Arab in her I guess, doesn't feel the heat like I do!:D
 
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