How hot is too hot?

[SantaVera]

For traveling and competing? Personally I don't travel the horses or compete if the forecast is 25 degrees or more. Is it legal to transport horses in very hot weather,such as is forecast for this coming weekend?

 

[shortstuff99]

It all depends on the conditioning of the horse really, competitors in Spain, Portugal the USA etc would never get to ride or compete if you couldn't travel above 25 degrees.

They would have fans etc in the box and shade.

 

[Cortez]

Depends on many factors: when I ride in Spain or Portugal it's sometimes 30°, but the horses are used to it, and also very fit. Here in Ireland anything over 20° is considered sweltering and the "native" horses are not well adapted to working in the heat so tend to suffer. My Spanish guys are not bothered, although they too have acclimatised to cooler temperatures now and sweat more.

 

[spacefaer]

I've never been more glad I've pretty much retired from competition than this week. The idea of stuffing myself in smart clothes and long black boots...
Nooo
I've got to travel two tomorrow but they'll be loaded in the evening and it's only a 20 min drive.
I had planned to show my coloured this summer and his first show would have been yesterday. The idea of standing on a baking showground, in my tweed jacket with a plaited maxi cob just seems insane. Neither of us are built to disperse heat easily!!

 

[milliepops]

this week would be too hot for ME
i didn't even want to go and watch the premier league at Hartpury last week as it was too boiling to be outdoors for any long period Just seeing them all in their jackets made my head explode.

we are continuing to do fairly light work at home, KWPN seems to be a hot weather horse but i don't know him THAT well yet so am not pushing him. I'd travel for stuff like moving yards or other essential trips (I moved yards in the 30 deg spell a couple of years ago and the horses were hot but nothing a good hose off didn't sort) but I am also glad to not be competing this year

 

[Bernster]

Yep too hot for me so light work if anything this week. No plans for a weekend outing until we get back to mid 20s at the hottest.

 

[Squeak]

I wonder what Science would say was too hot.

I usually try and keep going in the heat (within reason and work adjusted accordingly) because you could end up eventing in the middle of a hot day and not have done your horse any favours if you’ve never worked them in heat except to compete.

Although having said that, the ground is so hard this year, I’m already not eventing for the next couple of weeks at least so I will be happily avoiding riding in the heat this time.

 

[Cortez]

I did my first ever FEI level competition in 100°F, top hat & tails and rigid drainpipe boots. I looked and felt like an overdressed boiled tomato by the time we finished. Horse was unbothered. This was in Colorado, and there was no humidity. I wouldn't venture to do that now.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Back yrs ago when we were competing v regularly on the national circuit, I'd be riding the comp animals at varying times through the day, but novices and backers were always done early to save everyone from getting hot and bothered.

These days I'd rather pootle out at early doors than any other time. This morning as I was coming back from hacking just after 7, it was 21 degrees.

My 2 x comps this week are cancelled on heat grounds. I'm wondering what plans are in place for a camp of 2 nights that I'm booked into end next week.....

 

[Fieldlife]

Meant to be dressage competing Saturday, two Elem tests about an hour away. Debating it at the moment. We are fit, have plenty of water and a sprayer but will decide nearer time.

Horse doesn’t love heat, though is eventing fit. I don’t love heat either but can compete in shirt and have mist-er.

My lorry stays cool but I worry re breakdown etc.

£55 of entry fees, and meant to be an area festival practice.

Dunno, see what forecast is night before and what times are.

 

[SEL]

I was acclimatised to the heat when I worked in Australia as were the horses - so was regularly taking rides out in the 30s

I am not at all acclimatised these days and would prefer something in the low 20s. I rode yesterday morning but the humidity didn't build up until lunch. First hack was lovely but I only did a short one on the baby because it hit that sweaty, unpleasant heat around 12.

Walked out the limpy one in hand at 7:30am this morning and then poo picked and decided it was too hot. They've all disappeared into the shelters and hopefully will stay there.

 

[sport horse]

I believe it is a requirement to keep the internal temperature of your horsebox/trailer etcto between 5C and 30c . In this wether unless you have fans/air con you are unlikely to be able to do this.
I have just collected two old retired horses from a field in my village to bring them home to a shadier field where I can keep a closer eye during this heatwave, a journey of about 3 minutes, two well travelled retired show jumpers well used to travel, in a two horse lorry, and it was a sauna when I opened it up. Said lorry is now booked in in to have two in/out fans installed in the roof.
We have cancelled most of our scheduled competitions for the nest two weeks.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

In SA we ride and compete in 35 plus temps. And travel them. Here however I find the show grounds don't have adequate shade etc for between classes. I will continue to ride and school (within reason and obviously not in the middle of the day), but doubt I will be going out competing this weekend.

Just an aside...those of you with trailers....do you have fans in them? Looking at getting a battery operated one...

 

[Red-1]

My box is insulated and does have a fan, so I will travel up to 30 degrees.

Supposed to be doing dressage tomorrow, will see how we feel.

 

[rara007]

My horse likes the heat. His second best FEI test we went down the centreline at 43*C. We have a fan in the lorry and a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature, he travels well and is 1 horse in a 4.5 tonne. Me however, I’m fat and unfit. We were XC schooling yesterday so he’s off today (We’re hay stacking this afternoon..!) then tomorrow we have a clinic. I’ll give him Wednesday off then I’ll stick to east stuff for my sake. We have a competition in central france in 3 weeks so can’t slack off too much as it’ll be hot there (most likely)

 

[NinjaPony]

Over 25 degrees would be too hot for me unless the lorry had a really good air con system, and the horse was super fit/conditioned to hot weather/enjoyed hot weather.

My Connie was a bit of a slug in the heat so I wouldn’t have competed him in anything over 25 degrees and preferably a fair few degrees under!

 

[Ratface]

I won't be doing anything with my old horse until the weather is very much cooler.
We're both old and have worked long, successful years at our trades. Neither of us have got this far to be ill from the heat.
Horse turned out early (0600hrs) in a paddock with lots of natural shade and will come in later (1800hrs) as the day cools down. He's in large wooden courtyard stables, with a high, beamed roof and big opening windows at the back so he gets a through draught. He's got his girlfriend next door and as long as they can hear each other, they're perfectly content.
I didn't wash him off as he's not dirty, neither did he give any evidence of being overheated.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Our local show has postponed Sunday's show to the following week. I am very glad.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Too hot for us two 60+ year olds to stack the hay today, it's 29°C. 174 bales made earlier this afternoon, we've put them into stacks of 8 in the field and will leave the stacking in the barn to early tomorrow as soon as the dew has lifted. We've always stacked the same day it's been baled before, but not today.



Am now reclined in my new whizzo zero gravity garden chair in a shady spot in the garden, catching the breeze. Zero equine activity planned barring the basics.

 

[spacefaer]

Local fun ride has postponed

 

[Fieldlife]

I believe it is a requirement to keep the internal temperature of your horsebox/trailer etcto between 5C and 30c . In this wether unless you have fans/air con you are unlikely to be able to do this.
I have just collected two old retired horses from a field in my village to bring them home to a shadier field where I can keep a closer eye during this heatwave, a journey of about 3 minutes, two well travelled retired show jumpers well used to travel, in a two horse lorry, and it was a sauna when I opened it up. Said lorry is now booked in in to have two in/out fans installed in the roof.
We have cancelled most of our scheduled competitions for the nest two weeks.

My lorry doesnt heat up in the back in the horse area while travelling. I open the six windows, sun doesnt come in and stays cool. I dont think would ever hit 30 degrees in lorry whilst moving. It is loads cooler in horse area than living and cab!!!

It is one of the reasons I am loath to change anything about the roof!

The cab does heat up / mix of through windows and engine heat. Body of lorry only heats up I park it in direct sunlight with the ramp open then it will be same temperature as standing in sun.

I do have a battery operated rechargeable fan, for cooling stable or lorry. But I have only used it in stable last year. (Now where did I put it last summer???)

 

[Shoei]

I've decided not to compete this weekend, it's 1.5 hours a way and x2 days dressage. If I was doing regionals or something I would still compete but likely stay over and have a stable etc to keep as cool as possible, but I'm just going for qualifications so I'll leave it for another cooler day.

 

[palo1]

Whatever I may or may not have planned to do it is too hot for me to ride in the daytime today and possibly for the rest of this week. Senior horse (Arab x) loves the heat but the others would not thank us for suggesting anything other than standing in the barn! It's fine, they won't lose fitness, their marbles or forget any of their lessons and no competitive or special training appointments to cancel/postpone. No worries at all really and I am enjoying time spent indoors reading a good book or getting other stuff done.

 

[peanutsmumma]

I'm not sure what to do....I have a lesson booked for Wednesday and then a clinic on Saturday ??

 

[MuddyMonster]

I'm still riding as usual so far - I ride early morning or evening around work in the week so no big change there.

I've got a group lesson/clinic planned for Saturday morning which so far is still on. There's no travelling in a trailer or lorry involved though - not sure I'd go out in a trailer over the weekend.

Pony is pretty fit so copes pretty well in the heat, despite being a native.

 

[SantaVera]

Just seen the weather forecast for weekend,over 30degrees for where I am. Very hot.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

It's still quite rideable into the mid 30's in our indoor. The shade really helps and it's a concrete building with solar panels on the roof, so it has some ability to stay cooler, but is quite humid though.

I'll keep riding at the moment (I think our next highest high is 34°) because where I'm moving to soon, is currently experiencing highs of 40° Therefore I am convincing myself that anything in the mid 30's is perfectly fine and bearable ?

Horse can be a heavy sweater and didn't get the memo about being Spanish. So I do pay attention to how sweaty he is and feed electrolytes. Some days he's sweating just standing there so it's just a hose down day. I've thought about clipping him in the summer as well, but that brings up other issues and he's been getting by alright. I do keep him fit and he has some type of movement every day.

Not yet seen anything cancelled due to heat. Perhaps not quite hot enough. We were supposed to go XC schooling tomorrow and I wondered if it would be canceled due to the heat and hard ground, but trainer has now gone lame/injured so it's canceled for me anyway.

 

[Widgeon]

I believe it is a requirement to keep the internal temperature of your horsebox/trailer etcto between 5C and 30c . In this wether unless you have fans/air con you are unlikely to be able to do this..

Do you think so? I travelled my horse an hour each way on Sunday; it was around 21C when we arrived there and 27C when we set off home. I had the top vent and the top back doors of the trailer (an Ifor, nothing fancy) open and he arrived home unbothered and not even sweating. So it can't have been *that* hot in there? He wasn't standing on the trailer at any point during the day though, he was off and in the shade with lots to drink and a bath and electrolytes after the ride. I need to stick a thermometer on the wall in the trailer, I think.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

It's only a legal requirement for professional transporters to keep the inside of the vehicle ventilated and below 30 degrees.
Not a mandatory regulation for owner users, nor self drive hire.

 

[SantaVera]

It's only a legal requirement for professional transporters to keep the inside of the vehicle ventilated and below 30 degrees.
Not a mandatory regulation for owner users, nor self drive hire.

I think it needs to be brought in for all animal tansport, and 30 degrees really is very high, i'd like to see it lowered to 28 degrees at least.