Riding during the heat wave…

Bobthecob15 said:
Horse flies!!! Argh!!! 😡 As if the heat wasn’t bad enough, mine was desperate to come in this evening for a break from them 🙄

Our field has lots of trees and loads of shade so keeping out as the stable is much hotter, wooden boxes are not very forgiving, she started sweating as soon as she came in!

Can’t decide whether to put the fly rug on or not because she’ll cook I think in that…was sweating in it last summer
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I brought my girl a fly £70 and I just can’t use it in this heat it’s way thicker than I expected so will definitely sweat her I brought it as she had the most awful reaction to what the vet thought may have been a bite or stinging nettles she was colicky too , we are puzzled but 3 injections later and steriods she recovered and touch would has been okay since but I’m worried sick everytime I turn her out now which is why I’m choosing to turn out at night for now ..
 
Teetee72 said:
I brought my girl a fly £70 and I just can’t use it in this heat it’s way thicker than I expected so will definitely sweat her I brought it as she had the most awful reaction to what the vet thought may have been a bite or stinging nettles she was colicky too , we are puzzled but 3 injections later and steriods she recovered and touch would has been okay since but I’m worried sick everytime I turn her out now which is why I’m choosing to turn out at night for now ..
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I bought a really expensive fly rug last year too but she just sweated in it when it was mid 20s so now I don’t tend to bother. Sorry about your horse that sounds awful!!!
 
I have just canceled our pro dressage rider at 12. It's already 22 degrees and it's feeling very warm. If it was earlier in the day it would be fine but one horse is fine in heat and the other gets very hot.
 
A 45 minute polework session this morning between 6.45-7.30 am think it was about 20/21°.

It was fine - pony got a little bit sweaty but had a decent wash down and will now chill in his cool stable until this evening.

Dog walked in the woods afterwards, so all animals done by 8.45 am.
 
mine have swapped to in during the day (with fans on them) and out overnight.

will get schooled as usual between 5.30 and 7.30pm as they are both fit enough and have been worked consistently in the increasing temps.

hacking i WILL go late or early only to avoid the flies.
 
I ride as normal. Well that’s not strictly true, I wouldn’t go for a long gallop or an intense jump session, but I would do a walk/trot hack as normal. My horses all cope well in the heat though.
 
Hacked before breakfast today and even managed a bit of schooling. Ride on fly rugs are a real game changer, combined with ear cover and fly fringe. We had a lovely short hack. So happy 😁
 
My girl is remaining in her normal routine - out during the day and in at night.
There is some shade in the field (tree and hedging) but, she never really utilises it. She (and the other liveries) all seem to be doing ok though. Have to keep topping up the water every day though, she's drinking loads.

I'm reluctant to turn out overnight because, the fencing isn't that good, the fields out out of line of sight and I wouldn't sleep at night for worry. Also, our stables get hot during the day.
Fortunately we have no horse flies in our area.

Riding? She's retired now but, back in the day, I would be up and on for 5:30am for a hack in the woods. Best time of the day, no flies, no heat, no people!
 
Had a lesson this morning at 7.30 this morning which was lovely! Then washed my boy off and poo picked then field, on my way home by 9.30. My friend and I (also my trainer/yard owner) are planning a 5.30am hack tomorrow morning.
 
My lot are still out 24/7. Luckily all my fields have hedges on all sides or trees in them. The flies are driving them mad, I've never seen horses more happy to be "swatted" ( I do wonder what someone would think if they came across me merrily slapping my horses and gleefully calling out "got you little swine!" - I am squishing horse flies, promise!). Fly rugs are banned this year for fear of Pippin getting entangled in one and the little rascal keeps pulling the Old Lady's fly mask off! My job role has however evolved to water container filler-upper, that's all I seem to do these days.

Riding wise, I go in the evening after work, but it's still hot and they're announcing 39°C on Saturday! I was supposed to be jumping both Enormosaurus and Green TB that afternoon, but I think that will commute to a morning hack with a small pole at the end. Thankfully, it's sub 30°C on Sunday when I'm out competing, but will still be planning wet towels and sponges to keep the girls cool.
 
Hay making has made my hay-fever kick off so the Appy got her morning walk out & the other 2 look like they're getting 2 days holiday. Possibly 3 at this rate.

If anyone had been videoing us walking out this morning I would have been caught randomly slapping my big mare. She thinks I'm a useful fly swat.

I also have a melted cat.
 
Always ride before work anyway. My old boy who is very used to the heat (lived in the states for a long time) i haven't ridden. But my younger one, who is also an import, are coping well. We did a 3 mile off road hack, washed off and out with fly rugs and masks on by 9am. Just looked at them on the cameras and they are eating away quite happily I bring them in quite late of an evening and give them a mash and very wet feed, luckily our stables are well sheltered and cool. But do have fans if needed.
 
I dedicate 2/3 days a week and ride at 5am. That way i know i've ridden incase anything props up in the evenings or its still too hot later in the day.

5am riding is lovely, peaceful and warm enough to wear a T-shirt!
 
I was riding at 9pm the other night, it was bliss! I love coming home from work and spending a couple of hours in the sun in the garden, then heading to the yard around 7:30/8pm.

I’m always very impressed by people waking up early to ride before work. If I did that I’d be struggling to stay awake by late afternoon and I’d find my job even harder (already pretty mentally taxing😂)
 
GrassChop said:
I read this a long time a go and saved it:

Add Fahrenheit to humidity percentage. If it's over 150, it's too hot to ride.
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Interesting. Currently 26C, 50% humidity where I am, that adds up to 128.8. Although we do have a breeze going. I have seen some that say over 160 or some at 180.

Not sure what the humidity was when I rode this morning (7.45-8.30am schooling w/t/c), temp was probably pushing 20C. Horse and I a bit sweaty but coped fine.
 
motherof2beasts! said:
What do you guys do in this heat when you work full time. I’d like to ride in morning when cooler but can’t as I start at 7.30 and walk the dog on my morning yard run. Fat cob has been ridden daily but remains fat. I feel guilty if I don’t ride. equally don’t enjoy wearing a hat and sweltering and neither does cob in the name of fat fighting …. Rode this Eve and remain the colour of a lobster.

Think I’m just battling myself comfort vs remaining on track
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Field I’m in currently gets brutally hot so a hack is actually very beneficial for my horse, as it means catching a breeze / going to some shaded roots. I ride when it’s very hot (between 3-6pm). But I don’t push him hard at all, let him choose the pace, and spend a lot of time in the shade and in the breeze. Truthfully, when he’s hot he rushes to the mounting block, I think because he knows we’re going to go cool off!
 
We hacked at 9am. Temp was 22c. Tacked up in the shade so left cool. Went for a quiet one and a little trot and canter in the field which turned into a gallop at the ponies request! They then all happily marched home without a care in the world. Good hose off and back out they went, ignoring the shade and shelter, choosing to graze in the middle in the sun. It was 26 on the app when I left but it felt very intense and hot.

I honestly don’t think they care or suffer as much as we do 😂😂
 
AdorableAlice said:
Mine are all clipped out head to foot, makes life so much easier for them in the heat.
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southerncomfort said:
Must admit, I'm considering clipping my black Fell pony. As you say, it does make life easier, and he'd be so much more comfortable.
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Can I please ask a question about clipping in summer

Do you find that the shorter coat intensifies fly nuisance for the ponies?
 
catkin said:
Can I please ask a question about clipping in summer

Do you find that the shorter coat intensifies fly nuisance for the ponies?
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Mine is clipped and we have pretty bad flies/bugs here. It doesn't seem to make a huge difference. It'd be worse if he were drenched in sweat and fighting off bugs, I think. Mine sweats just standing there most days in the summer (it's hotter here though).

So the clipping is worth it and doesn't seem the intensify fly nuisance for mine.
 
AandK said:
Interesting. Currently 26C, 50% humidity where I am, that adds up to 128.8. Although we do have a breeze going. I have seen some that say over 160 or some at 180.

Not sure what the humidity was when I rode this morning (7.45-8.30am schooling w/t/c), temp was probably pushing 20C. Horse and I a bit sweaty but coped fine.
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Same temp and humidity here too.

I usually work it out using what the temperature "feels like" if it's higher than the actual temperature just to be on the safe side. There is a nice breeze out there today so I think if you rode where you still had that wind or in shady areas, it wouldn't be too bad.
 
AandK said:
Interesting. Currently 26C, 50% humidity where I am, that adds up to 128.8. Although we do have a breeze going. I have seen some that say over 160 or some at 180.

Not sure what the humidity was when I rode this morning (7.45-8.30am schooling w/t/c), temp was probably pushing 20C. Horse and I a bit sweaty but coped fine.
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Those temps and humidity would be on the cooler side for us. I'd love those temps and humidity 😭 I know it all depends on what you're accustomed to. Pushing 20C would be a dream! I'd take 26C too. The humidity here gets stupid at times. I'm basically wet all summer. It does get old!
 
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