Riding in this heat?

[bethanwhamond]

Far too hot for my two anyways,been riding at around 7 when its cooler. bit worried for a show I have on Saturday though, my poor horse will be sweating!

 

[JFTDWS]

I usually ride around 9pm, but that's not just because of the heat - I'm partially nocturnal at the best of times! Been known to ride in the dead of night before...

It's not outrageously hot -yes I'm washing off post ride and dripping in sweat myself, the horses aren't taking it too badly though, but it's workable in. If I'm competing, I'm not overly bothered - there's normally the odd day a week where I end up riding at midday anyway! I'm more than happy for us all to sweat. Heck even in winter I aim to leave them dripping

 

[Mince Pie]

This is precisely why I clip mine out in the summer now. He's usually even more sluggish and lazy than normal, but having clipped him out for the first time this summer he is much more forward than usual so he's obviously happier about it

 

[JFTDWS]

Which is precisely why I clip mine out in the summer now. He's much more forward than usual so he's obviously happier about it

I aim to leave mine sweating even when clipped out Fergs has very little coat though so I don't bother clipping in summer. I don't want the little sod any more forwards either

 

[Captain Bridget]

One of the horses is asleep any time of the day normally so the heat just makes him sleepier! Getting any work out of him is hard work. But he's fat so he needs to sweat a bit!

The other sweats even when it's freezing out, he's a very warm horse. I had a jumping lesson at 10am on Saturday and although he was soaked he was just fine so I wouldn't worry too much about him.

The weak link is me! I overheat very easily, get heat rash and while in Australia rode while it was about 26 and nearly fainted off the horse with heat stroke! I learnt after that though and when it's hot I always have a bottle of water or squash and know when I'm starting to feel off.

Honestly the heat doesn't bother me so much, I don't care if I'm super sweaty, I got kind of used to it in Oz! But I will leave riding in this weather until later in the evening (about 7) because it's gross putting jods or similar on when it's warm, I hate having sticky legs! If I could ride in shorts I would!

 

[Queenbee]

I got in the car at 4.30 and the temperature guage read 35 degrees, admittedly the car is black so I think it was exaggerating but down here it probably got close to 30 degrees today. Waaay too hot for ben or I, I poo picked three wheel barrows (have been a bit lax recently) then just lunged him today... I intend to ride tomorrow but only at about 6.30, we will ride for 2 hrs but mostly at walk. Its not to hot, but you certainly have to pick what you do and how you do it. Many people are saying its not hot by other countries terms and in respect of what horses are designed to cope with, but the fact is our horses in this country are simply not acclimatised to this temperature yet so we must be careful, cob, tb, arab or shire... it does not matter, they need to get used to it.

 

[3OldPonies]

I think you just have to be sensible and work out what will work for you and your horse. I passed up the chance to ride at the weekend because I was going to be riding a not very fit heavyweight cob at lunchtime and I thought it just wasn't fair on him to be asked to work at the hottest time of the day. His owner however thought otherwise and got someone else to ride instead - he did have the last laugh though - the 'stand-in' rider fell off think he might have been trying to tell them something. We're going to ride in the evenings this week, and most likely earlies at the weekend so as to not have to go out when it is absolutely baking.

 

[blood_magik]

I rode at 11 this morning - indoors too.
Horse is clipped and relatively fit but I still only did half an hour and nothing too taxing (few canter poles and raised poles 4 or 5 times).
He was quite sweaty but felt like he could have done more when I stopped.

We used to ride in 40 degree heat with 90-odd percent humidity. it was mostly walk and a bit of trot but the horses would jump in 30 degree weather quite happily.
All you could do was give them sufficient breaks, hose them off afterwards and make sure they got electrolytes to replace what they'd lost.

 

[Jingleballs]

We'll I've had to give my boy a bit of a lazy week.

I cancelled XC schooling on Monday and am glad I did as when I arrived at the yard at 8pm he was standing in the open shed out of the sun and absolutely sweating so he got hosed own for a good 20 minutes which he loved!

Other than that, 9pm lesson and hacks with lost of hosing down have been the order of the week.

If this weather holds I think I might have to clip him again!

 

[Pinkvboots]

I just went for a short hack then did twenty minutes in the school today at about 1pm, it was hot but not unbearable I think you just got to get on with it or you end up doing nothing for one reason or another, but then the weather has to be pretty extreme for me not to ride and its only in the twentys, horse was sweaty but he had a good sponge down and is happy enough.

 

[micki]

I haven't ridden for a couple of weeks now because it is too hot. I am uncomfortable in the heat so i'm not going to work the horses ad make then uncomfortable.
Be careful clipping out in summer as you take away their natural protection from the sun, not bad if they wear a fly rug all the time though.

 

[lannerch]

Reading the posts here put a new slant on sunny weather rider, or more appropriately sunny weather nonrider!
I too take the philosophy you have to get on with things what ever your up against or you never get anything done so mine is still ridden.
I hose him before I get on and when I get off and he's been fine and his normal self to ride.
By now I think he is acclimatised to the heat as he is out most of the day ( in a fly rug ) .

 

[Vanner]

riding in this heat is bad, can't get away from that ... but it's the sodding flies that get me and my boy (literally!) and it doesn't seem to matter when I ride they always seem to be there! AHHHHHH!!!!!

 

[Shutterbug]

Flies in the forest round our way are horrific atm :O I have been either riding in the very early am or later in the evening around 6/7pm - we are doing lots of canter work to build fitness but he copes well with the heat and doesnt get too blowy or sweaty but yesterday I pushed my jumping lesson back to later in the evening cause it was so flippin hot earlier in the day I was worried I might pass out :O Luckily a little breeze had picked up by then and it was just lovely riding round my RI's school in it - very welcome indeed. I have hosed both my guys down every day this last few weeks, and have been bringing them in on occasion during the day to give them a break from the flies and the sunshine. Long may the sunshine last though, its a welcome break from the rain. We are off to a little cross country comp tomorrow but its gonna be cooler thank goodness - my red sweaty face look is not very appealing at all

 

[*sprinkles*]

When I was working abroad we only stopped working the horses if the temperature got above 40. However I suppose our horses in this country aren't used to warmer weather so will be a bit more of a shock for them. I always ride early in the morning or later in the evening these days anyway no matter the time of year, so haven't had to change my schedule at all. I guess it comes down to your individual horse, and what they appear happy and comfortable with. If they look miserable and are dripping sweat and sluggish ride at a cooler time of the day. I would imagine XC schooling at 7pm wouldn't be much of a problem though .....