Shows and the heat

It’s also difficult when the weather is different in different areas! We were due to go SJ yesterday, but they (understandably) cancelled due to heat.

Where we are (1hr15 away) Sunday was only forecast for 25c and ended up having a decent breeze too. But where the show was, forecast 32c without much wind. I’d happily have ridden in our weather (and did so), but even if they’d run I wouldn’t have risked it after seeing their forecast.

I’m lucky mine copes quite well in the heat, although he can get quite sweaty generally even when not hot. He’s evented up to 28-29c (wasn’t forecast that hot!) and coped brill and finished fresh. But he is fit, lean and reasonably acclimatised to working in different conditions as much as is possible here.
 
Mine is a very unfit TB but loves the heat. We went for a hack on Sunday and was marching out. He doesnt cope when the humidity rises though as it causes his arthritic joints to swell up too much.

I think blanket ban isnt an appropriate response. I think in such circumstances, judges should have the authority to scratch a horse/rider if they look like they might be struggling or has been entered into a million classes.

The core problem in the UK is the random heat waves - summers can be weeks of 16 degrees and then suddenly hit 30. That isnt easy for horse or rider to work in. This year has been a bit different in that its consistently been very warm.

The worst heat I ever showed in was in Windsor, Ontario. We had packed the horses up and drove 5 hours - had them stabled overnight to show the next day. I remember it was a whopping 48 degrees with the humidity and major storm and tornado watches (Windsor usually gets hit!). Thankfully no storms came through but my god that was hot. I dont think anyone did any real warm up - just tacked up in time to go into the class, do the class, and untack and offer water and shade as soon as possible. It was a schooling show so not rated in any way.

One thing that everyone does have back home due to the heat (every summer) is a canopy that pops up to provide shade to both horse and rider. You pop it up next to the trailer and hide out.
 
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