Effective Cooling Strategies for Summer Riding

Horse riding on a hot day can be challenging and tiring. Use our tips to avoid overheating, enjoy riding and take care after the horse.

Many love summer for its warmth and long daylight hours. However, high temperatures in the middle of the season and day are very uncomfortable. Especially if you like horse riding. The fact is that horses are not designed for a hot climate and quite difficult tolerated high heat. If you are the owner of a stable or a horse, you are aware of several effective ways to cool an animal, as well as myths that have been prevalent for a long time. Manufacturers of various horse care products try to engage with customers by offering modern products.

In the article, we will analyze what methods and products provide the best effect.

Stay Cool While Riding 

There are several secrets to ride a horse comfortably in the summer heat. Follow the guidelines below to enjoy a summer day ride and not get overheated.

When planning a horseback riding, determine the most comfortable time of day for this. It is important to consider several factors: air temperature, wind direction and speed, expected precipitation. Also, keep in mind that your own temperature changes throughout the day. Usually, in the middle of the day, people with normalized sleep patterns have the highest temperature.

Use special clothing that repels the sun and retains moisture in the body. It sounds strange, but long-sleeve sweatshirts made of special material make you feel more comfortable while riding than sleeveless shirts. Clothing brands offer a variety of colors and patterns to engage with customers of different ages and social groups. And these clothes really provide comfort.

Another effective way for a person riding a horse to retain moisture in the body and avoid overheating is to choose the right foods. Water-rich foods, such as strawberries, watermelons, or cucumbers, move more easily through your digestive system. Moreover, they allow you to remain hydrated for a long time. At the same time, fatty foods or rich in complex carbohydrates will have the opposite effect. Your body is forced to heat up to digest this food and you will accordingly feel worse.

Remember to drink enough water while riding. Keep a thermos of ice-cold on hand. You can also bring along a cooler bag in which to put a T-shirt and socks. If you feel worse, chilled clothing is a good solution. If you feel that you are on the verge of heatstroke, immediately seek help. A cooling blanket may be suitable as first aid.

Cool Out Hot Horse 

A horse needs to be cooled after exercise or riding on any day, and especially on a hot day. Improper cooling or ignoring this can lead to serious consequences and complications.

Firstly, the last ten minutes of training with a horse should be calm. Let her walk and restore her breath. Next, give him as much water as he needs. Let him drink until he quenches his thirst. Make sure that the water temperature is not too high or low. Ideal – cool water, comfortable for a long drinking.

Your next step is external cooling. Use the horse cooling sponge. Draw water into it and squeeze it over the horse. Repeat this procedure until the water flowing off the horse ceases to be hot. It is best if you have access to running water and you can shower the horse from the hose.

Do not forget about scraping. Special ridges help distribute moisture and allow water to reach the horse’s skin. Even when you pour cold water on the horse’s back it manages to warm up to the stomach. Scrape this water off the horse and add cold again. This process speeds up the cooling of the animal.

After that, walk the horse in a cool, shady area. On particularly hot days, you may need fans. Make sure they are properly installed and deliver air from cool areas. It will be possible to feed the horse an hour after training or riding. Be sure to add enough electrolytes to his diet.

4 Extra Tips for Horse Lovers 

To accurately determine the condition of the horse after the exercise, you need to know its indicators in the usual state: temperature, heart rate and respiration. So, you can notice and take emergency measures if the usual methods do not help. So, it is recommended to use medical cooling gels and sprays on especially hot days.

Do not use a horse cooling blanket. The myth that it helps to cool the animal faster has long been refuted. An additional layer between the skin and cool water or air only exacerbates the cooling process.

Tie up or cut the horse’s mane for a hot time. The same rule works here as with a blanket – the fewer factors interfere with cooling, the better.

Do not add salt to horse water. This prevents them from drinking enough after exercise. That is, they will drink less saltwater than ordinary. You can add salt to food or a second or third serving of water.

You can purchase special equipment for yourself and your horse so that riding on horseback in a hot time has stayed comfortable. Manufacturers try to engage with customers using a variety of marketing tools, however, even the simplest methods are effective and efficient. Factory products can be additional tools for you.

How do you cool a horse after a walk? Please, tell us about your special procedures!

About the Author:

Betty Lockwood is a journalist, blogger, fintech expert and caring mother. She writes about informational technologies, news in the e-commerce world, traveling, and horses. Betty is also an editor-in-chief of https://computools.com. Feel free to visit her at her Twitter.