tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post933185379201284395..comments2024-03-01T06:49:59.106-05:00Comments on Behind the Bit: Heat: Harv and RiStacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-49664536838485577862011-07-27T14:46:54.973-04:002011-07-27T14:46:54.973-04:00Marnie - yes, Arabians were originally from the de...Marnie - yes, Arabians were originally from the desert and I know they were bred and also adapted themselves SPECIFICALLY to deal with heat. For example, I believe they all have black skin for this reason (if one of my childhood "All About Horses" books was correct). Arabs ability to cope with heat and stress is the reason they are used for endurance competitions. So I'm not RiderWriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05679157278313699794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-62666042036406127672011-07-26T22:57:54.978-04:002011-07-26T22:57:54.978-04:00I'm curious if a horse's breed can have an...I'm curious if a horse's breed can have an impact on how they handle the extreme heat? In my horse's paddock the TB (my horse)and the Trakehner were drenched in sweat from nose to tail but the Arab was much less sweaty than the other two. All three are similar in age - late teens. Another Arab at the barn also seemed to fair a bit better than her paddock mates - a Tennessee Walker Marnie Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13241962543917686722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-52897341560194866042011-07-26T05:22:49.533-04:002011-07-26T05:22:49.533-04:00We had a horrific heat wave right at the beginning...We had a horrific heat wave right at the beginning of summer (indices up around 108/110). Broke and/or matched record highs all over the place. Awful. <br /><br />I think when you couple extreme temperatures with a lack of air movement (as in a barn) it makes a bad situation even worse. Glad your boys are okay, and it is (hopefully) all over with. Strange when you consider how grateful we can be Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17608579972739041880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-63656043302043388912011-07-25T22:43:38.480-04:002011-07-25T22:43:38.480-04:00RiderWriter, this was a rough period for Bob and ...RiderWriter, this was a rough period for Bob and I too -- neither of us slept much during this -- it was pretty awful. Louise, our pastures don't have consistent shade and the direct sun would be unbearable -- and there is the added discomfort of flies. Inside or outside it was bad, just a different kind of suffering. The real question is, why is the lower barn's ceiling fan (which has Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-40655914906434744722011-07-25T22:33:14.926-04:002011-07-25T22:33:14.926-04:00Here in western Sydney we have this problem every ...Here in western Sydney we have this problem every summer for at least 2 weeks straight. Last summer we had two weeks with temps a minimum of 40 degrees each day (104 F) with about 5 days straight with temps at 43 degrees (109 F). In the sun, the temp is almost 50 degrees (120 F).<br /><br />We were always taught to hose, scrape, repeat and NEVER leave water on a horse as it can actually burn the Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15121469297442797836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-25413508057322389842011-07-25T21:03:11.663-04:002011-07-25T21:03:11.663-04:00Stacy, If you get that call again, or you just hav...Stacy, If you get that call again, or you just have another day 100 or higher, and you know he will be uncomfortable, pick up some ice on your way out and cool him out with icewater. Sponge on, wait 30 sec, scrape off. Repeat. It really works wonders (this coming from an upper level three day eventer - and yes, I have done a long format!). Those might say it is too much of a shock, but trust Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-37922017404104288162011-07-25T20:05:25.473-04:002011-07-25T20:05:25.473-04:00My guys seemed to tolerate the terrible heat prett...My guys seemed to tolerate the terrible heat pretty well. But they have free run of the stalls and paddocks as they choose, so they were in and out and in and out...fans on in the barn. <br /><br />I still feel sorry for them, and I especially feel sorry for your Riley who apparently has a very low tolerance for heat.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10029423500476995817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-6010319376052612102011-07-25T20:04:01.545-04:002011-07-25T20:04:01.545-04:00Why are the horses indoors on such a hot day?
I...Why are the horses indoors on such a hot day? <br /><br />I live in a part of the world where we get these temperatures and higher on a regular basis throughout summer. I certainly would not keep my horse in a poorly ventilated stable on a day like that. They need fresh air and a shady tree or shelter... but of course they will still stand out in the full sun sleeping anyway!Louise McGillivraynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-58682930245273822222011-07-25T18:25:29.325-04:002011-07-25T18:25:29.325-04:00A little rubbing alcohol added to a bucket of cold...A little rubbing alcohol added to a bucket of cold water will help to cool them off better. It helps the water evaporate faster from their coats, which cools them more efficiently. :)Friesianwelshxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11559821379568055421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-10521950532619573432011-07-25T17:28:45.926-04:002011-07-25T17:28:45.926-04:00Yikes!!! I've been complaining because we hav...Yikes!!! I've been complaining because we haven't had a day yet over 75 but I think I'd much rather be running around in sweaters than having to worry about my horses over-heating!<br /><br />When I lived down south we just rode when it was late - or not at all if it was too hot!<br /><br />Good luck to everyone in the sweltering heat!hammerhorseshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07144749417680923288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-36736938022806888102011-07-25T17:20:07.965-04:002011-07-25T17:20:07.965-04:00That's a scary situation, and I'm glad you...That's a scary situation, and I'm glad your friends and you were able to help the guys out. I am truly perplexed as to why the Old Man did better than The Baby in the heat. Maybe he's had more time to adapt?<br /><br />I've had the unpleasant experience myself of hosing off a horse so overheated that he turned cold water into hot immediately. Sounds like you were doing exactly theRiderWriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05679157278313699794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-20178857134920960372011-07-25T17:15:09.889-04:002011-07-25T17:15:09.889-04:00It's been very hot here too. We've been ho...It's been very hot here too. We've been hosing 2x/day and I increased the loose salt I feed AM and PM to adjust for sweat loss. <br /><br />Thankfully, every day for five days now we've gotten a late afternoon thunderstorm that has cut the heat somewhat. <br /><br />Everyone take care. I clearly remember last winter during our 3rd or so snowfall (we generally get it once a year) I wasbilliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18187141867284800597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-27789823150426545362011-07-25T16:41:22.603-04:002011-07-25T16:41:22.603-04:00Yikes... try liniment! It cools the skin and is a ...Yikes... try liniment! It cools the skin and is a great remedy for over-heated horses!! You can even put it in a spray bottle....<br /><br />We are actually having one of the coldest summers on record for the Northwest.... it's been in the 60's most days, then it will suddenly jump to the 80s without warning and everybody wilts! We've also been having lots of rain... which, believe itAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-9233272944389866232011-07-25T16:26:40.008-04:002011-07-25T16:26:40.008-04:00It's news like this that makes me feel so incr...It's news like this that makes me feel so incredibly lucky to have my mare turned out in a big, shady, grassy pasture with plenty of water all day. The temp in the barn would be driving me crazy.SprinklerBandithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02948487857418394022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-11922218562165615972011-07-25T16:09:39.592-04:002011-07-25T16:09:39.592-04:00We've been between 102 and 105 here every day ...We've been between 102 and 105 here every day for more than a month, and it's hard on everyone. The run-in barn gets a great breeze, but the boys prefer to stand outside under the trees in the heat of the day. I think they get even more breeze when they're outside in the shade, honestly.<br /><br />If Harv and Ri aren't already on salt supplements (free choice is best), you might jenjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01737679332792618499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-43621621937451111422011-07-25T15:48:50.885-04:002011-07-25T15:48:50.885-04:00I expected my older guy to have more trouble with ...I expected my older guy to have more trouble with the heat, but like Harv & Ri, it was the younger one that was drenched in sweat when I showed up at lunch time to do the rinse/scrape routine and top off the troughs with fresh cold water. I was surprised, because the old man has always been a heat-wilter, like me, but I guess they all have their limits.<br /><br />I'm just thankful for Now Thats A Trot!https://www.blogger.com/profile/04520915591652905807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-16462630399556267902011-07-25T15:30:26.450-04:002011-07-25T15:30:26.450-04:00Oh man do I comepletly understand. I have an older...Oh man do I comepletly understand. I have an older mare that just cannot handle these temps anymore. And yesterday, it was just too much for her. I found her down in her pasture - I presume she went down to roll and didn't have the energy to get back up - had to have the vet out and all. Personally, snowflakes look GREAT right about now!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09069117326093443006noreply@blogger.com