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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
 
Location: IL | What are some things you do to keep your horses cool at a race when it's hot? Supposed to have heat index of 103 (high of 91) this Saturday and we have a race to go to. Just curious what everyone, including the pros, might do to keep your equine partners comfortable when the temps go up?
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
 
| Get there as early as necessary to tie in the shade, plug in a fan if that is an option, light warm up, extra salt and water, hose down through out the day. If there is no shade to tie in I won't go. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I always pack rubbing alcohol and pour it down their back when I am done running - along with a sponge bath. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| In the same boat as we head out on the rodeo road again. We will try to find all the shade we can - but so will every other trailer. I haul a hose so we can hose off frequently. Add electrolytes to water and monitor intake closely, each horse gets their own bucket at the trailer so we can monitor individually. Quick warm ups and long cool downs. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | I stay home if its that hot |
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 Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | I do actually excercise my horses durnig the heat of the day so they (and I) can be better prepared for when we have to be at a barrel race at 3 in the afternoon, in August, in South Texas.
And of course everything that was mentioned above. Very light warm up. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| My vet cautioned me on forcing a horse to eat salt, electrolytes etc. They know how to balance their chemicals best. She told me to keep it " Offered" but NEVER forced. When I haul I always have salt on a rope I can tie up for them but NEVER put it in feed or in their water. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 599
| This summer, I started turning my horses out at night and keeping them up during the day with fans on them.
BUG MISTAKE.
Not only has it wrecked havoc on their feet (drastic moisture changes and the contracting/expanding of going from soaking wet grass to sawdust every morning), but now my horses can't even stand outside during the day without sweat dripping down their faces and their chests all sweaty.
So next summer they will stay out all day, and I hope that helps a LOT! |
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Expert
Posts: 1477
Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton | I never feed salt. Like someone said above. They know what they need. I have added powdered gatoraid but that's mostly for flavor if one isn't wanting to drink but that's mostly weekend shows. For day shows I put out water. If they drink it they get more if not I don't worry about it. If a horse is hot and thirsty he will drink. If he isn't he won't. You can't force it. Some just don't drink. I have one that will drink 3 buckets a day but one doesn't drink a half of a bucket a day.
Edited by TessBelle 2017-07-20 11:22 AM
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | fulltiltfilly - 2017-07-20 8:18 AM I stay home if its that hot
Ditto. No reason to risk safety with that type of heat. Mine just sweat standing in the pasture. |
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| Heat Index over 100 = I stay home. Turn the fans on in the barn (they come and go as they please) and make sure they have clean water. |
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | My horses are turned out 24/7 with shade they can get under if they want to and I also work mine during the heat of the day. Take a pop up shade canopy with you and keep your horse tied under it if possible. Make sure you're offering plenty of water AND hay. I also take gatorade with me and my horses love drinking it when I mix a little in with their water. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489
| shade of some sort - tree or pop up canopy. Fans can run off the generator. A mixture of wintergreen alcohol and rubbing alcohol as a cooling spray. Water hanging in front of them at all times. Light warm up and bucket baths after if no access to a hose. Mine stay out 24/7 with shade if they want it - so they are used to heat.
I also really weigh weather it's worth going when it's that hot. Sometimes it isn't worth the risk. |
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| GoMistyGo - 2017-07-20 9:39 AM I do actually excercise my horses durnig the heat of the day so they (and I) can be better prepared for when we have to be at a barrel race at 3 in the afternoon, in August, in South Texas.
And of course everything that was mentioned above. Very light warm up. when i was able to ride thats what we did 6pm off work barn we go 9 head long trot 2 miles breeze on thurs yep they sweat hose off me too we have rin horses at mitchell 107 heat no shade talmadge the hayes terri abunch of well know barrel racers personally i thonk they are to babied turn out let them be a horse mother nature take of them but that my opionion if i could ride and have horses today i would be the same way let them be a horse
Edited by vjls 2017-07-21 2:03 PM
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | I worry more about some riders than the horses. Stay cool and hydrated, and if you start feeling sick, don't ignore it. |
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 Too Skinny
Posts: 8009
Location: LA Lower Alabama | I choose early or late races that provide shade and water (for drinking and hosing off) I wont go if we are not in shape and only run one time (no exhibitons or second classes) I wont travel long distances away because of the temp in the trailer. My main goal is to keep us hydrated and cooled off asap. I like to hose off twice: once right after saddling and once after her breathing is normal. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
Location: on the fine line between insanity and geniusness | The heat index is over 110 here now... I won't hardly go to day time shows anymore. We went to Waco last weekend- thanks to an air conditioned coliseum and fans in the stalls! My horses stay turned out. They only stay in the stalls to eat. We keep plenty of fresh water available and salt blocks out. In my opinion there is NO barrel race worth mine or my horses safety in this heat! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | Thanks for all the replies everybody!  |
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