[HunterQueen69]

I think I posted this in the right section....heh.

So I usually dont ride when its really hot/humid, but I need to ride my mare Athena, she needs alot of under saddle time. I was wondering what counts as too hot of weather to ride her in? In the cooler weather when I work her, I usually lunge first, for about 10 minutes or so, then we ride around the ring. I usually trot around the ring one way for a while, practicing and getting down her headset and slowing her trot, then I switch and go the other way and work on the same thing. Well walk after doing this, then well start trotting again but then canter, both ways around the ring as well. Sometimes well also throw in ground poles and small jumps.

Should I just shorten our rides? Or work her like usual and cool her out for a LONG time? Is there a limit on whats too hot of weather to ride in? I dont want to overheat her or me. Any advice or tips or what you guys do or anything would be great!! Thanks!

[DancerLover08]

I would ride early mornings and late evenings when it's cooler out. When it gets hot around here, after I am finished riding the first thing I do is hose my horse off with cool water and stick him infront of a fan to cool off faster.

[Buckshot]

I ride early and late, and take advantage of all the cooler days. Since our humidity is so high here, I don't ride when it's warmer than the mid-80s.

[Reitpferde]

Rule of thumb: Add the temperature and humidity number. Example: 85*F and 60% humidity comes to 145. Horses can tolerate anything up to 130 points very well. Over 150, depending on your horse's condition, you might want to consider doing a little less strenous work. Just recently, we had temps up to 100 and humidity at 90%. I just hoped on my TB bare back and walked into our stream to cool him off.

[JessD]

You live in Michigan and don't state how hot it gets...or if you are riding or hoping to ride in that extreme hot. We'd rarely hit 100's or high 90's here in MN and I'd probably not ride those days as the humidity kills you too!! I think you will be able to judge if it's too hot to ride because you probably won't want to. However everyone has given you good advice..make due with cooler days, evening or early morning hours...not the peak afternoon!! Maybe a short little jaunt or a relaxed ride on a hotter day, not cantering, or trying to jump and work your horse hard in anything too hot.

[Dancers Mom]

I don't ride when it gets in the 90's either. I will go out and lunge for a few minutes if it is not way over 90 but I don't like to saddle her up and make her really work if it's too hot. She has coliced before in the summer while on the trail since then I do not make her work if its hot.

[JumpsxGlory]

Another Michigander lol

I do not ride if it's 90's and that includes humidity... I cannot handle that weather while doing serious work. Sometimes I don't even ride if it's high 80's... On days like that I hose him off, work on ground work, play with tricks, or just hangout but I don't ask for anything serious from him. It's too much for high temps... If little old me weighing in at 120lbs is sweating bullets from just stepping outside it's probably much worse for your 1200lb horse who's covered in fur and takes a lot more energy to move around.

The best way to work around it is to ride in early morning or late evening when the temp has dropped quite a bit from the sun not being quite as high in the air and it setting.