You need to be vigilant and concerned about horses overheating in hot weather. Happens. Most of the time, mild cases can be easily remedied. But you need to recognize when it’s happening. There are various signs and symptoms ranging from a mild lethargic attitude to profuse sweating or worse, not sweating at all.

The last check involves a useful tool for measuring your horse’s condition: a thermometer. It helps to know what your horse’s normal resting temperature is (99-101 degrees F). You should also know your resting pulse (28-44 beats per minute) and your breathing (10-24 breaths per minute), and even your normal slightly elevated temperature (104-105 degrees F) right after you finish work. Keep them written down in your saddlebag and in your saddlebag. Quick recovery and return to normal temperature and other vital signs is also confirmation that your conditioning and exercise program is adequate for your horse.

Overheating is serious, and if you don’t have a thermometer handy, watch for other symptoms. Signs may include a heart rate of more than 60 beats per minute, forceful blowing, standing without showing any interest in what is going on, weakness, and lack of interest in grazing. Your horse’s skin may feel hot and dry; your gums may look pale and dry with a slow capillary refill time (greater than 3 seconds); a weak and irregular pulse; and no bowel sounds, among others. All of these symptoms require you to take action. Two veterinarians have written that, contrary to warnings not to do so, it is okay to wash the horse’s head, neck and back with cold water and then scrape off the excess to cool it down. It is very important to scrape the water, otherwise his body will heat the water and may get even hotter. Put it in the shade. Offer him some fresh clean water and walk, hose off again, scrape off sweat again, more water, repeat until he recovers. In extreme cases, a veterinarian is required to administer fluid replacement therapy and administer other medications.

Horses that are out of shape or overweight are more prone to overheating. Use common sense in hot weather. Try to ride a bike in the morning and at night when it’s cool. Take lots of breaks; look for the shade; and make sure you have access to water. When in and out of shade and sun, keep up the pace in the sun and let your horse cool off in the shade. Sponging in all available water sources is vitally important in hot climates because water is an excellent conductor of heat. The cold water will instantly transfer heat to itself, drawing it away from the horse’s skin and, in turn, cooling the body. However, for cooling to be effective, fluffing must be continuous so that fresh cold water constantly replaces used warm water. Supplement your horse with electrolytes during the hot months. Be more vigilant for signs of overheating when exercising at high speeds, during extended times of driving and hill climbing, which can warm up a horse very quickly.

Horses sweat to maintain their core body temperature; therefore, when mounting, it is important to use materials that do not interfere with this process. The development of cooling products, in particular pads to prevent overheating under the saddle, has made huge strides in recent years. Breathable fabrics have been developed to help alleviate heat build-up under the saddle. Some are designed to dissipate heat by absorbing excess body heat and reducing sweat. Other fabrics are highly breathable to allow air to circulate and allow normal perspiration to keep your horse cool.

Being aware of the symptoms of overheating will lead to taking steps to prevent and reduce it. Using products with new cooling technologies can help keep you and your horse comfortable all summer long.