Hot, hot, hot!

Hot, hot, hot!

I know it is a great British past time to talk about the weather and when it is cold and damp we long for the sunny days, then when we get them, we complain we are too hot! I do think the recent hot spell was taking it a bit far though! Temperatures of 40 degrees are no fun for humans or horses. Rising temperatures and hard ground require careful management to ensure the horses’ welfare.

Taking horses to shows when the weather is hot can be a challenge and the most important thing to remember, especially when travelling, is to keep the horses hydrated. Take extra water and bear in mind that some horses can be fussy about drinking water away from home so it might be as well to take a familiar supply. Carrying plenty of water is essential in case your vehicle was to break down en-route so you can keep them cool and hydrated. We also put electrolytes in the water both at the shows and in their buckets for when they get home and make sure they have a good drink before getting a feed on arrival home.

If you are lucky enough to have an early class, make the most of finding a shady spot for parking your trailer or lorry.  We never leave the horses on board for any longer than necessary and allow them to graze in hand to help them keep cool and relaxed, before and after their classes.

The horses are naturally less fizzy in the heat, so it is sensible to reduce the amount of work they get at a show – this may mean that you might take a chance with the sharper ones, but you do not want them to do too much work in the heat or hard ground.

We do work some of our horses very early in the morning before we leave for some shows when we know the ground will be firm and there is no access to any sort of all-weather surface, but we are lucky and have flood lights in our lunge pen! This is not worth doing if a horse is in an afternoon class though.

With so much dry weather the ground has become very firm, and this can take its toll on the horses, so we are careful not to overdo their work schedule before a big show to minimise the chance of strain and injuries.  When horses are usually exercised on a schooling surface their legs become accustomed to it. However, this means that there is a higher chance of bruised soles, jarring and splints when harder conditions are experienced.  We travel the horses home from the shows in cold water bandages just to take the sting out of their legs if it has been very hard under foot.

With regard to studs for the show ring and on solid ground you are sometimes better off without as it will mean less pressure on the horse’s joints.  However, small, sharp studs can be useful on well-watered ground, so it’s a good idea to keep your stud box and tools on the lorry

When the horses are finished at a show, we wash them down to remove any sweat and cool them off before their journey home in the lorry.  I use Absorbine’s CoolDown which smells lovely and works wonders to lift out the sweat, leaving them cool and refreshed.  There is no need to rinse it off either, so it’s an economical use of water.

Don’t forget to look after yourself too and just like the horses, you must remember to keep yourself fed and watered.  Long classes standing out in the heat can take its toll, so pack the lorry with plenty of water and snacks.

By the time you are reading this we will have been to the Great Yorkshire Show and the Royal International Horse Show.  Both firm favourites in the showing calendar but also  very busy shows for us with a lot of horses travelling to and from the show grounds.

Now that August is here, we can draw breath, a little, ahead of the run up to HOYS in October.  The older and more experienced horses are given a week or two to relax and refresh and we use this time to let them enjoy being horses.  We make the most of our time and enjoy hacking out, which allows them to take a breath.

For those who remain in work, our daily routine alters to accommodate the change in temperature.  We tend to work anything that needs it very early in the morning – sometimes before they have had breakfast – and we then muck out after we have ridden.  The horses get a nice cold hose after they have worked and can dry off and relax in their stables. They get turned out in the evenings and overnight, rather than in the heat of the day.

However, if they do go out during the day, we use fly sheets and fly masks to keep the flies and sun off and prevent their coats from becoming bleached.  I am always careful if the horses are out with a friend, because the flies can encourage tail chewing and rubbing. We never leave headcollars on in the field if it is hot as sweat can build up underneath the headcollar and blister, but if absolute necessary to leave a headcollar on, make sure it is leather.

So, whilst the sunshine is lovely, and we are having a summer for a change a drop of rain would be very welcome now. We are never happy are we!