Fun in the summer sun

Fun in the summer sun

During hot spells of weather, it is a common sight to see sweaty horses and red faced riders. Heat can be exhausting, and will sap the energy of both horse and rider - thus, it is very important to know how to care for ourselves and our horses to avoid over-heating and dehydration.

Here are a few tips to help manage and enjoy life in the heat this summer:

Horses have a higher body temperature than humans and, depending on the level of exertion required, will be working physically harder than the rider; therefore they can overheat more quickly than us, and heart-rate and breathing rate can become more laboured.

Even in the heat, it is still important to warm your horse up correctly, as muscles must be prepared before strenuous exercise. Walking is under-rated, but is by far the best form of gentle build up that you can do. Lengthen, shorten and bend both ways to promote obedience and elasticity, all without undue effort, to conserve valuable energy but still achieve your goal. 

Try to spend at least ten minutes walking, to bring about the desired effect.

If you are training at home, where possible, avoid the heat of the day, choosing early mornings and late evenings. If you do have to train or ride in the middle of the day, you may have to limit your sessions and not work for as long as you would normally.

At an event, try to find a ‘parking spot’ in the shade, and your first priority is to fetch plenty of cold water so it is ready and available to you at all times. Offer your horse water little and often, which will avoid too much sudden intake and potential colic. Even if he only wets his lips and/or plays with it, it is just a case of keeping the fluids freely available to him. Only tack him up just before you need to, let him remain as comfortable as possible. In very hot weather have plenty of damp flannels and towels to rub him over with, and leave over his neck or quarters. After work, lead him gently in hand, without tack and wash him down with plenty of water. As far as possible, cool yourself down in a similar fashion. Cold water is the best thing to drink; stay clear of fizzy drinks or alcohol.

Even in the warmer weather, your own pre-riding, ‘warm up’ exercises will be useful. A ‘muscle fire up’ routine directly before you get on the horse is very useful. This aids flexibility and ‘wakes up’ the muscles and correct riding movement patterns. You can include things like gluteal stretches, squats and spinal roll downs. Mobility is of course key to effective riding, to ensure you’re not transferring stiffness to the horse!

Comfort in the saddle goes hand in hand with mobility, which is why our customers love our range - our male clients favour the Derriere Treviso Training Breeches and the Seamless Shorty briefs, which work synergistically to provide the rider with breathability and comfort in the saddle.

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