Lord having worn a coat and vomited on my horse before passing out (one of my dumber junior moments), there is no class now that could make me wear a coat if they’re waived.
8 Likes
Then F*CK that judge. 
In a word: Whutanass 
8 Likes
I saw a post on Facebook from the organizers of a local circuit who very emphatically stated that the upcoming show wasn’t “jacket optional,” it was “jacket forbidden,” and you would not be allowed in the arena if you were wearing a jacket.
25 Likes
I am sensitive to the heat so I would probably pass out before my horse would have any issues. My horses seemed more acclimated to the heat then I am.
I always get heat exhaustion during the summer. We met at 8:15am to ride this morning and were done by 10:30am. I had lunch and immediately fell asleep. My issue is after I ride it takes almost a full day for me to recover. It’s like I retain the heat in my muscles and it’s hard to get rid of it… I hate cold showers, but I end up doing that. I don’t know how you can be burning up and shivering at the same time, but that’s what happens.
I’ve even started putting ice packs under my hat and in my bra. Sometimes it’s easier not to ride. I have more energy and feel so much better when I’m not exposed to extreme temperatures. In winter i feel like a different person.
Early mornings are so humid, it is actually easier to ride around 9 am as the humidity drops some.
If I was rich I would probably invest in a walk in refrigerator.
I put a 100 gallon water trough on my back porch so I can just sit in it and soak the heat out of my body, only the water even without being in direct sunlight is still 98 degrees. Now I take gallon jugs of ice and throw them in there, which helps keep the temperature more reasonable.
I thought of getting a swimming pool but it would probably be more like a hot tub. I’m not even sure an in ground pool would be much better.
9 Likes
If anything, we’re tending to get smarter about it. In the olden days, you just sucked it up as if you were in the military and this show class was how you proved you were tough.
In California, I came to appreciate Cool August Nights (dressage) at LAEC, with classes that started at around 4pm and ran a bit past midnight. Not only was it so much nicer, it was kind of a party atmosphere, and I could even still work a half day.
16 Likes
I live right next to TIEC and it wasn’t that bad this week. It’s a normal summer here.
It was the same last year. People will scratch if they feel if it’s too hot. The shows will also change start times too.
Lol at social license. I swear that word is the ick.
3 Likes
No. No it isn’t. It’s the same every year. You all forget when winter hits and then complain that it’s too cold…
3 Likes
You can only change start times so much. And we are in the beginning of the summer months. TIEC isn’t the only venue I’m talking about either.
It sounds like you don’t really care about horse welfare in a heat advisory.
6 Likes
What is the alternative? Only allowing horse shows in April/May (which are often pouring rain) and then September/October?
There is a show I frequently attend in July and I can’t remember a single year where it wasn’t 90.
FB is full of people in the comments section who have probably never even ridden a horse let alone shown making nasty comments because they feel insulated from the reaction.
I make sure my horses are fit and acclimated to hot temps and make smart choices about riding and showing.
9 Likes
In a warming world with climate chaos and new weather patterns we may have to make some uncomfortable and unwelcome adjustments.
Temperature alone is not enough - we need to use the heat index. In California, highs of 90F are typical in summer, even mild, but we have quite low humidity with those temps. But 90F in 95% relative humidity is deadly. Exposure to full sunshine can raise the effective heat index by 15 F.
Both horses and riders are at risk and cheers to the show management who said jackets were prohibited. Similarly, I think it would benefit us all to normalize lighter colored helmets.
I am certain that as a child I was encouraged to push through the heat when I probably shouldn’t have.
The alternatives are covered spaces, night shows, and yes, maybe we will get to a place where we cannot reliably plan all day outdoor activities in the sun in certain months in certain places. Just because that’s how we used to do it is not a guarantee we can indefinitely continue on the same path.
I don’t like it but I don’t control the weather.
20 Likes
Keep telling yourself that!
7 Likes
I know it for a fact. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It rains in the spring and the leaves change in the fall. In fact, it’s so consistent I can time it perfectly when I lime/fertilize/seed my paddocks for maximin growth. It’s actually a bit cooler this summer than last TBH.
2 Likes
That sounds amazing. After a long morning doing yard work I take a cold shower but full immersion sounds amazing.
Everyone should use common sense. If it’s too hot for the rider it is too hot for the horse. The more people that don’t sign up for these summer shows, cancel, or scratch will wake up the people putting on these shows during the summer heat and heatwaves. Listen to your horse and do the right thing. That ribbon is not worth jeopardizing your horse’s health and your health. Use common sense especially when we have heat advisories and warnings.
5 Likes
It’s not just the heat AT the show. It’s hauling. I’m not sure the show barn boarders realize (I hope they don’t realize rather than just don’t care) how hot it is for horses in trailers.
14 Likes
People who can afford it mostly show in the winter now in the south and sit out the hot months.
Unfortunately show organizers are very constrained. I was chatting with one a few years ago and they said they have done everything to switch their dates from late July because it’s just insanely hot and USEF just won’t help them out at all. It’s even worse for the eventers, they really messed up their fall/ spring schedule a few years ago to promote a few big southern venues.
2 Likes
And … to speak of the summer county fairs when they are hosing off the roofs of the livestock barns…
And then we’d haul home the next Sat morning - and - the hay guy would call. ‘Cutting hay today’ (since we did pick-up in the field).
3 Likes
Cold or tepid shower in the house?
1 Like
When I lived in heat and humidity I only hacked out in the late evening or at night. IMHO It’s not fair to ask horses that already have a little sweat on their necks just standing in the shade, to work. I’d spray them down, loose in the paddock to cool them off.
They always enjoyed a good cold water hosing. I wish I has a video of my gelding, who for some reason really enjoyed a good hard hose blast to his gums. He’s flap his lips and it took me a while to realize that he really enjoyed maximum hose nozzle pressure to his gums. He was a weirdo but I loved him dearly.
2 Likes
They probably don’t give it a second thought other than the fact that they want to show and that’s how they get there. Which is sad.
2 Likes
