Riders with Multiple Sclerosis - How do you keep cool?

[Off_Course]

I know that not everyone with MS has trouble overheating. But I do in a big way. I can get overheated shopping at the grocery store! I so want to get back to riding and am determined to do whatever it takes to get there.

So, I thought I’d reach out and see what others do to combat overheating while riding - cooling vests, special clothing, any tips or tricks, etc.

I have no access to an indoor (I own my own farm and have horses, or “Pasture Ornaments” as my old blacksmith called them). I’m on a fairly limited budget, so extra points for creative, inexpensive ideas! Thanks in advance.

[Magicboy]

I don’t suffer from MS but do use a cooling vest that is one of many products designed to help prevent over heating. Try searching online firnMS cooling products.
Hope you can manage riding and take care

[Off_Course]

Yes, I have googled cooling products many times before - there is tons of stuff out there now (not so much when I was first diagnosed). I’m more interested in what people have personally found that worked specifically for riding (or definitely didn’t work) or creative solutions or work-arounds they found. Horse people are often a creative, think outside the box bunch and I was hoping someone might have a suggestions I hadn’t considered or I hadn’t thought of.

[Knubbsy]

Not MS but EDS+??? and overheating has become more of a problem over the last few years

What worked for me after:
TechNiche International Women’s Deluxe Sport Vest soaked for 5-10 mn then squeezed. If it’s 90% humidity nothing will help but below that I kept comfortable. The mesh on the side means it’s not as suffocating as some coolings vests. Of the affordable cooling vests, this was the most flattering too so I felt less awkward wearing this for a recognized show. It does soak your waist band so make sure your belt doesn’t bleed. It does take a while to dry out completely so I lay it over a tub in the garage.

Kastel shirts - If I can limit UV exposure that helps so the long sleeve with mesh underside helps. I like Ariat too but sometimes it can get suffocating in humidity. Helly Hanson has a couple similar base layers that have mesh inserts in the back too.

Electrolytes - I use Vega’s recovery but I found I do a little better if I start upping my intake 12-24 hours before anything where I’ll overheat.

What didn’t work:
Cooling towels- Just felt like they held in the heat

UV blocking Sleeves - never could get them to sit right and they didn’t hold enough water to have any evaporative effect.

[Off_Course]

@Knubbsy

Not MS but EDS+??? and overheating has become more of a problem over the last few years

What worked for me after:
TechNiche International Women’s Deluxe Sport Vest

Kastel shirts

Electrolytes

Sorry to hear of your EDS diagnosis. Great suggestions! Using Electrolytes seems so simple, but it had not occurred to me (duh!). While I do increase my salt and water intake in summer, that doesn’t completely solve the problem of dehydration just doing normal stuff, let alone riding. This is something easy to add to my regiment. Thanks! And I’ll look into that vest.

[goinghome]

I don’t have MS but do have an assortment of autoimmune problems + I experienced a couple of episodes of near heat stroke when I was much younger all of which have left me with a body that doesn’t regulate its temperature very well (I also have Raynaud’s!). I’m moving from southern Arizona to Iowa (I’m from there) because I need to be somewhere with higher humidity levels (Sjogren’s) for my eye health. I’m wondering if anyone has found ways of keeping their body temp bearable on those high humidity days?

My eyes are going to love the humidity but the rest of me, not so much.

[Off_Course]

@goinghome

I’m wondering if anyone has found ways of keeping their body temp bearable on those high humidity days?

My eyes are going to love the humidity but the rest of me, not so much.

Exactly! Summers are brutal (for me) here in middle TN. Over 90° and high humidity. Glad we are getting ready for fall for my start back to riding. Not sure what I’ll do next spring/summer… get up and ride at 6AM? Thats why I posed the question about keeping cool. Surprised at only 3 comments. Thought there would be more discussion on the topic.

[Jackie_Cochran]

I have MS.

Unfortunately everything costs money.

20 some years ago I used an ice vest. My torso was cool (too cool?) and everywhere else was hot.

I tried the evaporation vest, but we get HIGH humidity here, and I ended up feeling like the evaporation stuff was holding heat IN, not getting rid of it, especially the evaporation skull cap.

While wearing the ice vest I fantasized about a portable air conditioner for riding!

Then I discovered the technical cooling fabrics. Right now I wear:

A FITS technical fabric shirt, long sleeves, with mesh on the sides. Keeping the sun off my arms really helped me feel cooler.

The Kerrits IceFill tights with a silicone full seat. This does not cool quite as well as the Kerrits Flow Rise Performance tight, but I was slipping all over the saddle with the Flow Rise tights MUCH MORE than with the IceFill tights. I LOVE silicon full seat tights/breeches! Since I am more secure in the saddle I do not waste as much energy just trying to keep my seat in the saddle and I end up less tired after riding.

Moxie ventilated half chaps–My saddler said Moxie does not make them any more, but that Smith-Worthington also sells ventilated half chaps.

The Columbia Sportswear Freeze Zero Neck Gaiter–I pull this up over my head (under the helmet) and it really helps wicking the sweat away from my scalp. It cools better when I take the helmet off, especially in a breeze, but it is amazing how much sweat it picks up. It ends up a lot wetter from sweat than my hair does.

A terry cloth head band.

Wicking socks.

Staying out of the sun as much as possible. I also ride early in the morning during the hot season, 8:00 AM. It is more humid at that hour but the sun is not as high and the ground has not heated up yet. I also ride just 30 minutes before I am too wiped out to continue.

I also do better in an inside riding ring, unfortunately I cannot afford to take lessons at a barn with an indoor.

I still get hot and sweaty, but I am a lot better off than I was before I bought all the technical fabric riding clothes!

[Jackie_Cochran]

I have MS. The ice vests just cooled my torso, the rest of me was HOT. The evaporative vest/skull cap did not cool down in the high humidity and I ended up HOTTER.

Now I do pretty well with technical fabric shirts (mine is a FITS), Kerrits IceFlow silicone full seat tights, Moxie ventilated half-chaps, a Columbia Sportswear neck gaiter that I pull up over my head (under my helmet), a terry cloth head band, and cooling socks. I ride at 8:00 AM, for 30 minutes. I do better in a covered arena, but I cannot afford to take lessons where they have an indoor.

[Off_Course]

Thanks for all the suggestions @Jackie Cochran ! Very helpful! I’ll take a look at the different clothing options. I was wondering what everyone meant about “Tech Fabrics” in other posts - now I know! lol I’ve been “away” from riding/forums for a while.