23/05/2026
🌡️ HOT WEATHER & HORSE WELFARE 🌡️
As temperatures rise, it’s important to understand how heat affects horses and what riders can do to reduce the risk of Exertional Heat Illness (EHI).
Research shows horses perform best in temperatures between 5–25°C — and even acclimatised horses cannot perform as well in hot weather as they can in cooler conditions.
In the heat, horses:
• Tire more quickly
• Recover more slowly
• Are more likely to make mistakes
• Become hotter during exercise
• Face increased risk of heat illness, colic and laminitis
⏱️ Horses need time to acclimatise
Most horses need around 10–14 days of exercising in hot conditions to acclimatise effectively.
If the weather suddenly becomes hot, horses will NOT be acclimatised — and a few days of riding in the hottest part of the day can actually make things worse.
If you don’t have time to acclimatise your horse:
• Reduce workload and intensity
• Shorten warm ups
• Train during cooler parts of the day
• Allow longer recovery periods
• Prioritise cooling before and after exercise
• Consider dropping down a class if needed
🐴 Horses at greater risk of overheating include:
• Unfit or overweight horses
• Large or heavy breeds
• Very young or older horses
• Horses with dark/heavy coats
• Horses with health conditions such as asthma or PPID
• Horses carrying heavier rider/tack combinations
🚿 The BEST way to cool a hot horse?
Research strongly supports:
✅ Continuous cold water application
✅ Cooling the entire body
✅ Using fans and airflow
❌ NOT scraping water off
A wet horse cools faster than a dry horse — and scraping slows the cooling process.
💧 Top cooling tips:
• Apply plenty of cold water all over the horse
• Keep water flowing continuously
• Use shade and airflow where possible
• Offer free access to water before, during and after exercise
🚨 Signs a horse may be dangerously hot:
• Heavy or rapid breathing
• Excessive sweating
• Flared nostrils
• Muscle spasms
• Lethargy or distress
• Unsteadiness
If concerned, start cooling IMMEDIATELY and seek veterinary advice if the horse is not improving quickly.
