tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post6917886413258764319..comments2023-09-09T05:35:11.672-07:00Comments on Boots and Saddles: Heat and heat conditioningMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-1410993205502863952013-07-01T04:22:19.087-07:002013-07-01T04:22:19.087-07:00Also the idea of driving around hot weather with t...Also the idea of driving around hot weather with the windows rolled up makes me want to die.<br /><br />O.oHannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12237668899993749427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-26692135436104510272013-07-01T04:21:24.277-07:002013-07-01T04:21:24.277-07:00My most striking heat-and-horse experience to date...My most striking heat-and-horse experience to date was getting handed a draft cross to cool off after he'd had a hard run XC on an exceptionally (for our area) hot and muggy day. I sponged and scraped and sponged and scraped for what felt like forever and just felt completely helpless; he wasn't in distress but he was just _not cooling down._ It finally started to rain and I practically danced for joy -- it seemed like the only way I was ever going to get enough water on that horse. I was already convinced that I wanted to ride light horses forever, but _man,_ if I hadn't been, that would have done it.<br /><br />I assume people sometimes send horses from other/cooler regions to Tevis and presumably other desert rides...do they tend to prep at home as best they can or send the horse out early to heat-condition in place?Hannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12237668899993749427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-83349101774122621662013-06-30T17:12:11.136-07:002013-06-30T17:12:11.136-07:00Wow! I think 106 degrees is bad no matter what th...Wow! I think 106 degrees is bad no matter what the humidity is:) Still, we do have days with temps over 100 AND humidity that can actually hover in the 90% range, making life miserable for everyone. We will sometimes have a short, severe thunderstorm on those days, but in my experience, the rain only makes things more humid and steamy. And I think you're probably right that the temperature as compared to the humidity must have some impact on how easy/difficult a ride is. Just the two values added together can't be the whole story. I'm definitely going to pay more attention as I ride this summer and see if I notice any differences. Gailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17080104319886657109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-82031903237975823522013-06-29T18:16:09.230-07:002013-06-29T18:16:09.230-07:00Thanks nuzzling muzzles!!!!!!
Gail out if.curisit...Thanks nuzzling muzzles!!!!!!<br /><br />Gail out if.curisity I've been checking temps and humidity here throughout the day. This morning was 92 and 40 percent. At 1p 101 and 30. At 6p 102 and 15. we are scheduled for 106 and higher through fourth of July with lows in mid seventies. We probably won't see humidity above 10 percent again! If I was back where you are I would probably have to completely relearn how to manage an endurance horse in the heat.Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-15972079652451459272013-06-29T13:46:28.580-07:002013-06-29T13:46:28.580-07:00I nominated your blog for an award. Lots of good ...I nominated your blog for an award. Lots of good information on your site.Nuzzling Muzzleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07649710635013663900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-1581310634988363502013-06-29T11:27:52.308-07:002013-06-29T11:27:52.308-07:00Just checked the stats in my area and its 92 with ...Just checked the stats in my area and its 92 with 40 percent humidity. Which is why I'm MISERABLE. Its NEVER that humid. 20s or lower is much more normal with high nineties or true digits. Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-47459494796617851112013-06-29T11:17:54.180-07:002013-06-29T11:17:54.180-07:00I live in an area which usually has very low humid...I live in an area which usually has very low humidity in the day or night, and there's usually a bug temperature change between day and night(90 or 100 degree night with night temps in the 60 or lower 70s) so I don't think I get the same elative numbers as you are back east. but I would have to so some experimenting. But at least in my area I don't think the heat and humidity is ever worse in the night than the afternoon. This would definitely be region dependent, something I hadn't considered. <br /><br />The second thing I'm unsure about is exactly how the tnz is impacted by the comined heat and humidity calculations. All my research was based on temps only. are all 150 days the same in respect to tnz no matter whether that number is mostly made up if temps, humidity, or an even split? I don't know and I haven't seen anything on this. I think the only safe thing that everything ahead with is that in both scenarios the horse is above tnz and thus expending energy to dissipate heat. The answer to the answer of two afternoons versus one afternoon and a night might depend on the answer of how tnz related to the heat numbers and what happens at night in a partucular region. Or we could be off base and thus has nothing to do it the Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-73205538230357370442013-06-29T10:55:52.226-07:002013-06-29T10:55:52.226-07:00Thanks for your help! Here's a link I found f...Thanks for your help! Here's a link I found for how to calculate the heat index: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/heatindex_equation.shtml. It looks more complicated than the average person would want, but easy enough to use with a spreadsheet like Excel. Or you could just use the online calculator and plug in temp and humidity. Anyway, I also discovered something interesting when I checked the projected temp and humidity for today in my area. At 7 am, the temperature was 66 degrees F and humidity was 97%, which equals 163, which would be into the danger zone category (although the heat index is only 67 degrees using the above formula). Yet, through the day, the temperatures are rising and the humidity is getting lower, so by 4 pm, the temperature will be 87 with humidity of 48% (135) and not really worth getting excited about. But, the humidity will start going up in the evening and be in the 90s most of the night. So, regarding your thoughts on whether one 100 mile ride is more difficult than two 50s, I'm wondering if there is more than just the heat of the day to consider. I know you were thinking that two 50s would put a horse through two hot afternoons, but what if it is common for the humidity to go down during the day and up at night? Then, those two hot afternoons may not be as bad as riding through evening and night with much higher humidity levels.Gailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17080104319886657109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-2641304740924956242013-06-29T09:19:40.005-07:002013-06-29T09:19:40.005-07:00The only one I'm familiar with is.the heat plu...The only one I'm familiar with is.the heat plus humidity and 150 is what I've been told......I'll do a bit of research and report back :-)Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-66158802436625805882013-06-29T03:16:00.608-07:002013-06-29T03:16:00.608-07:00Thanks for the info on the CW stuff and the link t...Thanks for the info on the CW stuff and the link to your blog post! I had no idea that you were reenacting, though. Just a coincidence:) One other question, though. I thought there was a difference between heat index, which is the perceived temperature based on temperature and humidity, while the temperature PLUS humidity is considered a different value and is the one to be most concerned about when conditioning. I was reading on Wikipedia at this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_index that a heat index over 105 degrees F is considered the danger zone while I think I've read (maybe in The Horse) that when the temperature plus humidity is over 130, caution should be used and when it is over 150, that's sort of the danger zone. But, I'm still really new to all of this stuff, so do you have any clarification for a new girl?Gailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17080104319886657109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-5355829689597701352013-06-28T16:38:36.421-07:002013-06-28T16:38:36.421-07:00I forgot one of my tips for heat conditioning........I forgot one of my tips for heat conditioning.....sleep under a blanket at night. I kept my down comforter on the bed even though its summer and I sleep mostly under it (sometimes allow my feet and legs to poke out). I think this has really helped. Not as good as active conditioning, but supports my other efforts I think.Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-41028505624263243772013-06-28T15:55:13.926-07:002013-06-28T15:55:13.926-07:00Just.curious.....did you know I was a reenacting w...Just.curious.....did you know I was a reenacting when you asked the question?Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-51603153720185939002013-06-28T15:43:14.519-07:002013-06-28T15:43:14.519-07:00In the CW days the horses got to the battlefield b...In the CW days the horses got to the battlefield by marching there, so in a way they heat conditioned themselves over the days and weeks that were spent getting from location to location. We didn't trailer or fly them at high speeds from a moderate climate to something with the high temps and humidity of Virgina in a matter of hours or days. <br /><br />The book "War Horse" by Dimarco has a good section that describes some of the cavalry's movement of horses and it reminds me a lot of endurance riding. Here is a blog post I wrote about the book, including an excerpt that stated that the goal of the cavalry was to cover 25 miles in less than 6 hours http://bootsandsaddles4mel.blogspot.com/2009/02/cavalry-endurance-riding.html<br /><br />I know that a heat index of above 150 is when we get really concerned at endurance rides, at least the ones I've been too, and 120-128 is actually something that I've seen in CA on a semi regular basis - even during reenactments. With that sort of heat index the people that have the most issues and tend to have to go lay down are those from the bay area where the weather is more mild. Those of us from the central valley tend to not have the same issues. Running around the battlefield in the middle of the day in a full wool uniform is certainly a unique type of heat training!!!!!!!<br /><br />So I think in answer to your question, I think the horses were conditioned to it, especially considering how the cavalry moved from place to place, and I think that people were more used to it as well. And I think that there probably WERE heat related deaths among horses and people in the 1860's, but in modern reenacting, especially if you are going back east, there is a HUGE awareness of the heat and the ramifications of higher heat indexes and precautions are taken. Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-84258961136189045012013-06-28T14:56:48.842-07:002013-06-28T14:56:48.842-07:00I live near a Civil War battlefield in Virginia, w...I live near a Civil War battlefield in Virginia, where July and August are usually pretty miserable with heat and humidity. Anyway, a couple of years ago, there were Civil War re-enactors on horseback when the heat index was 120-128 degrees for several days in a row. As far as I know, no horses (or people) died during that stretch of really awful weather. After reading your post, I guess the reason the horses were OK is because they were acclimated and maybe not doing really hard, prolonged work? But what about during the actual Civil War? So many battles took place in southern states, where summer temps/humidity had to be really awful. Do you think the horses were just used to it? Or do you think that it was metabolically challenging or that the cavalry took special conditioning measures with their horses?Gailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17080104319886657109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-21649849768138978652013-06-28T14:06:51.010-07:002013-06-28T14:06:51.010-07:00We have had some summers where I am that have neve...We have had some summers where I am that have never even hit triple digits, and more often than not when we do get that hot it is only for a handful of days. Most of the time it is maybe 80's to low 90's, though we often get afternoon thunder clouds/showers so that ups the humidity. On the sheet - it's a cotton horse sheet. I free longe in a big field, it only takes a time or two for the horse to get the hang of it and what we are doing. Warm up, do a working trot for increasing periods of time (starting with maybe 10 minutes), then a cool down period. One year I did this and measured HR and body temp before and after and was amazed at the improvement over just a couple of weeks. I suppose another option would be to heat train the by wrapping them in bubble suits between now and Tevis? (lol) They'd probably get a rash or something tho....:D enduranceridestuff.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04675520499223277797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-25190934506382519042013-06-28T13:36:16.299-07:002013-06-28T13:36:16.299-07:00I'm sitting outside reading right now, easily ...I'm sitting outside reading right now, easily 95 in the shade, feels good to me! A quick ride this morning was just to play in the lake, the heat isn't bad but the humidity is tough! You wanted some heat conditioning, I think the next week you'll get some and more!irish horsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11289040711028666546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-21827018361763908632013-06-28T13:17:00.242-07:002013-06-28T13:17:00.242-07:00Thanks!Thanks!Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-35970125926161060272013-06-28T13:15:40.481-07:002013-06-28T13:15:40.481-07:00Karen, don't you live in NV where its hotter t...Karen, don't you live in NV where its hotter than even where I live?????? <br /><br />Stupid question.....is it a cotton horse sheet or a bed sheet? And do you saddle up over the sheet?<br /><br />Totally agree with you regarding conditioning between now and tevis! Not needed, not wanted, and overall a really bad idea. I'm planning on a couple of hacks but that's it. Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-60317867144097111732013-06-28T13:08:44.991-07:002013-06-28T13:08:44.991-07:00This is one of my blog posts on the topic, with li...This is one of my blog posts on the topic, with links to more research on heat acclimation: http://enduranceridestuff.com/blog/2010/07/acclimating-endurance-horses-heat-humidity/ enduranceridestuff.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04675520499223277797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-26672031838373210382013-06-28T13:01:23.581-07:002013-06-28T13:01:23.581-07:00I use a cotton sheet on Bo, so it is easy to laund...I use a cotton sheet on Bo, so it is easy to launder and it does a good job getting him used to sweating and recovering when worked for 20 to 30 to 40 minutes (building up) at a trot. I figure at this point, Bo is already fit for Tevis and only needs to acclimate more to the heat so that he sweats more efficiently and recovers better. He doesn't need any conditioning, and we don't need to tire him out or risk an injury, so he won't get much work in the way of having a rider on his back. enduranceridestuff.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04675520499223277797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-91654373800531968312013-06-28T12:31:51.329-07:002013-06-28T12:31:51.329-07:00Hahahahaha! Yes that counts......it would just ta...Hahahahaha! Yes that counts......it would just take you 3 weeks to "fully adapt" to the maximal capacity. But it will help as long as you don't over do it. Over doing it screws everythign whether it's muscle repair, a stress fracture in your bone, or heat exhaustion. I got heat exhaustion once, years ago. it took 2-3 YEARS of being careful before I could handle the heat as well as before....and I hear stories of endurance horses overridden in the heat that are NEVER THE SAME AGAIN, and one specific story where a successful endurance horse never competed again after getting too hot at a ride, surviving, but obviously not competely.Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1963277636652034473.post-30754415728773284422013-06-28T12:21:45.179-07:002013-06-28T12:21:45.179-07:00Does manually whacking stinging nettle in this pea...Does manually whacking stinging nettle in this pea soup of humidity count? Or do I have to continue whacking for three weeks.All Who Wanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15811193190492037859noreply@blogger.com