training in the heat

["Michelle Fink" <michrowe@redwrench.com>]

Hi - Anyone have a good idea of how long it takes a horse to become
accustomed to working in heat?  It's about 85 degrees today with low
humidity, and my mare got pretty pooped out on a 15 mile training ride.
She's been doing that distance and seeming to feel considerably better when
it's cooler...  So I think it was probably the heat that got her down.  Will
this take her a year?  Months?  Weeks?  Just trying to get a handle on what
to expect.

Also, I understand the idea of riding the horse w/o elytes to train the body
for low elyte conditions, but after the training ride is over, is it
reasonable to toss a scoop in the beet pulp bucket after a hot ride?  I feel
so much better after a big glass of gatorade & emergency, I feel guilty not
giving her something with elytes.

Last of all, is there some water that's too rank to let your horse drink
from?  We were in an area that's very alkaline, and she wouldn't touch the
only stagnant pond that was along the way - though my friend's gelding drank
a few sips.  The pond smelled bad, I wondered if I should even offer such
crappy water to her.  I think perhaps sheep have been drinking from it and
it was chock full of tiny but visible critters.  Are horses susceptible to
water-born organisms?

FWIW, I put 1.5" Aussie leathers on my Patriot OF saddle, and that moved the
stirrups back a bit and gave my leg more freedom.  I also checked my stirrup
length against where my ankles hang and they appeared to be too long (much
to my suprise) so I shortened them up.  Think I got used to my stirrups
feeling long in dressage lessons, and didn't realize when they were long
enough. The two changes seemed to be 'all good'. ;-)

Thanks -

Michelle