 |
[RC] checking the horses temp. while riding - Judie Ricci
Radio shack has a device for $8.00 - $24.00 that will measure the temperature under the saddle pad and the outside temp. Very easy to use and does not interfere with the heart rate monitor.
It has two leads that go under the pad against the skin, you can put it on the front of your saddle at the pommel and have the leads just under the gullet. Some of us used these on the research ride, when the internal temps. were taken rectally, they were the same as the skin surface under the pad temps. Some horses were at 106 ! We were trotting into the stops, as required by the head vet, so they were getting working temps. My horse did not go over 102.2 but Petes horse got to 104. My horse has been conditioned regularly and his is fairly new ( 4 weeks conditioning). They cool down pretty quickly if you stand in shade and sponge , we could not take tack off, no one had any metabolic problems but this was only a 30 mile ride, though a difficult , rocky climbing ride.
So first take the horses temp to see what is normal for it. Then get the unit ( I cant remember what it is called) and try it out, if your horse's normal T=99 , then you don't want to go over 103, Dr. W says 4 deg above normal and no more.
in the NE here in Va. we have been 100 deg and over for a few weeks, with humidity any where from 90% to 40% and heat indexes up to 112! Much worse than the SE was in the 5 years we lived there. I ride every day in this sauna, middle of the day , not early am. I figure since there are not any rides only in the cool of the day go out in the heat, lucky for me I work evenings. Pete will be using the heat sensor at Big South Fork , so any one who wants to see it can let him know.
Judie Ricci
Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.
|