>Here's a data point for you on post -ex rectal temperatures. We've seen
>temperatures as high as 108 1/2 degrees, with no ill effects, in racehorses
>undergoing figorous training on hot days.
On a few hot, humid rides during Kahlil's career I got a rectal
temperature (at a vet check) of 107 degrees. As the conventional
wisdom at that time was that anything over 106 was potentially fatal,
I used every means possible to cool him down. Once that was
accomplished, I continued at a reduced pace and finished the rides
with no ill effects.
I suspect the amount of time the horse spends at an elevated
temperature is a factor, as well. A horse may not be harmed by
elevated temperatures of short duration, but I wouldn't want to run a
horse for hours at a time at such elevated temperatures.
--Joe Long jlong@mti.net http://www.mti.net Business http://www.rnbw.com Personal