CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com wrote:
>
> Another problem comes when
> people who are well-versed in riding in heat but in low humidity encounter
> heat PLUS humidity and do not remember that all that water they dump on their
> horses does not evaporate readily and simply warms up to body temperature and
> becomes an additional layer insulating the horse <SNIP> One must put cooler water on and mechanically remove it as it warms
> up, replacing it again with cooler water, in order to achieve the goal
At the last ROC (held in PA), I saw a desert rider laying wet towels all
over her horse's body in an effort to "cool him off", but he was still
hanging w/ a hi HR and panting. She didn't realize that evaporative
cooling wouldn't work in the east like it did at home. (One reason that
the crystal gel scarves don't help AT ALL in humid conditions in the
East)
I hesitated to say anything to these folks, but finally suggested
"sluicing" - ie put water on, scrape off, repeat until the water being
scraped off was cool. The horse recovered very rapidly that way and
continued the race.
I've learned that you should watch the locals to learn the tricks that
work in areas different from your own!
Linda Flemmer