Walking and heat

["John & Sue Greenall" <greenall@vermontel.com>]

I find in interesting to hear how many posts have mentioned walking 
their horses when it gets hot.  This could be misleading.  If the 
trail offers little shade, walking is not necessarily the "easiest" 
on the horse.  At the Biltmore this year, I observed many 50 mile 
riders walking.  The horses and riders looked miserable in that heat, 
worse than the 100 milers.  At least a trot gave us some air to move 
around the body for cooling.  I rode at the Festival of Champions in 
New Jersey the year it was 100 degrees and even the shade was hot.  
We trotted or cantered between water holes and spent a lot of time 
sponging until we continued.  The horses did just fine.
John and Sue Greenall
mailto:greenall@vermontel.com
http://www.vermontel.com/~greenall