body,” says Allen. “They can also pant (breathing fast and shallow), but this is the least effective cool- ing method, since the horse must breathe through his nose. “A dog can open the mouth and
pant (losing heat via mouth and tongue), but the horse doesn’t have that option,” explains Allen. He just breathes faster to create more air exchange via the lungs. Riders should be aware of sub-
tle signs of stress when working a horse in hot weather. “Many good horses have a tremendous amount of heart and will continue to work,” says Allen. “Those horses will keep going but start to show signs of stress. Where normally the horse’s ears would be pricked forward and he has enthusiasm for the job, he may become lop-eared and droopy.” The overheated horse is listless, tired, and walks with a stiff gait
(no bounce). “These are things a rider should pay attention to. Don’t keep pressing the horse or he may keep going until he collapses. If you see subtle signs of heat stress, stop and take a rectal temperature,” says Allen. If the horse’s body has been try-
ing to cool via sweating, breathing faster, etc., but these methods have not kept pace with heat accumula- tion he becomes “exhausted.” He may be unable to sweat anymore or sweats at a reduced rate. “Dehy- dration doubles or triples the risk for heat stroke,” says Dr. Barney Fleming, a veterinarian who has vetted endurance rides all over the U.S. The horse has run out of ways to cool himself, so his temperature shoots higher. Skin becomes less elastic due to
fl uid loss from underlying tissues. A pinch of skin pulled out from the
neck or point of the shoulder does not spring right back into place, but stays tented for a few seconds. If it takes 2 or 3 seconds for the skin to sink back into place, the horse is moderately dehydrated and has lost at least 4 gallons of fl uid, which equates to about 32 pounds of body weight. If the pinch of skin stays elevated for 6 seconds or longer, he is severely dehydrated. Mucous membranes such as
gums become dry and discolored, turning brick red instead of bubble- gum pink. Heart rate increases as the body tries to pump more blood to the surface for cooling but has less fl uid to do it. The horse’s eyes seem sunken;
eyelids and tissues around the eyes are wrinkled, due to loss of fl uid in the tissues. Any sweat the horse produces will be thick and sticky instead of clear and watery.
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38 The Cattleman July 2013
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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