Hot Weather Riding - Dehydration in Humans and Horses

I usually write an article in the beginning of Spring to get readers thinking about the coming hot months and the threat of dehydration, for both you and your horses. I'm late this year as 90 degree plus weather has been in Texas for over a month, but here it is anyway. Dehydration, of course, if when the loss of bodily fluids, think sweat, exceed what we take in through drinking. Not only do people and horses sweat away fluids, we also lose a little through normal breathing. We also lose electrolytes, such as salt, as well.

Some people wake in the mornings after 6 or 8 hours of sleep, throw feed to thir horses, drink a cup of coffee (a dietetic), tack up then ride, and it may have been 12 hours or so since they last drank any water. And make no mistake, coffee, tea, soda pop, etc., are not replacements for water.

And not only that, most people do not take water with them when they are riding, but some people will go to the trouble of taking a energy drink or diet soda with them. Same as coffee and tea, but even worse, energy drinks and diet sodas are not replacements for water - they will dehydrate you quicker.

I rarely ride in the hot weather without a canteen looped around the horn or without a Camel-Bak. Camel-Bak are the makers of the original hydration packs and offer a huge selection from waist band packs to full size back pack with hydration bladders. When I'm working with Search and Rescue Team on a tracking course, I recommend that they carry hydration packs, and to consider Camel-Bak's in the rescue yellow color for visibility on the ground or from the air. Check out the offerings from Camel-Bak here.

Getting a headache, feeling tired or weak, and not having to urinate or having dark colored urine are all signs of the beginnings of dehydration. These symptoms can be reversed with the consumption of water.

When dehydration gets worse, dizziness and even fainting, having a pounding heart beat, and when you stop sweating are all signs that you are approaching a no return point. Medical intervention, usually through intravenous fluids are necessary. This is a medical emergency as severe dehydration will cause death.

Dehydration in our horses is the same excessive loss of water without replacement that we experience. In my mind it is usually caused when we do not provide clean drinking water, or work them too hard in hot weather sometimes after feeding them but not allowing the time if takes for them to get a drink.

Horses may show the same lethargy as humans when dehydrated. They may have a lack of saliva in their mouths and a dullness in their eyes. Other tells on a dehydrated horse can be a slower capillary refill response, higher heart rate, rapid and shallow breathing, and, lack of skin elasticity.

Slower capillary refill response can be determined by pressing on the gums with your thumb. This will push the blood out of the tissue area that you are pressing on, then when you release, the gum should immediately (within a second) go back to it's normal (darker) color as blood refills into that tissue. The longer it takes, the more dehydrated your horse is.  The picture at right shows the area of the gum above the front teeth, a good place to do the capillary refill test.  

Higher heart rate. A horse's normal resting heart rate is around 40 beats a minute, probably less for a well conditioned horse. A resting heart rate significantly above that, say above 50 beats a minute can be a tell for dehydration.

Rapid and shallow breathing. Often a sign of other distress, such as colic or pain, rapid and shallow breathing can indicate dehydration. If your horse is not in distress, a normal breathing rate is around 10-12 breaths a minute.

Lack of skin elasticity. This is the skin fold test. On the horse's chest or neck, pinch some skin between your thumb and forefinger then release. The skins should return to normal immediately. If the skin stays "tented" for any length of time, certainly more than a second or two, then your horse is more than likely dehydrated.  The picture at left shows pinching the skin on the neck to check for skin elasticity. 


I think it helps to know your horses eating and drinking habits. For example how much water they drink during the day during certain temperature conditions. And what their drinking habits are as well. All horses are different. I have three main saddle horses. Each usually takes around 2 hours to finish their morning feed, then they will usually rest for 15-30 minutes before they ever mosey over to the stock tank for a drink. I use stock tanks as opposed to an automatic waterer so I can tell how much they drink or even if they have drank. Sometimes, I can shorten this time frame but leading a horse to the stock tank and after a few minutes they will usually drop their heads to drink.

I think most people know that you don't allow a hot horse to drink or eat, until they have had a chance to cool down. Nor should you wash off a hot horse, although I'll often use a wet sponge on a horse, but only after he has had a chance to stand and get his respirations back to normal.  So keeping them tied to the rail while they cool down and you do your post ride grooming is always a good idea. And while horses also lose electrolytes as they sweat, a free choice salt and/or mineral block in their en is also something to consider. Safe Journey.

Horses and Riders - Prevention of Heat Injuries

For humans and horses alike, heat injuries occur when your body temperature rises to dangerous levels, usually during periods of exposure to high temperatures and direct sunlight, aggravated by physical exertion and dehydration - not drinking enough water. The body cools itself by sweating but sometimes sweating is not enough, particulary when the aridity index is a high or at the other end of the spectrum, the humidity level is too high.

Another aggravation of human heat injuries are alcohol consumption, certain medications, heart disease, diabetes, and poor physical condition.

Heat Cramps is usually the beginning indication of a heat injury. Cramping or spasms in muscles, possibly a heat rash, dry mouth and sometimes, oddly enough, a lack of thirst. It is important at this stage to consume some fluids and monitor this person.

Heat Exhaustion is evident in humans by some or all of these symptoms: Weakness and muscle fatigue; profuse sweating; light headedness and/or dizziness; fast-weak pulse; and could include nausea and vomiting. One common way to check for heat exhaustion in a person to have them sit down for a couple minutes then have them stand up. If they are close to becoming a heat causalty their pulse will go up more than 10 beats a minute and they will feel light headed or dizzy upon rising from the seated position.

If you or someone you are riding with have these symptoms then getting out of the Sun and get some fluids, preferably water but gatoraid type drinks are okay - stay away from sodas and especially alcohol. Washing the exposed portions of the skin with a water soaked rag or sponge will help the evaporative cooling process.

Heat Stroke or what we used to call Sunstroke, begins when the body's temperature reaches above 103 degrees. Sweating make be profuse or stop completely. The skin will be hot and the person should have a severe headache and appear confused, and even lapse into unconsciousness. At this point the person's life is very much at risk. This person needs medical treatment now.

Until medical response can arrive, get this person out of the Sun, remove some of the clothing and wetting exposed skin. You can fan air over the person too to help with the cooling process. You probably won't have ice, but ice packs applied to areas of the body were blood vessels are close to the skin would be a good idea. Many medical authorities warn against giving the heat stroke victim water. If that person was conscious, I would feel okay about giving them small amounts of water, but this person really needs is intervenous fluids.

Think about this,....you have supper in the evening, hit the rack later on, get up with or before the Sun, feed the horses, drink a cup or two or coffee, then saddle up and ride. If this is you then you may have just gone 10 hours or more without any fluids besides coffee which is a diuretic..you are already dehyrdated.    

Not drinking water before riding because you don't want to get off your horse to pee is a bad reason to become a heat casualty. Not taking water with you on your trail rides is something a rider needs to reconsider. You can either carry a canteen on your saddle or you can carry a water bladder or hydration pack on your back. When I was riding by myself in remote country I always carried a two quart canteen on my saddle and often I wore a 100 ounce Camel-Bak Hydration Pack just in case I was thrown and broke a leg as it could have been a day or two before anyone found me and I don't crawl very well. 100 ounces of water weighs slightly more than 4 lbs and is relatively un-noticed on your back.  Never got in my way while riding.

Camel-Bak makes smaller bladder/hydration packs as well as belt worn hydration packs. They are available in many colors including yellow and red which would be useful if you were trying to attract a search and rescue unit. Some are available with small or large cargo pockets for storing additional items like a first aid kit, other survival gear, or even lickies and chewies (snacks). Camel Bak's motto is "Hydrate or Die", you can visit them here.


Heat Injuries in Horses I suspect many horses are exercised or ridden when they are not fully hydrated as some riders will feed their horses then pull them, tack up and ride without the horse drinking.

Try this little experiment sometime soon: Rake or smooth over the dirt around your stock tank or water bucket so you can tell if a horse has went to the water. Throw your hay and monitor how long it takes your horse(s) to eat, how long they spend picking up the last pieces of hay spread around, and how long it takes them to get a drink. You may be surprised.......surprised at how long it takes them to drink after starting to eat, and if you can, monitor how much they drink. A couple of my horses will begin to drink about an hour and a half after eating and then each drinks a good three to four gallons of water. And I also have a horse who only drinks a gallon to a gallon and a half at any given time. So they are different and it's a good idea to know each one.

When dehydrated, horses will appear lethargic, have a dullness in the eyes, and may have a dry mouth even though you have your favorite sweat iron bit in their mouth.  They may not have peed or when they do the color is dark and may appear thick. The horse's skin will lose elasticity when dehydrated - you can check by pinching a fold of loose skin along the horse's neck or back then releasing it. A hydrated horse's skin will move smoothly back into place whereas a dehydrated horse's skin will stay tented for a bit.   The picture at left shows pinching the loose skin on the neck.  I will release and the skin should lay flat if the horse is hydrated. 


The picture below right shows the horse's upper gum line.  Using your finger or thumb, pressing into the gum for a second or two will push all the blood away from that spot, once you release the blood should flow back in a second or two.  If it takes more than that then it's a good chance the horse is dehyrdated.

Do the same for a horse as you would for a person you suspect of having a heat injury - get off their back, get them out of the Sun, a water bath can help evaporate cool thier skin and minimize the water the body is sending to their skin, and let them drink water.

Prevention is the key: Access to clean drinking water 24/7, providing a salt block for your horses, considering the horse's eating and drinking schedule - just feed them earlier enough so they can get a drink and be cognizant of the signs of heat injuries will help you have a safe ride for you and your horse.