Thermoregulation & Body Temperature
Article
Older Horses: Decreased Thermoregulation During Exercise
Senior horses have a propensity for developing hyperthermia, or elevated body temperature, when exercising.
Photo by Anne M. Eberhardt
Article
Body Heat and Thermal-Neutral Temperature
November 27, 2012
What is a thermal-neutral temperature?... Read More
Article
Clipping, Blankets Helpful in Cold-Weather Exercise Recovery
August 24, 2012
Clipped horses achieved faster post-exercise recovery than unclipped horses when working in cold temperatures.... Read More
Article
Domestic Equids Can Still 'Chill' Like Their Ancestors
April 24, 2012
New research indicates horses can slow body processes to conserve energy when environmental factors dictate.... Read More
Article
Complicated Equine Skin Diseases
March 23, 2012
Complicated and emerging equine skin disorders do exist, but they are rare, according to one researcher. ... Read More
Article
Older Horses: Decreased Thermoregulation During Exercise
July 25, 2011
Senior horses have a propensity for developing hyperthermia, or elevated body temperature, when exercising.... Read More
Article
Turn Down the Heat!
July 22, 2011
Someone turned up the heat and humidity this week, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 beef cattle... Read More
Article
Summer Horse Housing: Barn or Pasture with Shade?
July 06, 2011
Where is the best place for a horse during the hottest part of a summer day--in a barn with fans or outside?... Read More
Article
Thermographic Eye Thermometers for Horses
April 08, 2011
A horse's body temperature can indicate everything from an internal ailment (such as colic) to an infectious disease to hypothermia. Or it can simply confirm that a horse is healthy and ready for action. While most owners and veterinarians step to ... Read More
Article
Hot Summer Tip: Pay Attention to Horse's Physical State
August 11, 2010
Summertime temperatures are running wild across the United States this week, with Oklahoma hitting approximately 105 degrees F, which is leading a number of equine owners to study their horse's heat tolerance with more than a little caution.... Read More
Article
Summer Riding: When the Rider is Hot, the Horse is Hotter
July 08, 2010
A hot humid day. One rider. One horse. Both are exercising at a moderate level. Who is more likely to overheat? It might surprise you to know that your horse gets hotter much faster than you and is more susceptible to the negative ef... Read More
Article
Trailering Anxiety or Heat?
October 01, 2009
My 24-year-old Arab gelding recently came off the trailer very sweaty and with tremors in his muscles...... Read More
Article
Study: Neurologic Signs Not Limited to One EHV-1 Strain
September 11, 2009
Anytime a horse develops fever, malaise, and a stumbling gait or inability to stand, owners should contact a veterinarian immediately--they might be dealing with equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). In addition, the animal should be quarantined to... Read More
Article
Summer Heat Too Hot to Handle? (Book Excerpt)
April 01, 2008
With the exception of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, which began in September to allow for the southern hemisphere's "reversed" order of seasons--winter in Australia is summer in North America--the summer Olympic Games generally are held in just... Read More
Article
Blanketing Q&A
October 01, 2005
Crisp fall air signals a perennial dilemma for many horse owners: To blanket or not to blanket? ... Read More
Article
Foal Temperature Regulation
August 01, 2003
Q: I recently clipped my 1-week-old Norwegian Fjord colt as he was having a hard time with the 95-97-degree heat here in Florida. We at first thought he was really sick with a fever, but after ruling out everything else we (me,... Read More
Article
Heat Stress in Horses
July 01, 2003
Beneath your helmet, your head feels hot and sweat drips off your face as you ride. Your horse's neck is soaked, and your reins are slippery and lathered. The more you call for an effort from your horse, the more sluggish he seems. Despite movin... Read More
Article
Chilling Out After Exercise
July 01, 2001
The mid-summer heat brings added challenges in managing the athletic horse. Regardless of whether your horse is competing in a show, trail ride, or high-level three-day event, hot weather places additional demands on his body. You need to be... Read More
Article
Warming Up to the Task
April 01, 2001
In human athletics, undertaking some type of preliminary exercise or warm-up before vigorous exercise generally is regarded as being a beneficial and important part of the overall preparation for training and competition. Although there is often... Read More
Article
Protect Horses from Exhaustion and Overheating
January 01, 2001
A horse asked to perform strenuous exercise often is pushed to the limits of his body's mechanisms to recover. In most cases, these mechanisms allow the horse to finish the exercise with no problem. Sometimes, however, the horse's ability to... Read More
Article
Rehydration Research
September 01, 2000
As you untack from your lengthy trail ride, which consisted of several gallops, your mare stretches longingly toward the nearby water trough. You notice she is still hot and breathing hard. Do you let her take a sip, or are you putting her healt... Read More
Article
Mystery Solved: Guttural Pouches
July 01, 2000
What an amazing athletic machine is the horse. Few other animals of similar size and bulk manage to move with such efficiency, grace, and sheer speed. But despite our having worked side by side for... Read More
Article
Fluids And Electrolytes
April 01, 2000
With the summer months approaching, it is time for a refresher on the impact of the warmer environmental conditions on your horse. Warmer temperatures and high relative humidity place added stress on horses during exercise because of their... Read More
Article
Spring Tuning (Athletic Conditioning)
February 01, 2000
Most will agree that thorough preparation of a horse is key to success in athletic competition. With spring hopefully just around the corner, this is an opportune time to discuss conditioning. Of course, the nature of a conditioning program will... Read More
Article
Cool Aid: Beating the Heat With Working Horses
July 01, 1999
Anyone who has worked or played in high heat knows how exhausting it can be. High, fluid-sapping desert heat can drain you in no time as you sweat away volumes of fluids and electrolytes. Then there’s the suppressive, sweaty,... Read More
Article
Cooling Overheated Horses
July 01, 1998
Q: With summer upon us, I am concerned about exercising my horse in hot weather. What can I do to make sure my horse is properly cooled out? Are there steps I can take before, during, and after exercise? ... Read More
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Farm Call: Your Questions Answered
Body Heat and Thermal-Neutral Temperature
Q. What is a thermal-neutral temperature?
Summer Horse Housing: Barn or Pasture with Shade?
Q. I live in Northern Illinois where the summers can be very hot and humid. Where is the best place for a horse during the hottest part of the day--in a barn with fans or outside? We are on a hill, so we usually have a brisk breeze.
Trailering Anxiety or Heat?
Q. My 24-year-old Arab gelding recently came off the trailer very sweaty and with tremors in his shoulder muscle and hindquarters. It was only a 15-minute trailer ride, and it was sunny, but not hot. Is he suffering from heat issues because of his age?
