Heat Is Hazardous To Horses

An interesting article was posted today on CentreWellington.com pertaining to heat-related hazards that can effect horses.

“I think the biggest problem is that they can lose a lot of fluids and electrolytes,” said Dr. Patrick Meyers, Grand River Raceway’s track veterinarian. “Sweating is the primary way that horses cool down. If they are training hard or are in a race, they lose a lot of electrolytes in their sweat.

“They can be prone to tying up (severe muscle cramping), and worst case scenario even collapsing,” he added. “Exhaustion comes in many forms. It can be anything from mild staggering to actually keeling over because they’ve lost too many electrolytes and are just exhausted.”

To read the article in its entirety, click here.