Is It Too Hot to Ride?

Before you tack up on a summer afternoon, it’s worth doing more than eyeballing the sky. Heat stress happens when a horse’s sweat can’t keep pace with his rising body temperature—usually after exertion in hot, humid conditions—and left unchecked, it can progress to heat stroke.

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Temperature alone doesn’t tell the whole story: humidity affects how well your horse can actually cool himself. A simple rule of thumb from horsekeeping experts is to add temperature and humidity together and if that combined number tops 150, it’s time to dial back or skip the ride.

Enter today’s numbers into the heat calculator below to see where you stand.