My Beat the Heat routine is to keep my horses muscles as cool as possible before and after I run. I went to my local Tractor Supply and in the garden section I bought a water hoes spray gun mixer. I am able to add shampoo to my water when I give my horses a bath, but I add a cooling wash or CEP (Complete Equine Performance) Kool-It Gel to my water and wash my horses down multiple times a day when I am traveling. I also keep a spray bottle with the DIO Concentrate, CEP Kool-It gel or just rubbing alcohol in it to spray on my horse’s muscles to keep them cool. I soak my polo wraps in ice water and wrap my horse’s legs or I have my Professional Choice Ice Boots that I keep in the freezer of my horse trailer or in the ice chest to put on my horses legs when they are in the trailer. I have the Hidez Compression Socks that will put on after I rub my horses legs down with the gel to keep their legs cool and tight. I have the ColdFlex Self Cooling 50”x72” Blanket that I lay on my horses back while they are standing at the trailer or after I take the saddle off to quickly cool them down. I add electrolytes to my horses water as well as use my Horse Hydrator to filter the water when I’m traveling to make sure my horse aren’t getting bacteria in their water. The best electrolytes that I have found so far have been the Finish Line Electrocharge Paste, Finish Line Apple A-Day Electrolyte, and all OE Nutraceuticals Paste that I use such as Wind, Nitro, Gastro and Flex keep my horses drinking during travel.

Being in south Texas on the coast I know a thing or two about heat. We have wind everyday! It feels like a blow dryer all day! hahahaha With this being said heat with our equine athletes is a huge problem. During this time it is common for colic and tying up to occur. We need to adjust our warm up time as well as the duration of our workouts. I like to push my work out time for my mare competing until the late cool evening, around 7:30pm is ideal for us. It is right after that coastal wind dies down, and the sun has set. We do have arena lights at the moment, if you do not have access to a arena with lights you can try to ride early in the morning right as the sun is rising. Avoid riding in the heat of the day 12-5pm, after every ride I like to rinse Blessing's legs off then untack, then proceed to rise off her entire body. I take my DiO Concentrate and spray with the 50/50 ratio on her legs. As she licks her lips happy from her Draw it Out, Sometimes I freeze diluted Gatorade and let her munch on the frozen combo. Good luck to all in the summer!!