hot week and Cooley ranch

["Karen Sullivan" <greymare@jps.net>]

Northern Calif folks; anyone planning to go to Cooley Ranch this weekend?

 

I got the application from Ruth and was planning to go..........until I heard of predicted weather of 107 this week for three days; so now I am on the fence.

 

Am curious how others are going to deal with this heat wave going iinto a ride weekend.

I may be paranoid, but since my horse had a somewhat delayed heart recovery at Camp Far West, am I even crazy to even consider the ride?

 

One part of me says to toally stay away from hot rides, another says, well, take it slow, try more electrolytes and cooling, and certainly PULL if there are any signs indicating trouble.

 

I am busy cleaning troughs and filling with cool water, giving huge watery bran/beet pulp mashes to all the horses, and providing extra salt. 

 

I guess I could also clip my mare neck and chest.  Any comments appreciated-I am still a rookie at all this stuff! 

 

It is supposed to cool into the 90's this weekend; and there is tons of water on the ride.  My mare is very conditioned and well used to climbing very hard; steep hills.  Being a big Arab/walker cross, I may be learning there are cooling issues.  We were also going to take my daughters Arab, her first 50.  She is also very fit, but this may be a difficult first

50.

 

Do any of you find that with a very hot week before an endurance ride, the horses are

already in an electrolyte debt and dehydrated?

 

Karen