Question: The weather is so warm recently, and I’m wondering if we should be concerned about heat stress in our horses. Do we have to wait until late in the evening to ride? We like to ride before dinner, usually around 5 or 6 pm for an hour or so, but I don’t want to hurt our horses! We’ve had both horses for about 3 months. One is a 17 year old Quarter Horse gelding, the other is a 15 year old grade (maybe Quarter Horse?) mare.

Answer:  High temperatures, high humidity, direct sunlight, and lack of breezes all contribute to increased risk for heat stress in horses (and people). Horses maintain their body temperature in hot weather by sweating. When the humidity is high, the sweat evaporates less quickly, and the horse cannot cool himself as efficiently. When high humidity combines with high temperatures, the horse is even less able to cool himself. Being out in direct sunlight intensifies the effect of both.

Question: We are new owners of a 16 yr. old Arabian mare.  She is wonderful.  We actually rescued her from Animal Rescue.  She has been at her new stable/barn for a week and getting used to the other horses.  Our question~ another mare has taken a liking to her and this mare is in heat.  This other mare paces like crazy if we separate them.  The reason we separate them for now is our mare needs to take the pasture in small doses till she is feeding for longer periods of time.  I thought this other mare was protecting her from the rest of the herd, but curious what you think and is this normal behavior. 

Question: What can my kids wear in the show ring? I have a daughter age 10 and a son, age 12, who are both going to be showing in local western shows this summer. What can they wear? I’ve been pricing show clothes, and they are EXTREMELY expensive. I can’t afford over $100 just for a shirt! What’s the best way to go? I don’t want them to look silly, but where can I find reasonably priced clothing for kids? Thanks.

 Answer: Show clothes are often expensive, but I have a few tips on making the search for suitable attire easier and more budget friendly. Check with your association or club’s rules on show dress, or talk to your 4-H or Pony Club group leader to find out exactly what the rules are for the classes in which your children will be competing. Because children grow so quickly, it is often possible to buy nice show clothes second hand from a local tack and outfitter shop or from someone else in your children’s show group. Some individuals I know also buy show clothes online from retailers or from individuals through services such as EBay.

Question: I have two horses pastured up against a state forest & something in the woods along the fence line frightened my TB to the point of extreme lathering, running in circles & snorting & took about an hour to calm him down. Don’t know what was roaming in the woods, but I was extremely surprised that my other horse did not react, although he occasionally “spooks” mildly while looking at the woods. Can you give me any insight?

 Answer: My best guess is that your horse was spooked by a wild animal. Every spring we have an issue with black bears scaring horses at one end of our property (which falls along a forest line). Some of the horses will literally run in circles, snorting, stopping to stare at the forest (or bear) with their heads high and tail raised, while others seem to ignore the bear’s presence. Other animals that have evoked the same behaviors in my horses have included skunks and pigs (domesticated). Horses may also spook due to deer, elk, stray dogs, or even wild turkeys or pheasants.

Question: We have a 12 year old mare that has only ever been ridden on trails. My 10 year old daughter would like to start showing her in local shows, but I think she should have some lessons first. She can ride the mare on trails, but I don’t know enough to teach her exactly what she’s supposed to do in a show ring. How do I find a good riding instructor? I’ve never had one.

Answer: One way to find a good riding instructor is to visit the American Riding Instructors Association website, where you can find an ARIA certified riding instructor. There are three certification levels:

• Level 1: Instructor in Training
• Level 2: Instructor of Beginner through Intermediate
• Level 3: Instructor of Beginner through Advanced

Question: Does my horse need hay in the summer? We have a large pasture. (I decided to address this topic after reading a question about it on Equisearch.com)

Answer: The answer is maybe. An adult horse will require an average of 1-5 acres of pasture to obtain adequate nutrition if being lightly worked. The range for pasture size is so large due to forage quality, forage type, stage of growth, and the horse’s size and workload (work could include states such as pregnancy or growth). While an adult horse on lush pasture may be able to eat enough grass to meet his energy needs for maintenance or even light work, you need to take many things into consideration. Are you feeding anything else in addition to pasture, such as grain or supplements of any type? Is your horse stabled for any significant period of time (more than 4 hours a day)? How many horses/acre do you have? What other plants are in your pasture (including trees)? You’ll want to check for poisonous varieties and remove those.