The welfare of a horse, in general, is a very important factorespecially with regard to the performancebecause there is a direct correlation between horse welfare and performance. The welfare of the horse must be a top priority at all times. However, since we are in summerHowever, since we are in the middle of the year, it is important to know how to maintain the horse's welfare at this time of year, especially in hot regions/countries.

1. The sweat glands of horses

Keep in mind that training stress is at its highest during the summer season. Unlike dogs and most other animals, horses have sweat glands all over their skin. When horses sweat, they create what can be called the "evaporative cooling”. How does this work? During exercise, the muscles generate heatand then the sweat glands start to pumpingincluding the water but also the dissolved minerals called electrolytes. When horses sweat, the water turns into gas and the sweat evaporates, which removes heat from the skin and reduces the horse's body temperature.

2. How are horses affected by heat?

Riders should remember that when their horse sweats, it reduces his body temperature. Horses can contract a hyperthermia Horses can develop a "sweaty" condition due to working intensively in an excessively hot or humid environment.

2.1 What is hyperthermia?

Hyperthermia, which could also be described as heat strokeis usually due to the horse being inability to dissipate body heat. Its temperature rises very rapidly, resulting in serious health problems which can be fatal. Hyperthermia exceeds the horse's thermoregulatory set point, resulting in a rapid rise in temperature. high body temperature.

2.2 Causes of hyperthermia

As mentioned earlier, theexposure to a very hot or humid environment can cause hyperthermia. There are also other causes :

1. High level of physical stress
2. Intense exercise
3. Increased weight
4. Disease
5. Electrolyte imbalance
6. Age
7. Metabolic disorders

2.3 Symptoms of hyperthermia

On a positive note, it is not difficult to diagnose hyperthermia, because when a horse is anxious or embarrassedit has symptoms and reacts strangely. Some of the symptoms are:

1. Agitation
2. Rapid pulse and breathing
3. Increased sweating
4. Excessive salivation
5. Redness of the tongue or mouth areas
6. High body temperature
7. Erratic and rapid heartbeat

However, again, riders should not take for granted that horses show symptoms of hyperthermia quickly and wait until the problem occurs to react. It is necessary to start to manage the problem early in the summer season.           

In the following section, we will discuss ways to avoid hyperthermia and/or the corresponding treatments.

3. How to avoid/manage hyperthermia?

Hyperthermia can be treated in different ways. Treatment should be carried out as soon as possible, particularly in severe cases, to ensure the horse survives. Firstly, it is necessary to apply cold water on the skin, usually poured over the horse's body. Add ice Water can help in severe cases of hyperthermia. Another tactic to use is tofan the horse and lead it to a a shady place in order to reduce body temperature.

There are other ways to avoid hyperthermia:

• First of all, keep your horse hydrated and cool at all times. Have a source offresh, clean water available for consumption. It is also important to have a source of fresh water for bathing horses after training and to make sure you use a fan to keep the air circulating It is also important to feed the horses after training and to help them assess the heat.
• Secondly, make sure that wherever you are, whether it is in the country of origin or in the country of destination, the horses have access to a safe place to stay. at home or at a competitionhorses have access to a shaded area at all times. In addition, a good ventilation is necessary in transport trucks and in horse boxesThis will keep the horses comfortable when it is hot outside. A individual fans can be useful if there is no adequate ventilation system. 
• Thirdly, protect your horse from infectious diseasesSecondly, the horse is a very important part of the family, as it interacts with other horses on a daily basis.
• Fourthly, keep vaccinations up to date against insect-borne diseases. Insects are at their peak during the summer season, so it is very important that horses enter the summer season with good immunisation for all diseases.
• Fifthly, riders must ensure that they Strengthen their parasite protection programme. Summer can be a very active time for parasites, especially when horses are in the field. Parasite control is important throughout the year. However, in summer the host-parasite interface is often optimal.

4. How can your Seaver equipment help you avoid hyperthermia?

In some cases, hyperthermia is detected too late. However, your Seaver equipment can help you to detect the problem immediately and before your horse's condition worsens. Seaver girths and girth guards allow you to monitor health data of your horse during training, including the cardio.       

Our sensors measure the horse's the horse's heart rate in real time during each session toevaluate the intensity and monitor progress monitor progress (for more information on this feature: https: //seaverhorse.com/comprendre-la-fonctionnalite-seaver-frequence-cardiaque/). Two of the symptoms of hyperthermia are a pulse and rapid breathing and irregular irregular, rapid heartbeatwhich can be detected by the strap. The rider will then notice this on the app and be able to react as quickly as possible before the horse's condition worsens.

The cardio section of the application also tells the rider the intensity of the work performed with the horse. Therefore, if he is overtrained in a hot and humid environment, the app will show this immediately and the rider can react quickly, which will also reduce the risk of hyperthermia.

See you soon for a new article,

The Seaver Team 🙂