Meet you at the beach? Photo courtesy of Ashley Adams.
I freely admit it: I hate summer. When it seemed like this winter would never end, I wasn’t so upset because I knew and loathed the inevitable fact that SUMMER was coming.
I grew up in the Deep South where seemingly everyone loves sun rays and swimming pools, but I’ve never particularly enjoyed the oppressive heat and stifling humidity…or the bugs. Annoying bugs, biting bugs, all the bugs driving me and my horses completely crazy.
But you get used to it, right? You know you’re going to sweat through your clothes within an hour of being at the barn and you know that you’re going to be dusty, burnt and bitten for the next three months. What you don’t have to be is sick.
After spending the majority of the first 20-something years of my life living in Alabama and Georgia, I moved to Virginia where, for a few years, I was unwavering in the opinion that while summer in the Mid-Atlantic is indeed hot and humid, it is nothing compared to Birmingham or Atlanta, where it’s better to be outside before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m., if at all.
Fast forward to last summer spent in South Carolina, and I found myself struggling to re-acclimate to working in intensely hot conditions. I was constantly crampy, dizzy, sluggish and felt sick when I tried to eat. I was a little embarrassed, in fact, to be struggling so much with the heat and ended up reaching out to friends for advice.
We haven’t had too many terribly hot days yet, but I’m glad to find that this summer I’m having an easier time. With several horses to work each day, here is my routine to stay healthy and hydrated.
1. Start early. When the temperatures start creeping into the 90s, I’ll try to have the first horse in the ring just after sunrise so we can finish by around noon. Then we all break for a siesta in the air conditioning.
2. Salty or fruity snacks. I find it can be hard to eat when it’s really hot outside, but salty snacks like pretzels are more palatable and good for your system. Fruit is also easy and your body will appreciate the water and sugar content.
3. Hydrate. Between each horse I make myself drink a glass of water with some Gatorade powder. I take this opportunity to remove my helmet and have a seat in the AC for a few minutes. If I’m really feeling gross, a cold Coke is good for a recharge, but don’t overdo it with the soda.
4. Wearing the right clothes makes all difference. There are plenty of sun shield tops for sale in tack stores, but a cheaper option for me was a visit to TJ Maxx where I loaded up on wicking sport wear for $5 or $10 apiece.
5. Don’t be afraid to just call it a day. Sometimes it’s simply too hot and dangerous for you and your horse to go to work outside. When this happens, I recommend filling up a spare water trough and sitting right down in it with a cold beverage and a book instead.
6. Many of us are probably better at tending to our horses when it’s hot and humid and less attentive to ourselves. But remember that if you’re hot, your horse is going to be hotter. Keep your rides short, take plenty of walk breaks and be sure to cool your horse down completely before putting him away.
We talk about this every year, but it’s worth repeating ourselves. Here’s some more good summer life advice from EN:
[8 Life Hacks to Summer Survival]
[How to Ruin Your Horse’s Summer]
[Heat Stroke and Other Ways to Successfully Fail at Summer]
How do you beat the heat?
