Dog Days Of Summer

I hate to complain about the heat because most people in the northern hemisphere are experiencing some version of summer. And even though some folks' version of hot would feel practically arctic to me, I get that it feels hot based on what you're used to. Folks in Baghdad are laughing at me right now.

It got nasty hot these last few days: our official high on Monday was 109 ℉, but my phone clocked it at a stifling 111℉. Yesterday was better at 105℉, but not by much. I have a riding threshold, which means that I feel okay to ride at about 100℉. Above that, I just don't even want to.

When I am saddling up at 99 degrees and it's creeping toward the century mark, I'll keep the ride short and won't ask for a whole lot. When it's already above 100 when I saddle, and I see that it is getting warmer, my enthusiasm wanes very quickly. That's what happened yesterday.

Not looking good ...

2 degrees higher in 45 minutes?

There was nothing to be accomplished by schooling in that kind of weather. Instead, I gave Speedy a pre-show shower and worked on some of his funky spots. He gets this crusty, scabby gunk on his forehead in the late summer. I picked it off over the weekend and tested some MTG on it, but it stilled looked pretty funky. This is after cleaning it.

Radiating from his whorl - the dark skin on the left side and then two bald patches where the pink skin is showing through

I gave it a gentle wash with a Betadine scrub and then rinsed it really well. He also had two of what I am very unscientifically calling "cold sores." The one on his lip took care of itself, but I decided to clean the one on his chin while I was washing his face. Truthfully, I am not sure what it is, but it's not bothering him, it's not getting worse, and the first one went away very quickly. As they say, it's a long way from his heart.

It's just a little spot on his chin.

Dude! It's a sweat scraper!!!! He gave it a serious ogling ...

Even though it was only getting hotter, Izzy really needed to be worked. I gave him a shower as well and then brought him into the barn. Our humidity level was at 9% (I checked), so standing around in the shade with even a slight breeze dropped his temperature enough that his skin felt really cool to the touch.

He didn't even know it was hot.

I saddled him quickly and headed out for a hack around the neighborhood. He was a bit of a fireball, but I felt like it was actually a productive ride. He got to out alone, and I got to school him through some I don't wannas. We were only gone for twenty-five minutes, which was just enough time to dry off and work up a little sweat under his saddle pad.

Fresh as a daisy and not a stressed bone in his body.

We were actually gone just long enough for him to relax. He bounced and jigged for about 19 minutes, but slowly, his energy level evened out, and he finished the ride happy and willing. As soon as I got off, he dropped his head and snuffled around for something to eat without a single concern. 

It's hard for me to see trail rides as having equal value as arena work, but this heat might end up forcing me to spend more time working on getting and keeping his attention when there's too much to see - a skill he'll need when he goes to a show.

I sure hope it's cooler today - for all of us!