A cool water bath will help your overheated horse dissipate excess heat faster. | Photo: Erica Larson

“Heat-related illness such as heat stress can quickly become heat exhaustion if preventive measures are not taken,” notes Glennon Mays, DVM, clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

Hot, humid weather combined with overexertion and fluid loss can lead to heat stress. Signs of heat stress include dehydration, elevated body temperature, excessive sweating or no sweating, accelerated heart and respiratory rates, and sluggishness, says Mays.

“To check for dehydration, use your forefinger and thumb to pinch and pull the skin on the side of your horse’s neck; it should snap back in place when released. If the skin is slow to form to the neck again, your horse is dehydrated,” explains