Part 4: Heat Cramps and Heat Exhaustion – serious conditions which may affect horses performing in extremely hot/humid weather

Part 1, 2 and 3 of this discussion outlined some of the main problems which may be encountered in horses worked hard in hot and/or humid weather. Dehydration diagnosis and prevention was discussed in some detail.

Part 4 discusses Heat Cramps and Heat Exhaustion.

Heat Cramps:

What are heat cramps?

? Heat cramps are typically the first symptoms of injury from excessive heat.

? They can result from simple over- exertion on a warm day or they can be the first signs of a more serious inability to cope with environmental heat.

What are the signs of heat cramp?