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?