Ocala horse owners take extra precautions during extreme heat

OCALA, Fla. - This week, heat indexes are expected to climb above 110 degrees, according to the FOX 35 Storm Team.

As this dangerous heat bears down on Central Florida, horse owners are taking extra precautions to protect animals from heat-related illness, particularly those with medical conditions that make them more vulnerable.

Local perspective:

In Ocala, a 26-year-old horse named Annie requires special care because she has anhidrosis, a condition that prevents her from sweating properly. 

Without the ability to regulate her body temperature, her owner, Christiane Dotson, relies on a cooling blanket, constant access to water and misting systems to help keep her safe during periods of extreme heat.

Dotson said all horses are at risk when heat index values climb above 110 degrees, and owners should watch for warning signs such as loss of appetite, increased breathing and lethargy.

"Typically, they become very stoic. They stop eating, and their respiration goes up, and you can see how their whole body is breathing heavy," she explained.

Horse owners also recommend avoiding riding during the hottest part of the day, instead exercising animals early in the morning or after sunset. They warn that horses that suffer heatstroke are more likely to experience it again.

With extreme heat expected across the region, owners say proper hydration, shade and cooling measures are essential to protecting horses from life-threatening conditions.

"A lot of people in the last years have installed misters, which I personally do as well," said Dotson. "So if I am not home, this thing is on all the time... they actually like to stand in it and it cools them gradually."

Stacia Salmon helps care for Dotson's horses and has a few of her own. She said she follows one "golden rule" when the Florida sun beats down.

"Definitely don’t be riding when it’s hot out. Ride first thing in the morning or late at night," she said.

Horses are highly susceptible to heatstroke, and if they experience it once, it is more likely to happen again, horse owners told FOX 35 News.