July is Here. Yuck.

Last year July, Ransom and I went from actively riding 3-5 a week (weather and schedule) to barely at all. Harley and I have been averaging 5-6 rides a week, Romeo and I about 3-4 rides a week.

But the summery is here. It's brought little to no rainfall, and my pastures are showing it. Both of my horses are fat & sassy, so they aren't suffering for the lack of fresh grass. Their bodies, however, are showing the effects of the heat and humidity. When I come home, there's at least some sweat, somewhere, on both boys. That's before I feed, and they're still sweating when I attempt to ride. Lots of huffing and puffing at work, though both have pretty quick recoveries on walk breaks. Thanks to perhaps the most awesome birthday present ever, I'm able to stay pretty comfortable in my coolvest, provided I ride super early morning or late evening.

I've thought about it for over a week now, and a few changes are coming for the rest of July, and probably into August, until the summer sun eases even a little bit.

Here's the new schedule
Fridays Off - Harley longe, Mo ride
Saturdays - Both ride Early
Sundays - Both ride, One early, one late
Mondays - Harley ride

Fridays Working - Harley longe
Saturdays - Both ride Early
Sundays - Both ride. One early, one late
Mondays - Mo ride

This gives Mo his 3 a week, and Harley 3-4 a week, depending on whether I work a Friday or I'm off. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will be freed up for other activities of the indoor variety.

I've admitted in my mind Harley and I won't be making the progress we are currently enjoying. I'm alright with that. I'm not "head over heels" in love with the idea, but it's also too hot to expect an hour plus of hard work out of him on the week nights. True temperatures have been in the mid to upper 90s (F) in the evenings, heat indeces from 90F all the way to 105F when we begin our rides. That's too hot to ask Harley to "work hard".

This is perhaps the hottest summer I've experienced since moving here from SC. As a PA-Yankee native, it's unbearably hot & humid. When my Yankee-up-nawth friends complain "It's Hot outside!", I laugh. 80F plus a little humidity? Huh.. that's what I woke UP to this morning , ya'll.

How do you cope with "hot summer" where you live? Do you change your ride times? Work level? Expectations? Do you quit completely, and wait on it to cool off? Or do you say "Screw it!", dress in as little as possible, buck&up and ride bareback, or saddle up in your finest and work until you and your horse are literally exhausted?