Racehorses may need more protection from heat illness in a warming climate

I'm Dr. Anthony Lazewitz, and this is Climate Connections. Every year, millions of people watch the Triple Crown races, awed by the speed and agility of thoroughbred horses on the track. These animals are powerful, but they can also be vulnerable, especially when it's hot. Excessional heat illness essentially refers to when horses become too hot while they're dancing, and their internal temperature gets too high, and then they become ill. That's Leah Trigg of the University of Bristol Veterinary School in the UK. She reviewed hundreds of cases of heat illness in horses to identify the main risk factors. She found that longer races are more likely to cause heat stress. Horses that have suffered from about of heat illness in the past are far more likely to exhibit symptoms again. And racing in hot human conditions, especially when a horse is not accustomed to it, significantly increases the chance of heat illness. She says that as the climate warms, the risk is growing. The research highlights the need for tracks to provide cool-down facilities with shade and access to water that can be used to rapidly cool the horses. Unruly to plan now and put in place the policies that will ensure that horse welfare is protected in a changing climate. Climate connections is produced by the Yale Center for Environmental Communication. To hear more stories like this, visit climateconnections.org. ♪♪