Thermoregulation

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how thermoregulation is essential for a mammal to survive in extreme hot and cold conditions and how horses and humans are the only mammals which sweat to control body temperature. It discusses how understanding thermoregulation is extremely important when it comes to exercising and cooling down horses in various climates.

Outline
Introduction
Understanding Thermoregulation
Adapting to the Environment
Surviving the Heat
A Delicate Balance
Controlling Temperature
Heat Loss
Physiological and Behavioral Mechanisms
Types of Thermoregulation
Dangers of Heat
Heat Stress on Horses
Fluid Loss and Electrolytes
Heat Exhaustion and Olympic Horses
Decreased Exercise Capacity
Three Weeks of Acclimatization
Cold Water Cooling
Preventative Care
Important Statistics
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Since heat stress can lead to heat stroke, anyone exercising a horse should know the warning signs of heat stress as a means of preventing the life-threatening condition. It is crucial to provide extra care and attention to a horse being exercised on hot days, since there is a significant increase in the amount of heat produced by working muscles. Heat production can increase as much as 50% during intense exercise as compare with heat production when the horse is at rest. A horse increases its sweating rate to move more blood to the capillaries under the skin and breaths much harder in an effort to release this build-up of heat."

More papers on Thermoregulation:

• Essay # 3482 : "Mouse Metabolic Rates"
• Descriptive Essay # 139833 : "Urinary System and Natural Selection"
• Research Paper # 52625 : "Conditioning in Hot Environments"

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