🥵 Beat the Heat—But Keep the Show On, Obviously!

By Tilly Stirrup, Carrot Post Correspondent for Hot Messes

The Global Equestrian Federation (GEF) has launched a bold new initiative to combat the sweltering conditions affecting riders, horses, and anyone foolish enough to wear white breeches in August: it’s called “Beat the Heat”, and it’s exactly what you think it is—well-meaning advice instead of rescheduling shows.

With temperatures rising faster than entry fees, and humidity levels so high horses are practically poaching themselves mid-test, the GEF has responded in the only way it knows how: with a glossy PDF guide and some upbeat educational videos.

“Our new Beat the Heat campaign is a comprehensive and proactive response to rising global temperatures,” said a GEF spokesperson, from an air-conditioned office in Geneva. “We strongly recommend water, shade, and deep breathing exercises while maintaining the current calendar. Remember: suffering builds character.”

The campaign features user-friendly tips like:

✔️ Provide shade (but only after securing sponsor visibility).

✔️ Use cooling stations (because there’s nothing more fun than competing in 38°C and being hosed down like a fire at a chip shop).

✔️ Improve stable ventilation (by removing that tarpaulin someone zip-tied over the door in March).

There’s even guidance for humans! Grooms, riders, and officials are encouraged to stay hydrated, spot early signs of heatstroke, and avoid passing out mid-boot polishing. A noble goal—though perhaps harder to achieve when show organisers still insist on 2pm Grand Prix starts and 24/7 arena access for "sponsor activation."

But here's the question no one seems to be asking:🧊 Why not just reschedule high-level competitions into the cooler months? You know—like people do with literally every other sport on Earth played outdoors.

We took that wild idea to the GEF.

“Rescheduling is not under consideration at this time,”the GEF spokesperson clarified.“Our competition calendar is a finely tuned machine, perfectly engineered to align with marketing campaigns, VIP champagne brunches, and the availability of showground Wi-Fi. Also, what would July even be for if not for horse shows and heat exhaustion?”

Meanwhile, riders are doing what they’ve always done: quietly getting on with it while their eyebrows melt off. But not everyone’s keeping quiet.

“Endurance riders have been cooling horses effectively for decades,” said Raphaël Dubois, The Carrot Post’s very own endurance hopeful, currently sunburnt and standing in a bucket of ice after a 60km training ride in Provence.“We don’t wait until the horse is sweating like a politician at a welfare hearing—we start proactive cooling, use proper hydration protocols, and train for this stuff year-round. You can’t Beat the Heat if you schedule it into your competition strategy.”

Still, the Beat the Heat campaign encourages the global equestrian community to engage, watch, download, and stay positive—ideally while holding a hose and a melting electrolyte block. Competition organisers are free to schedule their classes to cooler parts of the day, just as they always have been. But it's not so easy to fill the VIP area at 6h30 in the morning. So bums on seats have been traditionally more important that horse welfare in the heat of the day.

So while the GEF may not be adjusting the calendar any time soon, rest assured they’re committed to keeping us all educated, if not actually cool. Baby steps... but steps in the right direction all the same.

#MeltWithDignity #GEFLogic #HeatstrokeButMakeItDressage #TheCarrotPost #BeatTheHeatButNotTheCalendar