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Does Saddle Pad Material Affect a Horse's Core Temperature?

CSEF · 2017 Mammalian Biology

Madison L. Bigham · Quail Lake Environmental Charter School, Clovis, Fresno County

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective of this project was to discover which saddle pad material kept my horse's core temperature the lowest during work to minimize cooling time. Methods/Materials Horse, Riding Tack, Wool Saddle Pad, Cotton Saddle Pad, Polyester Saddle Pad, Timer and Digital Thermometer; I rode my horse for thirty minutes using different saddle pads to determine which had the greatest effect on the horse's core temperature. Each test ride occurred on separate days. Results After testing my project, I found the cotton saddle pad resulted in the lowest temperature with an average of 100.4 degrees. Wool was the highest with an average of 101.4 degrees, and polyester fell in the middle with an average of 100.9 degrees. Conclusions/Discussion As I hypothesized, the cotton saddle pad resulted in the lowest average core temperature. By using the cotton saddle pad during my training, I hope to minimize my cooling time. As further investigation, I would like to time the amount of cooling necessary to return the horse's core temperature back to the baseline temperature.

Summary statement

My project explores how a horse's core temperature is effected by saddle pad material.

Help received

My parents trailered the horse to an outdoor arena, where I performed all testing independently. Prior to testing, I discussed the project with my veterinarian Dr. Gayle O'Banion.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2017 Mammalian Biology · Entry J1302

Resources

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