Awareness of the outside world. “Juneteenth provides us with an annual space to do so.” Vox: Juneteenth isn’t just a celebration of freedom. It’s a monument to America’s failures. Collins 2022.
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Last weekend was forecast to be hot. So, we worked in the mornings and skipped the afternoon sessions. Neither morning involved walking by the humans. By Saturday afternoon, I decided I needed to move and took myself out for a walk.
We pause for a bit of weather math. At 5 pm on Saturday it was 98oF (36oC), with a RealFeel of 106oF (41oC). The humidity was 39%. Temp plus humidity was 137. This is not the heat index, a fact I learned while researching this post, NOAA: Heat Index Calculator. It is however, a number used to calculate when it’s too hot to ride. Under 130, okay. 130 to 150, maybe not. Above 150, no. Cited in various places, example Maryland Horse Council: Riding in Hot Weather.
As I walked, I thought it wasn’t THAT bad.
One, I’ve always lived at the warm end of the scale [I’m Cold].
Two, I was in the shade.
Three, there was a light breeze.
Four, I was at a leisurely stroll.
I decide heat calculations ought to account for things such as activity level & heat of the sun. Turns out, I had very cleverly sidled up to the concept of wet bulb temperature. I learned this from the Monday link, Vox: This number can measure how dangerous a heat wave is for you, What is the wet bulb temperature? And why is it so important? Irfan, Jun 17, 2024.
Other weather numbers, Reader’s Digest: What Is the Heat Index—and How Is That Different from the RealFeel Temperature?, Stathis, Jan 25, 2024
Fancy math or not, 98oF is too hot to ride.
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 
98 is too hot, period.
This climate thing is happening faster than expected – by some.
I’m not looking forward to August.
Joan
Truth!