Owners are urged to watch for warning signs such as heavy breathing, loss of appetite and lethargy. As this dangerous heat bears down on Central Florida, horse owners are taking extra precautions to protect animals from heat-related illness, particularly those with medical conditions that make them more vulnerable. Horse owners also recommend avoiding riding during the hottest part of the day, instead exercising animals early in the morning or after sunset. With extreme heat expected across the region, owners say proper hydration, shade and cooling measures are essential to protecting horses from life-threatening conditions. Horses are highly susceptible to heatstroke, and if they experience it once, it is more likely to happen again, horse owners told FOX 35 News.