Rodeo animals feeling the heat at War Bonnet Round Up

IDAHO FALLS (KIFI)-As the competition heats up at the War Bonnet Round Up rodeo in Idaho Falls, so are the temperatures.

In fact, it got so hot on Thursday that some spectators left early.

Humans can duck into the shade or hide out in an air-conditioned car. But how do the rodeo animals stay cool?

Local News 8 spoke with Haley Proctor, a trick rider who has performed at rodeos around the country.

She says practicing early helps out.

"We rode this morning so that we beat the heat, and then it'll cool off tonight for the rodeo,” Proctor said. She also does her best to make sure her horses have plenty to drink.

“But keep in water in front of them at all times. Just, they drink, they drink it. They drink a ton while we're on the road. And so them just staying hydrated. Electrolytes, and their feed electrolyte supplements. And so to keep them drinking,” Proctor said.

Still, she says she and other trainers do their best to keep their animals in the shade.

The War Bonnet Round Up is Idaho’s oldest rodeo. It runs through Saturday night at Sandy Downs in Idaho Falls.