Being aware of the signs of heat stroke and the precautions to take to prevent heat related problems, mule owners can avoid problems for themselves and their mules. Essentially, heat stroke occurs when the mule's cooling system has failed. The mule is ridden or worked. This results in the mule's body creating the energy needed to perform the work. Creating energy causes heat.
Heat is a byproduct of creating the energy needed to do the work.
The mule's body must now get rid of the heat through its cooling system. As environmental temperatures rise closer to the mule's own body temperature, it becomes more difficult for the heat to be dissipated. That is why in cooler climates and temperatures there is little problem with heat stroke. As heat dissipation becomes more difficult, the mule begins to sweat and tries to get rid of the heat through evaporation into the environment. The effectiveness of evaporation is influenced by the rate of heat production, environmental temperature, relative humidity, and wind velocity.