Summer is a great time to play with your horse and enjoy the outdoors, but it also brings some challenges. Summer heat can be dangerous for horses, as they aren’t used to being in the sun all day.
Here are some tips that you can use to protect your horse and have a fun summer.
Hydration
Always have fresh, clean water available for your horse. If you plan to be playing outside in the heat, you must provide your horse with plenty of water. Be sure to refill their water trough as soon as they drink and check their turnout water daily to ensure it is full.
Heat Exhaustion
It’s important to keep in mind that the summer sun can be dangerous for horses. If a horse is out in the sun too long, they can experience heat exhaustion.
Too much heat can cause all sorts of problems for your horse. To combat this issue, your horse must have access to plenty of shade, water, and fresh air during the day.
Fly Protection
During the summer, flies can be an issue for your horse. Your horse may be bothered by flies, resulting in a lot of head shaking or sores. You can use fly masks to help protect your horse’s face from flies, which will block the flies from getting near your horse’s eyes, ears, or nose. As well as a fly mask to protect your horse’s eyes, nose, and ears, you will also want fly rugs for horses. A fly rug will prevent pests from landing and biting your horse, which will keep them comfortable and happy while they graze during the day.
You can also get rugs to use while ridding for horses particularly susceptible to flies. You can find suitable rugs for horses during summer from Little Fields Farm. You can check out their extensive range. Finally, fly spray is also a good option to ensure your horse is protected in areas where rugs can’t reach.
Sun Protection
The best way to protect your horse from sunburn is to avoid letting them be out during the hottest parts of the day. The sun is at its strongest between 12 am and 3 pm, so keep your horse in the shade or indoors until after that time.
Another good idea is to use sun cream on any exposed pink skin to avoid sunburn. This is typically a problem in light coloured horses, such as greys or palominos, but can also occur in other horses, especially those with spots.
Exercise Schedule
In the summer, it’s important to follow a strict exercise schedule and provide your horse with plenty of water. It’s best to avoid working your horse during the hotter hours of the day by exercising early in the morning or in the late evening. Working your horse during the afternoon could lead to heat exhaustion and an expensive vet bill to help get your horse healthy again.
Additionally, make sure you bathe your horse thoroughly if they get sweaty during exercise, as this will help to keep them from developing rashes and sores.
