Every young rider loves having fun in the sun, enjoying a trail ride under the clear blue sky, wearing short sleeves and breathing in fresh air mixed with the smell of horses and sunscreen. But sometimes a fairytale summer day can take a turn for the worst when heat and humidity take their toll on your horse. These five tips will help you keep your horse safe, cool, and happy in the heat. That way you can get back to enjoying the sunshine, rather than wishing for winter to return!
1. Quench
The most important thing for a horse or pony in the summer is staying hydrated. They need constant access to clean, cool water. Some horses can be picky about whether they drink in their field or in their stall, so make sure anywhere your horse hangs out has plenty of water available.Â
Water troughs and buckets should be dumped, scrubbed, rinsed and refilled daily to prevent any algae from growing. It’s also a good idea to test the temperature of outdoor water troughs (even with your hand)—a horse won’t want to drink super-hot water. Keep outdoor water sources in the shade whenever possible.
Remember, if you wouldn’t want to drink water from the trough or bucket, your horse won’t either. Clean water is the key to keeping your horse happy in the heat.
2. Replenish
Just like you, horses have sweat glands and are able to sweat to help keep their bodies cool in the heat. Sweating can deplete horses of a lot of electrolytes, which the body needs for muscle contraction, fluid balance, digestion and other important functions.
A salt lick contains sodium chloride—table salt—and is a mandatory addition to your horse’s diet year-round, since hay and pasture don’t contain enough salt to meet your horse’s needs. But salt is even more essential during the summer to replace what is lost in sweat. Common types include plain white salt blocks, brown trace mineral blocks, and Himalayan pink salt licks. See which one your horse likes the best!Â
Some people also like to give their horses electrolytes in the form of oral paste or a powder added to feed or water buckets. (Always give a bucket of plain water, too, if offering a bucket with electrolytes.) Electrolytes contain sodium and chloride as well as potassium, magnesium and calcium. Think of them as horsey Gatorade!
3. Splash
Nothing says summer like a good bath. The easiest, quickest, and most fun way to cool off your horse is with a good hose-down.Â
Always start at your horse’s feet when bathing to give his body time to adjust to the water temperature—just like we like to dip our toes into a pool before getting in—especially when you are giving him a cold bath on a hot day.
After you spray his feet and legs, move up to his neck (especially the grooves where large veins run along the lower part), chest, and in between his hind legs. These three spots will cool off your horse’s core body temperature the quickest, allowing him to feel relief from the heat.
From there, you can spray and scrub all over—you may even want to put yourself in the splash zone!
4. Protect
Wherever there’s heat, horses and sunshine, there are bugs. Flies, gnats, horseflies, and mosquitoes are the arch nemeses of your horse.
Help protect him from these little enemies with fly spray; there are equine-specific sprays that you can pick up from your local tack shop. Spray his whole body (make sure to read the directions to see how much and how often!) to help keep the bugs at bay.
You can use a clean rag and dampen it with the fly spray to wipe down your pony’s ears and around his eyes and nose. Fly masks, boots and body sheets to help keep the bugs from buzzing around his most sensitive areas while out in the paddock. Keep in mind that heavier mesh sheets can make your horse sweat even more under the hot sun.Â
Check stall rafters, wash racks and horse trailers often for wasp nests that may be brewing. If you find one, locate a trusted adult to help remove it so you don’t get stung. Defeating the bugs is half the battle in the summertime.
5. Schedule
Sometimes the easiest way to beat the heat is to stay out of the sun. If it’s possible at your stable, ask if your horse or pony can be switched to night turnout. That way he can enjoy grazing in his field under the cool night sky, then rest in his stall with a nice fan blowing on him during the hot part of the day. This schedule can keep horses relaxed, cool, and happy, even during the dog days of summer.
Sometimes it feels like the summer can be too hot to handle. Between sun, sweat, and bugs, we can find ourselves thinking fondly of winter. Instead, use these tips to help beat the heat and kick up the fun so that both you and your horse can stay safe in the summer.
This article about tips for keeping your horse safe in the heat appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!
