Looking After Your Horse In The Summer Months

Looking after your Horse in the Summer Months

by

Tammy Patterson

It is not only humans that get hot and bothered in the hot summer months. Like us they can react badly in a number of ways to excessive heat and humidity. They too can suffer from;

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• Heat Stroke • Sunburn • Exhaustion As we use horses for recreational purposes this can often mean that we enjoy a ride on a summer’s day. Horses can sometimes go through a great deal of additional physical exertion due to the heat on these days. Their body can struggle to properly regulate their core temperature, causing the release of too many vital electrolytes through sweat. As well as this, other vital fluids can be lost – resulting in heat exhaustion. It is interesting and important to note that your horse does not have to be a race horse, or top eventer to suffer from this. Horses, like us, can cope with their own individual amount of exercise before needing time to recover. Heat will reduce this. It is also important to remember that it is not only exercise that may induce heat exhaustion. Being kept in a humid confined stable / stall when temperatures are high can increase the likelihood of the same dangerous outcome. Symptoms that your horse may be suffering from heat stress include; • Not wanting to eat • Lethargy • Sweating • Heart rate increases • Panting • A temperature taken rectally of above 105 degrees Electrolytes contain a concoction of important vitamins and mineral. When these are lost bad blood circulation and blood thickening can occur, putting a strain on the heart. Horses that exercise or that are worked hard very often, are fed electrolyte replacements in their diet. This can be found in supplement form. Increases in temperature above the norm can combine with humidity to create painful tissue problems within the horse. Ataxia is a condition that can occur, preventing the horse from being able to control the movements of their muscles. One way to test whether your horse is drinking enough water throughout the summer (hotter) months is to do a simple ‘Pinch Test’. Pinch a small amount of skin on the horse’s neck, this should almost immediately go back to being flat against the horses neck. If this skin remains up it may be a sign that the horse is dehydrated, not having enough fluids within their body. If you need to cool your horse down some useful things to consider would be to move them to an area where there is a lot of air flow, rinse them down with cold water using a sponge and moving them to the shade if they are out grazing – ensuring shade is always available when turned out. Sunburn, as with people, can affect horses if prolonged exposure to the sun occurs. It is your responsibility to prevent this from happening. Application of suntan lotions have been known to reduce the possibilities of this happening, as well as the application of summer sheets, masks and neck covers. There are certain plants and chemicals found within what horses eat that may cause desensitization. If you are aware of this within your horse / horses diet, you must take precautions to prevent skin damage.

Tammy is a avid equine rider who loves to promote the correct ways to be treating horses. Tammy works part time for a company who specialise in

riding breeches

as well as mark todd horse rugs & equestrian rugs in the UK. For more info, please visit Anything Equine for equestrian articles and a range of

turnout rugs

and equestrian clearance products.

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