Everyone loves a bit of summer sun don’t they? After a miserable winter all we want to do is get out and run about in the lovely warmth. For those of us interested in horse riding we think that its double the fun – that we get to ride our equine friends for twice as long… well you’d be wrong in that case! Like any of us, if we do too much work in the sun we’re likely to get fatigued and even suffer from heat stroke.
Make sure your horse doesn’t ever suffer from dehydration or lethargy caused from overworking them in the heat by following these few simple steps for keeping your horse healthy in the summer months!
ALWAYS KEEP A SOURCE OF WATER NEARBY
This may seem like an obvious suggestion, but it is crucial that your horses always has access to clean, fresh water. Make sure that you are regularly topping up their supply too, like us, they’re likely to drink more when they’re too hot. Another reason to keep their water supply fresh is that water will often become stagnant if left for too long and therefore becomes unhealthy.
STICK TO THE USUAL WHERE POSSIBLE
You might think that completely altering your horses schedule could be a good thing given the circumstances, but this can often lead to colic within them if you change too much too fast. It’s crucial that they stick to their usual feeding schedule – consult this handy horse feeding guide if you’re unsure of what that should be.
TAKE THEM OUT IN THE MORNING
If your horse is stabled, make sure that your turnout times reflect times when its cooler – nobody wants to be out there in the baking hot sun. While you can take them out in the night, it’s not always the best time for everyone as people get more tired as the day goes on so your best bet is to attack the day early so you can both enjoy yourselves!
VENTILATE YOUR STABLES
Staying indoors on a hot day can be just as bad as being outside sometimes! It’s pivotal that your stables are well-ventilated to ensure the air is properly circulating and conditions don’t become too stuffy. A fan is a good way to help this along, but be careful that your horse can’t trip over any loose wiring as this could spell disaster.
LATHER ON THE SUNCREAM
This one may not have even occurred to you, but sunburn can happen to any of us! If your horse is white they’re likely to be the most susceptible to sunburn so make sure that you’re rubbing that into their skin to protect them. This is also true of horses with white/pink/hairless patches on their skin. Giving your horse their coat to wear can also be another factor, but in the hottest of temperatures do you really want them to be wearing those extra layers?
GIVE THEM A HAIRCUT
If your horse is looking a bit more ‘angsty teen’ than usual then it’s probably a good idea to trim their coat. Obviously their fur is important for insulation and often protection from the sun, but if their coat is too long then it will make it very difficult for your horse to acclimatise – just be sure not to trim too much!