Keeping Our Horses Cool and Healthy This Summer - A Quick Look

 The heat has been nearly unbearable this past month - with heat indexes over 110 and humidity thick enough to cut with a knife. And though we may still have to battle the heat in August, I’m not sad to see July go: one month closer to cooler weather! My horses are definitely not fans of the hot weather either. And while I don’t have fancy barns with air-conditioned stalls, I can do things to make Dolly, Cutter, and Reina more comfortable in these summer months.

Staying Cool

Horses can suffer heat stress and heat stroke just like we can. It’s important not to overwork our horses during the hottest parts of the day. Once the heavy heat hits here, I generally only work my horses in the relative cool of the mornings and evenings. But even when they are at rest or in the pasture, they need ways to cool off and find some relief from the heat and humidity. 

Shade:

Having shade is a crucial and required part of horsekeeping. No horse should be forced to stand in the full sun at any time, but especially not during the summer. I like to have a place of shade in every pasture, in addition to their main source of shade in the barn. Our mares have access to their stalls 24/7; the doors are always open so that they can come and go as they please all day long. I will almost always find them in the barn during the middle of the day. There, they typically doze in the shade, waiting for the day to cool off so that they can return to their grazing.

Fans:

But even in the shade, heat will follow. And where there is still hot air, it can quickly begin to feel like an oven. And that is where a well-placed fan can be such a blessing! I simply use 20-inch box fans - I currently have three. They are inexpensive, but highly effective for the cost. With one in each stall, Dolly, Cutter, and Reina can have their own ‘cooling station’. And the horses love their fans! Whether I have them on low or going at full blast, the girls will spend hours in front of them, letting the wind blow through their manes.

Summer Health

While we usually picture horses in the summer running through green pastures with shiny coats, we still have to stay on guard for our horses’ health risks. We have to watch out for sunburn (those with more pink skin), allergies, eye irritations, insect bites and rashes that can follow, plus joint and hoof issues brought on by stomping to get the flies off. 

In addition to using good fly management and quick doctoring, let’s look at these top two things we do for our horses in these warm months.

Hydrate:

Horses drink a large amount of water year-round, but when summer hits, it goes to a whole new level. Horses are among those that cool through perspiration. And in times of extreme heat, horses can produce about four gallons of sweat an hour. This makes it very easy for them to dehydrate and why it is critically important to have a large amount of cool, clean water constantly available to them. This is our best way to prevent all the health dangers the heat poses to our horses. And with them going through gallons and gallons every day, I check and refill the water trough often throughout the day. While an automatic waterer has the perks of never running out of water, I like having the peace of mind knowing how much water they are drinking each day. 

Supplement:

Since horses don’t have the same thirst triggers that we have, I always keep an eye on their water intake. If that drops at all, I will give them electrolytes - either mixed in their water or in their feed. Also, because they perspire so much, they have a great need for salt and mineral supplements. This is generally given in the free choice offering of salt and mineral blocks - large, 50 lbs squares that we set in their pens, pastures, and barns. They can lick the blocks to ingest the supplement. For the most part, they have an instinctive knowledge of exactly how much they need and will remain licking it until that need is fulfilled. It’s good to have these available all year long, but especially in the summer, when you’ll see an increase in their use. And you can have the peace of mind knowing that they are getting what they need right when they need it. 

 While there are so many more amazing ways to support our precious horses through the summer, I hope you’ve enjoyed this quick look at ways to keep our horses cool and comfortable this summer! 

Have any thoughts or ideas about horses in the summer? Drop them in the comments below!