Hot weather management
With the arrival of summer comes the heat and humidity. Just as we have special needs to keep us feeling our best during the dog days of summer, our equine companions do as well. Here are some suggestions to keep your horse feeling and performing his best along with some warning signs of hot weather problems.
Exercising – it’s always best to take it easy in the severe heat. Try and ride either early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the heat of the day. And if your horse seems tired or distressed, stop. He could be overheating and be on the verge of heat stroke (see symptoms and treatments below). A cool, but not ice cold, hosing after a workout will help recovery time. Running the cool hose over his throatlatch and neck as well as between the hind legs can aid to cool a hot horse efficiently. NEVER spray a horse directly in the face or head – aside from just not liking it, some will get water down their ears which can cause problems. Scrape the horse thoroughly as water can act as insulator in a soaked horse.
Water your horse out slowly with cool, not ice cold, water. A few sips at a time rather than gulping large quantities replace lost fluids without giving him a belly ache.
Make sure your horse has the ability to sweat during a work on a hot day – this is very important to help him cool himself. If your horse suffers from Anhydrosis (non-sweater) he will be at a very high risk for heat stroke and other heat related ailments. Ask one of our veterinarians for special management considerations in this case.
Management – adding electrolytes or sprinkling plain table salt in your horses feed will encourage him to drink and stay hydrated. Most horses do just fine on the maintenance dosage of your electrolyte of choice. The “performance” horse dose should be reserved for horses that work excessively hard and sweat profusely such as racehorses or upper level event horses. Overdosing electrolytes can cause your horse to drink excessively which can make your horse sick. Providing a salt block is another affective way to encourage your horse to drink. And ALWAYS offer your horse clean fresh water.
If your horse is turned out or lives outside, make sure he has adequate shade for refuge from the hot sun. You may also consider turning him out overnight when it is cooler and less buggy. And for show horses, turning out overnight can help prevent a sunburned coat.
And it is particularly important to watch those senior citizens. If your horse has a long, thick coat like those older guys with Cushings Disease, a body clipping will help cool him off.
**Signs of heat stroke – heat stroke can affect your horse fairly easily, and it doesn’t even have to be the hottest days of the summer for this to happen. It is a dangerous condition not only for the horse but for the handlers around the horse and should be taken seriously.
Signs of heat stroke include:
-Lack of sweating
-Increased respiration rate
-Behavior changes/disorientation
-Shaking/tremors
-Repeated collapse
*First Aid for Heat Stroke
- Get the horse out of the sun and into a shady spot. If the horse appears weak as though he’s about to collapse, do not bring him into a confined space – horses with heat stroke are prone to severe disorientation and repeated collapse which can be quite violent. It’s best to keep him in an open and shady area if possible as to not cause injury from hitting into things.
- Cool him down. Run the cold hose over his neck and between his hind limbs. NEVER spray a horse with heat stroke in the face – if he is disoriented it may startle him causing him to rear and flip over. Sponging the face and back of the head is helpful if safe for the handler.
- Once your horse has been taken to a cool, safe area and the cooling down process has started, call your veterinarian immediately. If severe enough, your horse may require intravenous fluids and medications for shock.
Summertime is a great time of the year to enjoy your horse. By taking some basic precautions can help you have a safe and happy summer!
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