Tips to Keep Horses Cool

The heat can play havoc with a horse's health. It can result in dehydration, lethargy and general malaise. Severe heat stress may result in diarrhea and even colic. Janet Johnston DVM, board-certified in surgery and internal medicine, and an emergency critical care veterinarian at University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine's New Bolton Center, suggests the following tips to keeps horses comfortable and safe in the summer heat.

Choose turn outs wisely - Overnight is ideal, if not possible, as early as possible

Give horses shade. Make sure no matter what time of day it is, the available trees are really offering shade.

Move that air. Fans are a great way to help the air moving in the barn, but use them wisely. Horses benefit most if the fan is pulling the hot air out of the stall, not pushing air into the stall.

Mist it. As the moisture is absorbed from a horse's skin, it will take away some of the heat as well. Frequent misting is far more effective than a single dousing with the hose.

Water. Horses need plenty of fresh, cool water. A bucket hanging on a fence will get warm, too warm to be appealing to a horse. Left long enough it will also become stagnant and unhealthy.

Electrolytes. If a horse is sweating a great deal, water laced with electrolytes can help keep the body in balance. Whenever electrolytes are offered, however, be sure to provide fresh water as well. Too many electrolytes can be harmful.

Slow down the work. Just because a horse is intensely worked at 1 pm every day don't think they can take the heat when temps top 90 degrees. If you've got to work him in the heat, lighten the work or break it up into a couple of short sessions. This is especially important when humidity is high, contributing to the poor quality of the air he is breathing.

Stick to a schedule. Within the parameter of keeping him cool, try to stay as close as possible to a normal schedule. Too much change at one time can be an invitation to colic.

While out, Horses, especially white horse, can suffer from sunburn. Even those with white socks and blazes, pink noses or even hairless patches from scarring can be problematic. Using a fly scrim can help; applying sunblock to small, particularly vulnerable areas can also be effective. Staying out of the sun's harmful rays will, of course, be best. (Also be aware: if a horse has excessive sunburn it couple indicate a rare, underlying liver disease) 

Clipping horses with longer hair coats is important....especially those with Cushing's disease. While some coat can provide protection from the sun and insulation, a long, thick coat tends to hold in and make it difficult for the horse to cool down.