Horses need shelter from the heat of summer

 In Opinion

So, let’s talk about summer heat and horses. For us humans, it’s been wicked, and it is hard to imagine, but it is even tougher on our horses.

We can regulate ourselves but horses must rely on us to ensure that their environment can help them stay cool in these sweltering temperatures, so we need to ensure that we provide them with a few requirements.

Naturally, horses need to be outside. It’s what they know and in most cases, prefer. Firstly, turnout 24/7/52 (meaning they live outdoors, year round and are not regularly brought in to dwell in stalls) provides them with opportunity for movement which is critical to their bodily health.

Secondly, (and this is where we come into play) we need to provide simple, basic necessities – shelter, water and salt.

Shelters can be groves of trees as long as they throw good shade at all times of the day. Shelters can also be three-sided, specially built large enough to hold the number of horses in the field. Such shelters need openings facing east or south-east to provide adequate protection from the natural elements. An opening under the eaves allows heat to escape and breezes to ventilate. Other possible shelters can be run-in barns, safe sheds (with large doorways for safety) or windbreak walls – the goal during the hot days is providing shade that the horse can utilize at will. We feel the heat, but due to their much larger muscle mass, horses feel that same heat a whole lot more!

If shelter is an issue, and your horse is accustomed to being stalled, keeping them in a cool barn during the heat of the day and leaving them out early evening until mid-morning may be a more do-able approach to helping your horse tolerate the heat.

Water is a given, but scrubbing the automatic waterer and ensuring its operating correctly and not gummed up with horse mouth goo is a daily chore. Troughs need scrubbing and re-filling every 2-3 days with topping up of fresh, clean, cool (not cold) water daily. Keeping those troughs and watering systems clean is preventative to the development of serious illnesses. Consider that if you don’t want to drink it, your horse probably won’t either – the difference is, your horse will because they need it and have no other option.

Lastly, having access to free choice salt and mineral blocks is also a necessity in the heat. Replacing electrolytes and salt lost through sweating will keep your horse healthy and comfortable.

One additional aspect to think about in the heat is exercise. Horses that live outdoors 24/7 in large pastures, with other horses for companionship, move most of the time. They play, run, chase and graze. Notable is that given the opportunity, horses will graze approximately 17 hours per day, continually moving as they choose the most succulent blades.

24/7 turnout is the equivalent to one hour of walking, planned exercise per day. Such exercise does not replace turnout needs, but know that missing a day of training for horses living outdoors is not the end of the world. As long as they can still move and be horses with other horses, they will appreciate a day off. If you must exercise or ride, look to do so in the early morning and evening when temperatures are cooler. Shorten such time and above all, ensure your horse is cooled out after a ride.

After you’ve ensured your horse is taken care off and keeping cool, it’s the perfect time to kick off the boots and keep cool yourself, however you choose!

Wendy Eagle guest lectures for the Equine Behaviour course at Equine Guelph, the faction for horses at Guelph University.

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