Summer Horse Care

Fresh Water: During the hot summer months, it is very important to keep your horse hydrated. Always provide access to clean and cool drinking water and keep your water tank somewhere that it doesn’t get direct sunlight. Putting out salt blocks can encourage your horse to drink; if your horse gets dehydrated, electrolytes are a good item to keep around the barn during the summer.

Shade: On the hottest days of summer your horse should be provided an adequate amount of shade with a lean-to or tree. In some cases that shade cannot be provided. During turnout, you can stall your horse during the hottest times of the day with fans for airflow and switch turnout times to early morning, late evening or even overnight. Horses with white (usually white faces or nose) are at higher risk for sunburn sunscreen, UV Protecting sheets are a necessity.

Protection from Bugs:

• Fly Sheet
• Fly Mask
• Fly Spray
• SWAT Fly Ointment
• Fly Leg Wraps (optional)

Exercise: Avoid exercising your horse during the highest heat of the day, early morning exercises and evening exercises are recommended. If you ride during the heat of day be sure to try and ride in wooded or shaded areas. Properly cool down your horse and even hose off. While hosing off, it is recommended to get your horse adjusted to the water, starting at the legs and slowly working your way up to the body. Hosing off also helps get off the sweat that attracts flies.

Using a fly sheet helps protect your horse not only from bugs but also from the sun’s UV Rays that cause your horse’s coat to fade out and become dull. A fly mask will keep your horse comfortable as flies and bugs cannot get into their eyes causing irritation and watery eyes. I prefer to use fly masks with ears as they protect from bites that scab up and cause discomfort. To protect my horse to the fullest I used my Power Fly Spray (By Pyranha) to repel flies, mosquitoes, ticks and more!

As an extra precaution, I like to keep SWAT Fly ointment in my first aid kit to protect wounds, cuts and irritated spots from dirt and disease carrying and to help repel bugs as well. Fly leg wraps aren’t a necessity except for some horses (mostly donkeys) that are sensitive to fly bites on their legs and become irritated, the fly leg wraps keep them comfortable and protected.

Rachael