How to Prevent Sunburn

How Do I Keep My Horse from Getting Sunburned?

Young girl with grey horse

Like people, horses with light skin pigmentation, as on this horse's nose, are more susceptible to sunburn.

Preventing sunburn in horses simply takes a little time and attention, especially with horses that are light-colored or have white markings. Horses sunburn around the eyes, muzzle, and anywhere the skin is pink under the hair coat. Appaloosas, paints, and other light-colored horses are especially susceptible. Although sunburn is not as much of a problem with dark-coated, dark-skinned horses, it pays to limit the horse's exposure to direct sunlight.

Certain diseases, including those involving the liver, and consumption of some plants, such as alsike clover, make the horse more sensitive to the sun's damaging rays.

Sunblock product

Commercially available sunblock products may be required for horses susceptible to sunburn.

Fortunately, the same sunburn-prevention products that work on humans also work on horses. Zinc oxide is the primary ingredient in several effective sunblocks. Now, brightly colored products are on the market that are not only popular at the beach, but are also effective for use with horses. These colored sunblocks make it possible to see if the horse has rubbed the sunblock off while grazing, leaning against a fence, or participating in other activities.

Many horse grooming products, such as shampoos and coat conditioners, also contain sunscreens. With these, it is important to check the SPF to make sure they provide enough protection to be effective. Ordinarily, shampoos and coat conditioners may be helpful, but not sufficient if the horse spends much time in the sun. The higher the SPF, the more protection the product offers. Sunblocks with a 30 or 45 SPF are much more effective than those with an 8 to 15 SPF.

Your horse will be much more comfortable if sunscreen is applied anyplace the skin is pink or light in color. This includes lips, muzzle, ear tips, dock, sheath, and around the eyes. A good flymask is also valuable in reducing the horse's exposure to ultraviolet light. A sunscreen-soaked fly sheet or a light cotton sheet provide good protection. Consider keeping the horse in a well-ventilated shed or stall for a few hours during the middle of the day or whenever the sunlight is most intense.

What's the Real Deal with SPF?

A popular misconception is that SPF relates only to the duration of sun exposure. For example, some believe that an SPF of 15 means that 15 minutes may be spent in the sun without danger of sunburn. This is not true because SPF also relates to the amount of solar exposure. The intensity of the solar energy impacts the amount, and that intensity will vary based on the time of day and other factors. Midday exposure is usually far more intense than early morning or mid-to-late afternoon. Cloudy days also impact the amount of exposure, as does geographic location.

With a little common sense and by paying attention to the intensity of the sunlight and the amount of time spent in the sun, sunburn can be prevented, and your horse will be safe and comfortable no matter what time of year.