With temperatures soaring this summer, horses face not only discomfort from the heat, but health threats as well. Because of their large size, a horse's body heat tends to accumulate faster than they can get rid of the excess. A wise horse owner takes steps to make sure horses are comfortable and protected from the deadly effects of too much heat.
Sun, heat, humidity - A threat to horse health
In conditions where humidity is high and sweat no longer evaporates to cool the skin, horses are prone to heat exhaustion and heat stroke which can be extremely dangerous.
Despite their ability to sweat, a relative rarity among animals other than humans, horses have difficulty cooling themselves when temperatures become extreme.
Especially in conditions where humidity is high and sweat no longer evaporates to cool the skin, horses are prone to heat exhaustion and heat stroke which can be extremely dangerous.
5 tips for keeping horses cool:
- Exercise your horse only in the cooler temperatures of early morning or late evening
- Turn horses out at night and provide shady shelter from the sun in the barn or a shed during the day
- Ensure access to clean, cool water (keep in mind that outdoor troughs will heat up quickly out in the sun, so itâs smart to change the water daily during the summer)
- Bath your horse with cool water and be sure to scrape the water off the coat promptly for maximum cooling
- Melanoma and sun burn are not just human conditions. Keep some sun screen for sensitive skin at the barn for those pink and light colored noses.
When all this is not enough, horse owners might want to consider the cooling properties of a misting system or evaporative cooling fan in the barn.
A misting system, when installed in a barn, introduces a steady supply of water to the air in the form of ultra-fine droplets which evaporate before they hit the ground.
A correctly installed misting system creates a curtain of mist, which can reduce temperatures in the immediate area by as much as 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the outdoor temperature and relative humidity.
In addition, a misting system repels flying insects and reduces the level of dust and airborne particles in the environment, making it beneficial to equine respiratory health.
For horse owners who don't want to take the time or spend the money to install a misting cooling system, evaporative cooling or the use of fans timulates air movement and provides some comfort when horses come in direct contact although they are less effective in cooling the immediate area.