Don’t let seasonal challenges stand in the way of enjoying your horse during hot weather. Continue reading for summertime horse-management tips from Kentucky Equine Research (KER), the world leader in equine nutrition.

Healthy horses

Hail Summer, but don’t let seasonal challenges stand in the way of enjoying your horse during hot weather.

Sultry and Shady Situations. Horses usually cope with heat and humidity well enough, but they can benefit enormously from extra care in management. Protection from the sun and a fresh, clean water supply are just two ways to add comfort to a steamy day.

• Five Tips for Equine Hydration and Water Management
• Assessing Dehydration in Horses
• Run-In Sheds Provide Shelter for Pastured Horses
• Keeping Horses Cool with Small Changes in Diet
• Is Your Horse’s Natural Water Source Safe?

Electrolytes: Salt and Then Some. Tempting as it may be to think that your horse’s sweat is merely water, it’s not! Sweat is chock-full of electrolytes. For optimal health, these electrolytes must be replaced, especially in horses that sweat daily.

• Electrolytes Vital for Performance Horses
• Electrolytes and Performance Horses: Is a Salt Block Enough?
• Anhidrosis in Horses May Have a Genetic Component
• Ideal Salt Levels for Horses Examined
• Should Horses Be Given Loose Salt or a Salt Block?

Joint Health: Flex Your Options. Though many riders exercise their horses year-round, others enjoy riding only in the warmer months. To maximize your horse’s well-being during high-activity months, focus on continual joint care.

• Joint Disease in Horses an Age-Old Problem
• Equine Joint Supplements: Merits of Glucosamine
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Beneficial to Joint Health
• Understanding Joint Disease in Horses

Forage Fundamentals. With sufficient rainfall and diligence in management, pastures can offer an abundance of fresh forage. But weather conditions, weeds, and metabolic concerns can sometimes make pastures a less-than-perfect forage source for certain horses.

• Five Tips for Avoiding Pasture-Associated Laminitis in Horses
• Feeding Preserved Forages to Horses
• Fulfilling Forage Needs of Metabolic Horses
• Forage Shortages and Weed Toxicity in Horses
• Buttercup Toxicity in Horses

Kentucky Equine Research (KER) is an international equine nutrition, research and consultation company serving both the horse producer and the feed industry. Its goal is to advance the industry's knowledge of equine nutrition and exercise physiology and apply this knowledge to produce healthier, more athletic horses. For more information, see www.ker.com or call 888-873-1988.