Sunburn or Photosensitivity in Horses

 
Especially in the summer season humans and animals alike can experience sunburn. Despite our best efforts to apply plenty of sunscreen and stay in the shade this condition affects many of us from time to time. Horses are no different but when it comes to the equine world sunburn is usually most severe on the nose. Your horse may also experience burns on its back face ear tips and white areas on the legs. Horses with white coats whether entirely white or in patches on the body are more susceptible to burns.

Some may experience a condition with similar symptoms called photosensitivity caused by the ingestion of certain plants 1 Sunburn usually resolves on its own but a variety of treatment options can help ease your horses symptoms.
What Is Sunburn?
Sunburn occurs because of overexposure to ultraviolet UV light which typically causes symptoms like redness inflammation and pain. Horses with unpigmented patches on their bodies are more likely to experience sunburn than those with darker coats noses and legs. Lesions from burns typically affect parts of the body that come into consistent contact with direct sunlight like the nose and face.
Symptoms of Sunburn in Horses
Horses experience similar symptoms of sunburn to those seen in humans. Like the red irritated areas on your own skin during the summer months you may observe the following signs of sunburn on your horse
Symptoms
Red skin Inflammation Blistering and peeling Pain
Red skin and inflammation are both common signs of sunburn although horses may also experience blisters peeling scabs and cracked skin in more severe cases 1 This is usually limited to the face and nose but horses that are thin coated or have pink skin may also become sunburned on their backs. Most commonly horses with white or pink noses like grays or pintos experience sunburn 2 In some cases burns can also occur along the protruding areas of the face ear tips and white leg markings just as human noses ears shoulders and collarbones get burned from direct exposure to the sun.
Causes of Sunburn
While exposure to the sun during the hottest parts of the day may be enough to cause a sunburn on your horse photosensitization can also lead to burns when your horse ingests certain plants. The following causes of sunburn and photosensitivity may occur
Overexposure to the sun Ultraviolet light from the sun causes sunburn on humans and many animals when overexposed. If your horse enjoys spending time in