Summer Horse Keeping Tips
Before you go away on holidays (and hopefully arrange for someone to look after your horses), here are some things to consider for your horse’s comfort and well being during the hotter months.
Access to shade and fresh water at all times:
These are basic necessesities no horse should be deprived of but sadly many are. If your paddock has no natural shade, provide some in the form of a shelter shed, shade cloth structure or make a lane to a place there is shade.
Fresh, cool water is vital so make sure the supply can’t fail like automatic waterers do and buckets that can be tipped over. As dams dry up, make sure horses can still reach water without getting stuck in mud.
Watch grass intake: Especially in areas where there is a high rainfall and it stays lush. Sugars are higher in the grass during the day so if you need to restrict intake, let them out on grass during the cool of the night. Be aware that stressed grass can produce toxins that cause laminitis so don’t put horses onto a freshly cut hay paddock or on pasture with a green flush after rain following long dry periods.
Protect pink skin on the nose: Horses sunburn too and white markings on the face often result in sore, crusty areas that are painful and can lead to cancer.
Protection with a sunscreen for horses such as ‘Filtabac’ (available from Horseland or your vet) is one that stays on well and helps heal sores too.
If you need to use a fly mask there are designs with inbuilt nose protectors or if you attatch one to a halter, make sure it will easily break if caught on something. Providing adequate shade also helps.
