Summer Is Here

SURVIVING THE SUMMER HEAT…Tips for Horse and Rider!

While summer has not officially begun, for many of us in the United States, the temperatures indicate otherwise. Last week in Florida, we were already setting records for the heat, before sanity returned and it cooled off, bringing much-needed rain with the cooler weather this week.

If this summer is anything like last year, we are in for a brutal 3, 4 or even 6 months, depending upon where you live. Last year saw record scorching heat throughout not only North America, but throughout the world.

For many, that means curtailing riding activities, if not eliminating them completely until the heat lets up, and finding ways to safely do barn chores. In addition, we must find ways to keep our animals comfortable and healthy.

HORSE HEALTH

So much about keeping your horse comfortable involves water!!

• The most important thing you can do is to ensure that your horse has cool, clean and fresh water in front of them all the time! I hope that you read my blog last week regarding the importance of water. This may mean dumping and refilling buckets and tubs several times throughout the day. I prefer to use muck buckets for my troughs as they are easy to dump and to fill, as well as to clean. I check the water temperature of my buckets every hour during the day and usually dump and refill on average 4-6 times in the afternoon (welcome to Florida in the summer.) TIP: Fill buckets half-way so you are not wasting water

• Water buckets and troughs should be clean with no algae, so it is important to keep the buckets clean

• Horses drink on average between 8 and 15 gallons daily. This need will increase with exercise, heat and humidity

• Horses prefer cooler water temperatures, between 65- 68 degrees

I am amazed at how many barns that I visit where I see dirty, slimy and hot water. I ask the barn manager if they don’t want to drink out of their horse’s buckets and troughs, then how can they expect their horses to do so?

Other ways to keep horses comfortable with water include:

• Hosing off hot and sweaty horses. Horses coming in from the pasture should be hosed off, not put away hot and sweaty.

• Installing sprinklers on the roof. This has been one of my favorite projects that we did to our barn. It drops the temperatures in the barn within minutes. In addition, when our careless neighbor burns his enormous pile of brush, I can turn the sprinklers on and wet down the roof, hopefully preventing a fire from a wayward ember. TIP: Add gutters and downspouts and collect the runoff with a rain barrel

• Wet mashes. I give soaked mashes every day for lunch, so my horses are used to this. In the summer, I use cool water mashes. In the winter, I add warm water. In addition, consider adding water to regular meals as well.

• Adding salt and/or electrolytes will also encourage your horse to drink

In addition, adding fans to stalls will also drop temperatures and keep horses cool. Box fans should NEVER be used in a barn setting. They are not approved for outdoor settings and have been the cause of barn fires. Use approved outdoor-rated fans that have an enclosed motor and have them installed by a professional, licensed electrician. They should be cleaned and inspected often.

Cooling sheets and neck covers will aid in cooling off a horse that is overheating and may be worth the investment to have on hand, particularly if you live or compete in hot environments. One should follow the heat index when considering riding. Heat strokes can occur in horses and rarely do horses recover, so it is imperative to take all precautions when riding in extreme heat.

RIDER HEALTH

It is important that the rider stay cool as well. Drinking lots of water, taking breaks and eating healthy will help to ensure that you are able to perform your best and to be there for your horse. Cooling pack inserts are available to put inside your helmet to keep your head cool when you ride, as well as cooling towels and vests. Don’t think twice about dunking your head under a hose to cool off! I am fortunate to have a swimming pool, and the heat is measured by how many times I jump into the pool to cool off.

I prefer to ride in long-sleeve sun shirts. I was skeptical at first, but now I live in these shirts and I find them to be cooler than a t-shirt. The sun is not baking my skin and I don’t need to slather the sunscreen on my arms either.

Hats are a necessity for doing any kind of barn chores, to keep the sun’s harmful rays off your face and to keep cool.

I try to finish all of my barn chores early and get my ride time in before late morning. I am fortunate to have large trees on my property, which helps keep my riding area shady and cooler. My horse and donkeys prefer to spend the heat of the day napping under their ceiling fans in their stalls, even though they are free to come and go as they wish during the day, weather permitting. For days when it is just too hot to ride, I pull out my copy of No Bored Horses by Amanda Coble and find a fun and engaging activity for Gabriel and the donkeys. Ground work can be just as stimulating and rewarding for a horse and is a good break from riding.

And don’t worry….it will be just a matter of time before winter is here and many of you will be complaining about the cold and wishing for summer to arrive (not me, I love the cold!)