Sweating Summer- What You Should Know About Heat And Horses

It's a long hot summer day and your horse is moping along without a care in the world. It is ninety degrees outside and all you want to do is get home and switch on the good old icy air conditioner. You kick your horse into a gallop, but he will barely trot. Another kick, and still no response. What's going on? Then you notice that your horse is breathing a little heavier and appears to be sweaty. There is foam under the tail. You decide to check him out back at the barn, but you really don't worry too much-he's just a little hot, you think.

Once you get the horse back to the stall, you unsaddle your horse and check his temperature and pulse. His temperature appears high, as does his pulse. At this point, you should call the vet immediately because your horse may be suffering from heat stress. Heat stress is often also known as heat exhaustion, or heat stroke. It is a very serious health condition brought on by hot weather, too much exertion, and excess loss of body fluids and poor ventilation. If you don't cool your horse down right away, his blood vessels will dilate, the circulatory system may collapse and shock, or even premature death may result.

You will need to re-hydrate your horse fast and bring his body temperature back to normal. Take buckets of water and soak him down. You can use a hose to gently spray him off. You might even try putting ice packs on his head and legs. You will also need to remove the sweat from your horse's coat. You can do this by brushing him with cold water. Your goal is to gradually and effectively cool down your horse. A severe case of heat stress he may result in an IV. An IV is a fast way to replace the fluids the horse has lost through sweat and respiration. When the horse's body temperature has dipped below one hundred and two degrees, you should stop full body baths. At this point, you will want to limit the amount of water sprayed on this horse as this could result in shock. Keep a close eye on the horse to make sure that it's gradually being cooled down.

How can you prevent heat stroke in the first place? Make sure to ride your horse in the cool of morning or evening. Avoid riding entirely in the dead heat of the day. Make certain that your horse has access to fresh water at all times. Most horses need between eight to twelve gallons of water a day in order not to become dehydrated. Salt blocks can also be helpful.

Avoid keeping your horse in a hot stall all day. Make sure it's ventilated if you have to keep your horse in a barn. Leave all the windows open and the fans blowing. Make sure to monitor your horse's vital signs whenever possible in order to see how it's dealing with the heat.

Here are some more tips for preparing your horse for the heat. Make sure to give your horse an electrolyte replacer at least one to two hours before hard performances. If you happen to have a horse event coming up, make sure your horse gets used to the humid weather. Work with your horse a couple hours a day in the cooler heat, in order to gently acclimate him to the weather.

Before putting him away, make sure to cool off your horse by scrubbing him down and gently spraying him with the hose. Never haul your horse in hot weather. You should also avoid weaning the foal or any event that may cause stress or excitement, as this will make the horse's body temperature rise.

You should also make certain to schedule any vet procedures during the cool hours of the day. If possible, try to schedule a visit in the early morning during the hot summer months.