10 Tips for Keeping Your Horses Safe in the Heat

Kaleidoscope, photo by Molly Goossens Photography

As the temperatures soar this week in Minnesota, many horse owners are taking additional steps to safeguard their horses during the heat wave. Did you know that horses generally handle cold better than the heat? Most horses are more comfortable at 20 degrees than 80 due to their large body mass and relatively small surface area to dissipate heat. In general "hot blooded" horses (i.e. Arabians & Thoroughbreds) handle heat better than "cold blooded" hores (i.e. draft horses), and horses in their prime do better than foals or senior horses.  Pay attention to each individual horse and monitor them closely during a heat wave.

Horses, unlike dogs, sweat rather than pant.  They can sweat up to 10-15 liters/hour!  Sweat evaporates easily in hot & dry weather and horse owners just need to be sure they provide enough water and salt to compensate.  

However, Minnesota tends to have hot & humid weather which can be devastating for horses if measures aren't taken to protect them.  Some horses even develop anhidrosis (the inability to sweat) after prolonged exposure to hot & humid conditions. This happened to my TB/Connemara gelding I owned in Houston, TX (pictured below) and it was difficult to keep him cool in the hot summers. I had to ride early in the morning or late in the evening and sponge him off partly though my ride.

The author with Johnny B. Goode

So what can you do to keep your horses safe in the extreme heat? Here are 10 tips:

1) Provide plenty of clean, preferably cool water. Horses drink 5-7 gallons of water a day even when the temperatures are cooler. In hot and humid weather, horses can drink up to 20 gallons or more. If your horses are turned out with a herd, be sure the dominant horse isn't preventing other horses from drinking.  

2) Test for dehydration by pinching your horse's skin on her neck.  If it takes a few seconds to snap back to his neck, he is dehydrated. 

3) Add electrolytes. If you find your horse isn't drinking enough even when plenty is available, you can add electrolytes to your horse's feed or water.   Note: if adding to water, provide plain water also as some horses won't drink salty water.

4) Ensure your horses have daily access to mineral salt.  While salt blocks were originally intended for cattle who have rougher tongues, some horses lick or chew them.  You can also provide loose mineral salt to their grain or via a separate container in their stall/paddock.

The brand of loose mineral I provide to my horses

5) Provide shade via trees or a shelter during turnout if possible.  Direct sunlight can contribute to their overheating, just like it can for people.

6) Bringing horses into stalls can help as long as there is good ventilation. 

7) Use fans to cool off hot horses.  At the Beijing Olympics, misting fans worked well to keep hard-working equines from overheating. Regular fans can help but for safety, make sure they are industrial grade.  Box fans, while very popular and inexpensive, are designed for indoor use and can get clogged with dust and can short out and catch fire.  

A non-industrial box fan (be sure to keep the engine clean from dust!)

8) Let your horses rest. Refrain from exercising your horses when temperatures and humidity are high.  A rule of thumb is to avoid working your horse when the combined temperature and humidity are over 150. If you must ride during the hottest days of summer, ride first thing in the morning before the sun heats the air further, and under cover (i.e. in a covered or indoor arena or shade) if possible. 

9) Watch for signs of heat stress. While it is normal for horses to breathe heavier after exercise, their breathing should return to normal afterwards.  A horse who is resting but whose nostrils are flaring, especially rapidly, may be succumbing to heat stress and even collapse. Take the horse's temperature (normal is 99.5-100.5, a temp of 105 can cause thermal damage and heat stroke). Also check the respiratory rate (count flank rising and falling in 15 seconds then multiply by 4). Normal resting respiratory rate is 12-16, during exercise it can rise to around 80 but should come down to under 40 within a half hour after stopping. Make every effort to cool him down until the vet can arrive.  Read more here.

10) To cool down an overheated horse, hose or sponge with cold water. Contrary to the old wives tale, cold water does not cause colic. Apply cold water on the inside of the upper part of the front legs and between the hind legs and under the tail.  It is important to not let a horse stand while soaked in water as this can just trap the horse's heat. Scrap off excess water and reapply, if necessary. Learn more about why this is necessary in this article.

Looking for your own hobby farm or horse property? Go to www.donavin.comto browse equestrian facilities and acreage in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota.