July is known for being one of the hottest months of the year. If you have horses, that means not just keeping ourselves cool and comfortable, we also need to focus on how we can make their lives easier in the heat.
Horses thrive in cooler conditions, so when the temperature spikes, horses can be more susceptible to heat related issues and need to be closely monitored. Here are 5 tips for ways to keep horses cool:
- Cool Water – Horses need to have access to fresh, clean water every day. In the summer, there is a need for increased consumption, especially if the horse has been sweating. When it is hot outside, horses will drink more readily if the water is cool. Consider keeping water sources in shaded areas. Adding a second bucket in the horse’s stall can ensure they will have an adequate amount of water available. Making sure that buckets and tanks are regularly cleaned can also help encourage consumption. You can also view our various water systems for your horse stalls here.
- Salt Life – Similar to us, electrolytes can do wonders for our horses. Providing a mineral or salt block will encourage your horse to drink more water and helps to replace the loss of this essential mineral when they sweat. Salt is an electrolyte, but adding an electrolyte formula, especially if your horse is working in the heat may be necessary. Reaching out to a nutritionist through your feed provider is a great place to start when you have questions about making sure that your horse is getting the adequate amounts of nutrients in their diet. You can explore 3 feed and water options available for your horse stall fronts here.
- Keep it Shady – After water, providing shade is the most essential necessity when trying to keep horses cool. If horses are in the pasture during the heat of the day, they should have access to shade. This shade can come in many forms from tree lines to loafing sheds or access to awnings off barns or open access to coming and going in stalls. If there is no access to shade in the pasture, leaving a horse in their horse stall on the hottest days is a great plan.
- Nights Out – Sometimes the best thing to offer a horse is a schedule adjustment! Turning out at night is a great way to avoid the heat of the day. Just make sure that fencing is secure, and horses are turned out in groups and areas that they are familiar with. If night turnout isn’t an option, early morning turnout is usually better as it tends to be the hottest starting in the early afternoon until dusk. Monitor your horses, if they are waiting by the gate, sweating, or fighting with the flies, they would probably rather be inside.
- Easy Breeze – Keeping the air moving can go a long way in helping to keep your horse comfortable and can also help keep flies at bay. Opening Dutch doors, Barn Entry Doors, and Barn Windows in the barn to allow for a cross breeze is a good start. Adding fans to your horse stalls can be a great relief, just be sure to select fans that are approved for agricultural use and install them out of reach of the horses. A focus on proper ventilation in the barn year-round is key for horse health.
Check back with us for 5 more tips for staying cool in our next installment! In the meantime, please feel free to contact our team if you may have any questions on how to further cool your barn. We are always available at (855) 957-8255 or you may fill out our Contact Form. One of our expert Project Managers looks forward to helping you!
