Whether you have competition horses, happy hackers, or field ornaments, managing the heat with horses is a big responsibility horse owners face. In the (precious few) summer days we get in the UK, ensuring horses are kept as cool as possible, whilst staying on top of hydration, is vital for keeping horses comfortable and safe during a heatwave.

Horses, like people, are designed to sweat to cool themselves down. In fact, horses in moderate to intense work can sweat between 5 and 15 litres of fluid per hour! You may have noticed even horses turned out in the field will sweat to keep themselves as cool as possible. But this requires a constant supply of fluid to keep up with the amount they are losing through their skin, particularly when you consider the surface area which they must cover.

Access to water 24/7 is critical to keeping horses hydrated and healthy during a hot spell. Adding electrolytes to their feeding routine is one trick, alongside others, to keep horses hydrated, even when they’re picky drinkers!

Here are a few of our summer horse care suggestions to keep them cool, hydrated, and happy in a heatwave…

The science behind sweating

Whilst horses are very well equipped to cope with cold weather, their thermostats struggle when the temperatures start to rise. They rely heavily on sweating to cool their bodies down, through a mechanism called evaporative cooling. The fluid on the surface of the skin will absorb some of the body heat and evaporate away, drawing the heat with it and lowering their core temperature.  Horse’s sweat contains latherin, a soapy component that lathers up and increases the surface area for evaporation.

Horses are made up of approximately 65-70% of water, but they can lose up to 10% of their body weight (and water weight) through sweating. If this is not replenished, it can lead to dehydration, and a lack of fluid to continue cooling them down. Keeping horses hydrated is important for your summer horse care plan to ensure they can regulate their body temperature and have enough water and minerals available to continue functioning effectively.

Hydration in horses

An average horse will typically drink 25 to 55 litres of water a day, but this can drastically increase during periods of hot weather. Ensuring fresh water is readily available at all times is vital to ensure your horse is getting enough water to keep themselves hydrated.

Alongside a fresh water supply, there are a few other tactics you can do to boost your horse’s hydration levels.

·         Soaking their hay or haylage in water will significantly boost the water weight and give your horse another vessel for staying hydrated. A quick soak from 10 to 30 minutes should do the trick.

·          Mix water with your feeds or add in a sloppy mash like sugar beet or any other soaked feed. There are some great options available which contain plenty of minerals that horses can lose through excessive sweating, as well as being palatable for fussy eaters/drinkers!

Some horses are fussy drinkers, particularly away from home (like at competitions for example). It’s even more important that your horse replenishes their water intake after periods of hard work, so getting your horse to drink should be a priority. Mixing something sweet like juice with their water can encourage them to drink or opt for a sloppy mash (as above) to replenish their water levels whilst getting some nutrients back into them. Light coloured buckets are often preferable for fussy drinkers as they can see into the bucket (high maintenance or what!).

Electrolytes

Supplementing your horse’s mineral uptake with electrolytes has so many benefits for horses during a heat wave or intense exercise all year round. Here’s how they work:

·         Promote water uptake by cells in the body to maximise hydration.

·         They contain sodium which stimulates the thirst reflex and gets horses to drink more.

·         Assist muscles with functioning and enable proper muscle contraction and relaxation. This helps to prevent cramps, muscle injuries, and conditions like tying-up.

·         Help to break down toxic levels of lactic acid in the body, produced after hard exercise and exertion.

When supplementing with electrolytes it is important to ensure constant access to fresh water, as horses will typically drink more. If they don’t hydrate enough, it can lead to an imbalance of minerals and have a negative effect on their hydration levels. You can add electrolytes to your feeds or add them into water. Some mashes also contain electrolytes designed to be soaked and fed after intense exercise to replenish minerals and nutrients as well as hydration.

If you want a quick fix, or if you prefer a more natural approach, adding a tablespoon of salt into their feed has the same effect as electrolytes. Just make sure you aren’t doubling up and overdosing them on sodium!

Managing the heat with horses

Heat management is the best way to keep horses cool and comfortable no matter the weather. Theres a few things you can incorporate into your summer horse care plan during a heatwave and after intense exercise to help them recover and stay as comfortable as possible.

When it comes to turning out or keeping them stabled during hot weather, each horse will be different. Some horses prefer to be inside, where they’re out of the sun and away from the worst of the flies, whilst others prefer to be outdoors, moving around, and finding shade for themselves. Either way, making sure both indoors and outdoors are comfortable and well set up is a priority in hot weather.

When turning horses out, make sure that shade is readily available throughout the day as the sun travels. Some horses won’t opt to stand under it but make sure it’s available should they choose to. Fresh water at all times is another must-have in your fields to ensure appropriate hydration and to top up their water levels whilst they’re sweating.

For stabled horses, create air flow where you can. Whether that is opening doors and windows or setting up a fan to circulate air flow. This will help to prevent horses from sweating too much standing in and getting uncomfortable. Again, always ensure water is available.

After exercise or to cool them off, washing horses off with cold water is a great way to reset their thermostat and bring their core temperature back down. Focus the water on areas like the neck, sacroiliac region, and the inside of their hind legs, as this is where large blood vessels are located. Washing with cool water and then using a scraper to remove the excess water is the most effective way to keep them cool. Repeat this as many times as necessary.