In the UK it’s fair to say that we’re not used to high temperatures so when they do arrive and last longer than a couple of days, it can become slightly challenging. The MirrorMePR Equine Team has some great tips for stable management during the hot weather…
1. Ride Early Or Late
Ride when the temperatures are lower, and flies are less active: Either early in the morning or late in the evening. You and your horse will get so more from your training session, and you’ll enjoy your hack out in the cooler temperatures without being bothered by the flies.
2. Going Out Out
Turning your horse out 24/7 will help cut down the amount of physical work required concerning mucking out his stable, but make sure he has ample shelter from the sun. In the scorching weather, you might find bringing him in for a few hours during the hottest part of the day ensures he is out of the sun at its peak.
3. Adapt Your Routine
Adapt your routine and your ridden work to cope with a sudden heatwave. Neither you or your horse want to be working hard in the heat so adapt to the weather and ride at more cooling times of the day and organise those more physical jobs to be done early morning or late evening.
4. Water, Water
Make sure your horse has access to clean water at all times. Whether he is in the field, stable or at a show, ensuring that your horse has access to water is imperative. Washing your horse down can also help, but make sure you hose and sweat scrape him off and hose and sweat scrape off repeatedly to improve the cooling process.
5. Clipping
As experts in equestrian PR, we know that older animals can struggle in the heat and very often their coats remain heavier than younger animals during the summer months. If your veteran struggles in the heatwave, then clipping his coat off during the hot summer months will help regulate his temperature.
6. Sun Protection
As experts in equestrian PR, we know that just like our skin, horse’s can burn. Horse’s muzzles and those animals with a fine coat and pink skin can suffer from sunburn so apply a waterproof sunblock to vulnerable areas and where possible use UV protective rugs, face masks and leg wraps out in the field.
7. Heatstroke
As experts in equestrian PR, we know that heatstroke in horses can be very serious, even life-threatening. Make sure you don’t overexert your horse and adapt your riding to suit the temperatures.
8. In The Shade
It’s not only your horse you need to keep out of the sun, ensure that your grooming kit, but tack and rugs are also kept out of direct sunlight. As experts in equestrian PR, we know that oils and creams can quickly melt and create a mess in your grooming kit, and your leather tack can become brittle and dry if left out in the sun for long. Metal elements can also become scolding hot in direct sun.
9. Be Prepared
If you already know that hot weather is forecast, then simple things such as preparing all your hay nets in advance for the week can help cut down the effort of filling them daily when the temperatures are unbearable. Think about all those hard physical jobs and try and simplify them during the heatwave.
10. Your Biggest Fan
Fans can be a welcome addition to the indoor barn to circulate air, but make sure the cables are well out of the way of inquisitive teeth and ensure they are never left unattended.
11. Double The Trouble
In sweltering weather, add an additional bucket of water to his stable overnight. Soaking your horses’ hay can also add vital moisture to your horses’ uptake of water during hot weather. Organic aloe vera supplement Aloeride can also support hydration during the hot weather.
