| Your horse's health may be more at risk in | | | | Insects |
| oppressive heat than excessive cold. As heat and | | | | Horses come with varying degrees of sensitivity |
| humidity begin to crank up follow these tips to | | | | to insects. The menu of options to protect your |
| keep your horse happy and healthy. Use this | | | | horse against biting and disease- carrying insects |
| formula to determine if it is safe to work your | | | | range from the new pour-on topicals that last for |
| horse: | | | | two weeks to stall confinement in the most |
| Temperature (degrees F) + Humidity (%) - Wind | | | | severe cases. |
| speed (MPH.) | | | | The only way to determine the best approach for |
| Example: 90 (degrees) + 70 (percent) - 12 (MPH) | | | | your horse is through trial and error. Be careful |
| = 148 | | | | not to overuse fly sprays and don't let a residue |
| If the result is close to, or above 150, too much | | | | build up on your horse's coat. Some horses can |
| work could put your horse's health in jeopardy. | | | | develop chemical burns from layers of fly spray. |
| Learn how to monitor your horse's heart and | | | | Fly sheets vary widely in design and material. |
| respiration rates. Also become familiar with his | | | | Choose a fit that won't rub your horse and |
| normal sweating pattern. | | | | provides adequate air flow. Don't leave fly sheets |
| Water | | | | on for days at a time. Use them during the day |
| The most important element of equine health in | | | | or overnight, whichever bests protects your |
| hot weather is plenty of clean, cool water. No | | | | horse from sun and insects. Rinse fly sheets |
| matter what type of watering system you use | | | | regularly to keep your horse comfortable and |
| check it at least once daily. Automatic waterers | | | | lengthen the life of the sheet. |
| can quit, water lines break, horses sometimes | | | | Warning Signs |
| confuse their water bucket with the manure | | | | If your horse develops any of these conditions, |
| bucket, and playful horses knock over barrels and | | | | take action; properly diagnose and treat the |
| tanks leaving everyone without water. | | | | problem immediately. |
| If you horse goes off his feed, the first thing to | | | | - Hives or welts |
| check is the quality of the water. There are three | | | | - Hair loss |
| things you need to check when evaluating your | | | | - Dried sweat on their coat |
| horse's water supply: | | | | - Itching |
| - Quantity - is the bucket or barrel full? | | | | - Watery eyes |
| - Smell - does the water smell clean? | | | | - Unexplained weight loss |
| - Taste - If the water passes the smell test, go | | | | Grooming |
| ahead and dip your finger in the water and taste | | | | Horses require more frequent grooming in hot, |
| it. If you don't like it neither will your horse. | | | | humid months to keep their skin and coat healthy. |
| Flavor the Water | | | | Sweat builds up on the skin and horses are |
| A trick used by horse owners/trainers who haul | | | | subject to rain rot, scratches, and fungal |
| frequently is using flavored water. When your | | | | infections. Rinse your horse thoroughly to get the |
| horse drinks water at home flavored with | | | | sweat out of their hair as well as to remove old |
| Gatorade, apple juice, or Kool-Aid - you can | | | | fly spray from their skin. |
| usually get them to drink any potable water. For | | | | Use particular care in hot weather to keep leg |
| double duty from the water bucket, add either | | | | wraps, girths and saddle pads clean. Whenever |
| apple or orange flavored electrolytes. This | | | | possible use a separate cinch and pad for each |
| encourages your horse to drink more and keeps | | | | horse. |
| them balanced. | | | | Turn Out |
| Sometimes a horse's muzzle will peel and look dry | | | | Some horses do well turned out during the day if |
| and sore from sunburn; other times it can be | | | | there is adequate shade available. Others do |
| improved by balancing their micro-nutrient intake. | | | | better out at night and stalled during the day. For |
| Use sunscreen and try putting a soft block of | | | | gray horses or those with light skin and |
| trace minerals in your horse's feeder to see if the | | | | susceptible to sunburn, it is recommended to limit |
| situation improves. | | | | the time they are out during sunny hours. |