7 Summer Horse Care Tips

Hi there!

Summer is in full swing here in Florida and it is hot hot hot! From extra water bottles to breezy clothing, I am constantly finding ways to keep cool in the summer heat. Of course, I’m not the only one trying to keep cool in this heat; our animals are too! I’ll be sharing a post shortly about how to keep your dog cool this summer, but before then, today’s post features 7 horse care tips for the summer!

1. Ride when it’s coolest out – early mornings/evenings

During the summer, unless I’m at the beach or pool with access to water, the last thing I want to do is something outside at the hottest times of the day (i.e. 11am-3pm). If I don’t want to be out at that time of the day, I can almost guarantee that my horse doesn’t either. Think about it – they’re wearing up to 3 layers of tack (saddle pad, half pad, and saddle) on their back plus you! That’s a lot of heat coming in without the sun. Here in Florida, most of my summer lessons are anywhere between 7-9am (starting) or after 5pm in the evenings. 

I also like to stay cool in riding tights/pants in the summer. See my review of the Botori Riding Pant here. 

2.  Hose off your horse after riding

One of my favorite summer horse care tips and something I always do after a ride (unless it’s cold), is to hose off my horse after a ride. Similar to how we cool off with a nice shower or a dip in the pool or ocean, a horse can cool off with a good cold rinse! When you hose a horse off you are helping to lower their body temperature and cool them off from their workout. When I’m rinsing them off, I also keep the fan on so that their bodies are getting cooled down multiple ways at the same time. I usually do this one time but some people rinse, scrape off the water and rinse again until their body feels cool!

3. Night turn out!

Since the temperatures can be unbearable during the day, it’s best to switch to night turn out during the summer months. The time of day would vary depending on where you are and what the temperatures are like, but most of our horses are turned out between 5-7pm usually. If your horse doesn’t sweat, you might want to consider waiting longer to turn them out to prevent any type of over-heating or an aid to help them sweat (a horse at my barn has a special beer that he has in his evening grain haha!). 

**Please consult your vet and barn manager before providing any aids if this is new** 

4. Make sure your horse has plenty of water!

Hydration is SO important! To be sure that your horses are drinking enough water, I recommend checking their water buckets multiple times a day. Just like us, horses are trying to stay cool and are drinking more water. By keeping an eye on their water buckets you can see how much water they’re drinking (enough or not enough) which can prevent any potential issues or vet visits. Another option that you can also do (if available) is to keep their water trough in a shaded area to keep the water cool. I know that this option might not be feasible because of plumbing and other reasons, but if so it could help!

There’s a few other ideas that are more horse specific/owner preference that can help your horse drink more water such as:

• Salt blocks
• Electrolyte supplements

 5. Invest in a fan(s)

My barn currently has fans in the wash racks and stalls. My friend’s barn also has a giant fan for the center of the barn that is used when tacking up, hosing down, etc. plus fans in their stalls. During the summer, the air can get very stagnant which feels like the hot air is just sitting there. A fan can keep a continuous breeze and keep them cool when the temperatures start to rise during the day. 

Here are a few fan options from Ramm Fence and FarmTek.

6. Provide shade if you can!

If you keep your horse at a barn, they will automatically have shade in their stalls. If you do pasture board or keep your horses outside 24/7, it’s great to be able to offer your horses as much shade as possible. One option for example is a simple covered shelter like this.  

7. Keep your horses clipped!

This last summer horse care tip is so important! If you have a dog with a thicker, longer coat then you already know the struggle. Many dogs with longer coats keep their fur trimmed shorter in the summer to help them keep cool. Similar to dogs, horses (can) need the same thing. Longer hair tends to hold in heat, making it harder for a horse to cool off. Keeping your horse’s coat at a short (but not too short) length, keeps them cool and protects their skin from any harmful UV rays!

Click here to view a ton of horse clippers and blades from Smartpak! 

Don’t forget that summer months also bring more rain which can lead to foot problems. See my how to groom a horse blog post for hoof care tips to prevent any unwanted moisture in your horse’s hooves!

How do you keep your horses cool? I’d love to know in the comments below!

Photography: Nicole Schultz Photography