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| THE VET'S NOTEBOOK |
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Horses and Hot Weather
by Dr. David Ramey, DVM
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The recent spell of hot weather should remind you that your horse has to live outside in the heat. Fortunately, horses are very well adapted to tolerate, and even work in, hot weather, provided that you observe a few simple precautions.
In the heat, the horse's body tries to keep itself cool primarily by sweating. Sweat evaporates on the surface of the skin and helps to keep the internal temperature of the horse within normal range. The problems that horses have in hot weather relate to the loss of the elements that make up sweat--mainly water and electrolytes. (There is some protein in horse sweat, too. That's why horses lather when they sweat heavily. The protein forms a foam in the same way that the protein in egg whites form meringue when whipped. However, horses don't lose enough protein in sweat to cause problems.)
Use Water Wisely
The most important thing to provide for a horse in the heat is water. Horses can lose massive amounts of water while working and can become dehydrated easily. It's important to allow them free access to fresh, clean water at all times when they are not working. When they are working, a horse can be allowed to drink as much water as he likes, as often as he wants, if the horse continues to work.
For example, a horse on an endurance ride can drink at every creek, trough, and well as long as he is ridden off when he is done. There may be problems, however, if a horse is allowed to drink large amounts of water immediately after exercise is stopped. If a horse tanks up on water when he has stopped exercising, he may drink enough water to make himself sick. This may be manifested as signs of colic. There are also reports of horses developing laminates (or founder) when heavily watered after exercise. So it's always best to cool your horse off slowly, allowing him to drink small amounts of water frequently, while he cools off over fifteen or twenty minutes.
The horse should be allowed to cool off and relax a few minutes before bathing in cold water, too. When it's hot, a cool bath will help the horse cool down, but cold water on hot muscles can cause the horse's muscles to cramp or make him uncomfortable. Let your horse have plenty of water when he's done working in the heat--just let him have it slowly.
Electrolyte Supplements
Electrolytes are salts, primarily sodium and potassium, that are used by the body to setup electrical gradients that allow for muscle contraction, nervous system activity, and a variety of other bodily systems. Horses lose considerable amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride in their sweat. This is rarely a problem for the horse in the course of normal exercise.
It can, however, be a significant problem in the course of heavy endurance activity. Loss of body electrolytes impedes muscle function in the limbs, respiratory system, and intestinal tract and, if there is excessive loss, electrolytes must be replaced. But if you exercise your horse carefully in the heat and allow him access to water, this should not be a problem.
Should you provide electrolyte supplements? There's rarely a need for this in horses because horse feeds have tremendous amounts of salts in them naturally--more than enough to supply the body's needs. Feeding excess salt to the horse does not help the body, and the extra salt is merely excreted. It's not harmful--just wasteful. It you insist on feeding electrolytes to your horse, do so in the feed, not the water. Neither you nor your horse could survive drinking salt water.
Common Sense Tips for Hot Weather
You can do some common sense things to help your horse through the heat. Try not to work him during the hottest part of the day. When the outside temperature rises above the horse's body temperature (99.5 to 101 degrees), it becomes much more difficult for the horse to cool himself off than when it's cooler.
Try to work your horse in the morning or evening, if possible. Remember not to cover your horse up when it's hot. Remove all blankets and sheets during the heat of the day. Also remember that, when you ride your horse, the saddle, blanket and you provide a significant source of extra work and extra insulation that the horse must deal with in the heat. Take it easy. Finally, make sure that your horse isn't overweight. Fat serves as an extra layer of insulation and impedes normal cooling.
I don't see that many problems related to hot weather. Most people seem to have a good amount of common sense when it comes to dealing with their horses in extreme heat. Remember that your horse is working hard to stay cool when it's hot, and it's up to you to help him.
© 1998 by Dr. David W. Ramey. All Rights Reserved.
Dr. David Ramey is a 1983 graduate of Colorado State University. He is the author of numerous books and articles on horse health, including Horsefeathers: Facts vs. Myths About Your Horse's Health and the Concise Guide series on equine health care. He can be reached at (818) 953-8528. |
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