What's everyone doing to keep horses COOL!!!!!!

[Taylor Jo]

It's been in the high 80's with high humdity here in Mo. Heat index of 92*. Today I noticed when I went out to bring my horses in they were sweaty all over. I put them in the barn and then I brought two out at a time and hosed them off, they really like that.

What are you doing? I'd really like to know what everyone else is doing, maybe we can get some tips from each other

Here's what I've been doing over the past couple of weeks.

1. Adding more water to my beets at night.

2. Having the fans on them till it cools down in the evening in the barn. Just about 830-9pm.

3. IF they come in from the pasture sweaty cool them off with the hose.

4. Provide plenty of fresh clean water.

5. I have plenty of shade for everyone so they can get out of the hot sun.

6. If it gets to hot I bring them in early in the summer, hose them down and get the fans on them. I do try to be careful though and NOT drop their temps to fast. Sometimes if I have time, I'll put them out earlier and bring them in earlier and that works out good.

 

[JaiteraMiniatures]

Surprisingly our Minis usually don't get too hot...maybe because they've lived in 90+ degree with with 100% humidity all their lives [sweet home Alabama]? I'm not sure

We clip them and they have plenty of water/shade all year round though.

As for our large horses (who do tend to get hot, sweaty, and just have the over all "I'm melting out here" look) they get brought in during the day from about 9am till 4pm. They have several fans on them in the stalls and they really enjoy it, the bugs also don't pester them as much. Then, they get put out at night so they don't burn up as much (even though it's still in the 70's with high humidity at night here).

I can't really think of much more you could do. I think shade and water are the essentials though. Oh, and fans of course

 

[eagles ring farm]

We have plenty of shade, the hallway to the barn which we leave open and doors at each end a nice breeze can often blow through. also lean toos but they like the barn aisle better.

Plenty of cool water (we have smaller tanks so top them off each morning so they stay cooler)

Right now I have the fans on in the barn till it cools down too probably till 9-10pm

 

[Marty]

Hosing off

Clipping of course

Putting frozen milk jugs out in the water troughs

Soaking beet pulp in straight Gatorade, washing out stall buckets and feeders with baking soda keeps them from getting that sour smell, frozen 8 ounce pepsi bottles in the stall water buckets,

but mostly, I don't let them get that hot in the first place. I've had dealings with heat stroke before and I don't want it and know what to look for so prevention is key. Soon as the temps start rising up real high, mine are back in the barn under the fans munching on hay. I hate summer.

 

[chandab]

I'll let you know as soon as we have more than one day above 70. We've barely hit 55 the last 2 weeks or so, and we've had overcast skies and its trying to rain.

 

[love_casper]

When we were in Los Angeles, we had fans in every stall and a mister system in the paddock. My little guys just loved standing under it all day. And they love popsicles! The biggies' boarding stable used to cut a watermelon in half and let a few have fun devouring it.

Out here in CO.... We've had 1 day in 80s so I haven't even clipped yet lol.

 

[horsefeather]

Taylor Jo,

Good tips. I do the fans and frozen water bottles in water.

Pam

 

[minie812]

Frozen jugs in water-fans-clipping and plenty of shade

 

[Taylor Jo]

Gee what great idea's about the bottles of frozen water and all the other tips. I do have my horses clipped and that does help a lot. I'll do the water trick tomorrow. OH YES and the Gatorade, GREAT IDEA.... Keep them coming, TJ

 

[shannonw]

Great post! We are due to hit 105 here on Saturday so I have been trying to figure out what I needed to do. We set up a fan in the stall. I have some milk jugs so I am going to freeze those tonight so they will be ready for our heat wave. Great ideas!

 

[user 3234]

We use Misters, clipping & lots of shade

 

[horsehug]

Living on the high plains of southwest Wyoming.

I couldn't help myself.

One thing I literally never have to worry about is keeping my horses cool. We still have had ice on the water buckets in the early morning!

If I ever clip my foals in the summer I still have to blanket them at night for about three weeks of hair growth. Like Chanda, our high today was around 55 or so.

Susan O. (still waiting not so patiently for Summer!)

 

[mydaddysjag]

I always used to hose my horses off when it was hot out and let them drip dry in their stalls, but a few summers ago I read somewhere that it can actually make them hotter, because the water lays on the coat and traps the heat in their pores/on their skin (or something along those lines)It said if you were going to hose them to cool them, that you should not let them drip dry, but instead scrape the water off. I dont know how true it is, but It scared me into getting out the sweat scraper.

We switched to a light colored water bucket, seems to keep the water cooler than the black one we had in his stall. Also make sure to scrub the water bucket daily, my horse isnt a good drinker, and flat out refuses to drink from a bucket thats mildly dirty. I've been working him in the evenings when it cools down and the humidity lets up, and making sure to hand walk him for an extra 10 minutes even after I think he's cooled out.

The ice jugs are a great idea!

 

[Mominis]

My B.O. had mentioned trying out misters. How do they work with the bedding? I hate to think about Shake standing in damp bedding. Has anyone ever had this issue or does it just evaporate too quickly.

Shake is getting Gatorade in both his turnout pen and in his stall in addition to a plain bucket of water. Though he always ignores the plain bucket and slurps up the Gatorade.

 

[Taylor Jo]

daddysjag I never thought about the water trapping the heat, I'll use the sweat wand next time. I wonder how true that is. Good ? about the misters if they make the shavings wet. If my house wasn't up forsale I'd probably put them in if it wasn't a problem for shavings. However, good future reference. Instead of waiting till 930 this morning to put my horses out I'm going to put them out at 8 and then put them up earlier, I think that's a great idea to do it earlier. TJ

 

[Shari]

Well, this year I don't have to body clip. We have been having lots of cool weather 50/60* and rain.

So if it gets to hot for everyone, they can always visit the NW.

 

[bullockcorner]

Hey, Taylor Jo!

Great tips! I have one to add: I use fly spray with sunscreen in it. I've found that Flysect Super 7 works the best - especially on my black horses. I have literally gone to the barn to see my black mare hiding in the shade all sweaty (we have a run-in barn), I spray her with the sunscreen/fly spray, and she immediately walks out and starts grazing! BTW, it also does a great job keeping their coats from fading.

 

[Katiean]

We have just been in the 50's and 60's. Heat is not a problem. This week we did hit the 70's. By the weekend they say we will hit the 80's. We will see. Horses have plenty of shade. as it gets a bit warmer I will take the plastic off of the stalls so they can have a breeze.

 

[Taylor Jo]

Hey, Taylor Jo!

Great tips! I have one to add: I use fly spray with sunscreen in it. I've found that Flysect Super 7 works the best - especially on my black horses. I have literally gone to the barn to see my black mare hiding in the shade all sweaty (we have a run-in barn), I spray her with the sunscreen/fly spray, and she immediately walks out and starts grazing! BTW, it also does a great job keeping their coats from fading.

WOW, that's great cause I have a black horse that Melissa is showing right now and I bet that would help her a lot. Thanks for the tip, I'll see if I can find it around here.

It might also help my black and whites too, especially my Nikki who tends to fade. Melissa is also showing her as well. Thanks again, TJ