Keeping Horses Cool

[Miss_Sassy_Pants]

@Alibhai's Alibar

My favorite cooling method is only short-term, but it makes a difference: either after a ride or just on one of those miserably hot days, hose off the horse completely with cool water. Then stand the horse somewhere out of the sun, like in the shade or in a barn, in front of the largest fan you can get your hands on until the horse is dry. Those big barn aisle fans are ideal for this. It will leave your horse cool to the touch, and has the added benefit of leaving your horse with a smooth and glossy coat. My horse practically falls asleep when we do this. I’m in central NJ, so my definition of hot isn’t the same as “Florida hot,” but it leaves my guy cool and dry all over.

You have to be careful, though, with this method. If the horse’s body is too hot, it will actually heat the water on the surface of the skin making it hotter. If it’s just a little hot, hosing and letting the horse stand is probably fine. But if the horse has exercised or if the weather is above 90 degrees, I would scrape after hosing with cold water.

[Renn_aissance]

@Miss Sassy Pants

You have to be careful, though, with this method. If the horse’s body is too hot, it will actually heat the water on the surface of the skin making it hotter. If it’s just a little hot, hosing and letting the horse stand is probably fine. But if the horse has exercised or if the weather is above 90 degrees, I would scrape after hosing with cold water.

I second this.

On fans: all of my horse’s barnmates have box fans. My horse has a sealed motor agricultural fan from Northern Tool. Best $100 I ever spent. Box fans don’t have enough power- they just blow hot air around. My guy parks in the back of his stall and sleeps with his mane blowing in the breeze. Occasionally he turns around to make his mane blow the other way. The barn staff come and cool off under his fan too. Also, the thing is quite unlikely to short out and catch fire, which is always a plus.

Do I recall that one of yours is a poor sweater? At least swap the fan out for that guy. It makes a huge difference.

[Alibhai_s_Alibar]

@Miss Sassy Pants

You have to be careful, though, with this method. If the horse’s body is too hot, it will actually heat the water on the surface of the skin making it hotter. If it’s just a little hot, hosing and letting the horse stand is probably fine. But if the horse has exercised or if the weather is above 90 degrees, I would scrape after hosing with cold water.

Yes- the fans I use for this are big enough that the horse is cool to the touch and dry in about 15-20 minutes after hosing.

[warriorhorse]

Industrial size fan, cost $$$ but worth the money. Box fans don’t move much air. My industrial fan is going strong 12 years this year.

When hot/humid I hose off horse sweat scrape and put them in stalls with fan blowing on them. Once dry both are cool and comfortable with fan going. Bugs this year are horrible worst I’ve ever seen.

So being left in pasture to stand under trees for shade isn’t an option. Both horse’s are at the gate near barn wanting in by 7:30 am… they are covered in flies ,ready to go in barn to seek refuge from bugs. Ready for summer to be gone and ready for fall time. Summer is nothing but hot /humid and buggy unfit for man or beast outside.

[Mukluk]

If possible take them to the beach so they can splash around in the water. Or take them to the MOUNTAINS- if you can- higher elevation is cooler. OR send the to New Zealand- it’s winter there!

[irish_horse]

It was 104-106 all weekend. On Friday afternoon I looked around the stable: literally every horse was out grazing. Old and young, no one was under their shelter, or a tree. I thought they were crazy, as I was melting. Our pastures are irrigated, so it is probably cooler out in the grass? Every horse has a shelter option, and large water trough, but all were fine. I checked them over and went home to cool myself off!