To keep horses safe and healthy during hot weather, ensure constant access to 50–70 litres of fresh water daily, provide shaded shelter, and restrict strenuous exercise to the cool early morning or late evening hours.
Watch closely for signs of dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke.
Hydration and Water Management Increase supply: A 500kg horse can drink 50–70 litres (4–6 buckets) daily, or up to 55+ litres normally, which increases significantly with work or heat. Multiple sources: Provide more than one water source to prevent bullying, and clean troughs regularly to stop algae growth. Encourage drinking: Add a splash of apple juice or feed sloppy mashes/soaked hay if a horse is reluctant to drink.
Shade, Shelter, and Stabling Turnout shade: Ensure access to trees, hedges, or a field shelter. Keep in mind that natural shade from trees moves with the sun. Stabling: Bring horses inside during the peak heat of the day only if the stable is cool and properly ventilated.
Exercise and Cooling Modify routines: Avoid riding during the hottest, most humid parts of the day. Cooling down: Hose or sponge horses down with cool water, focusing on large muscle masses, and scrape off excess heated water to aid cooling. Fly and sun protection: Apply safe fly repellents, use fly masks/sheets, and use sunscreen on pink or vulnerable skin areas to prevent sunburn.
