Preparing for Summer: Keeping Your Horse Cool and Hydrated
Preparing for Summer: Keeping Your Horse Cool and Hydrated
I believe we can all agree that summer has arrived, and it’s time to get ready for those scorching hot days.
Fresh, Cool Water
Hydration is essential during the hot months, but poor water quality can significantly reduce your horse’s water intake. Most horses prefer not to drink warm water, so providing fresh, cool water on a daily basis is crucial. Dark-colored troughs or buckets left in direct sunlight will absorb heat and warm the water quickly.
- Keep horse water troughs and buckets clean and free from algae to encourage drinking
- Be aware that accumulated algae and debris may be difficult to see at the bottom of dark-colored troughs.
- An additional tip: overfill water buckets and troughs to maintain moisture for your horse’s hooves, especially in dry climates.
Supplementation
Horse feeds typically lack sufficient salt to fulfill their daily sodium needs. Therefore, it is advisable to provide an extra source of salt. At the very least, a salt block should be readily available. However, since horses are not natural lickers, they may not consume enough on their own. A good way to ensure they get enough salt is to top-dress their feed with 2 oz of plain salt each day.
During the “sweating season,” whether due to temperature, workload, or travel, you should switch to a quality electrolyte. This will provide essential minerals such as potassium and calcium, along with salt, that your horse loses through sweat. The best electrolytes are primarily mineral-based, not sugar-laden.
Shelter
We all know how refreshing it is to relax under a shade tree in the summer compared to being exposed to the full sun, and your horse feels the same way. If your turnout areas lack trees, consider providing a run-in shed or a fabric sunscreen as shelter to help keep your horses cool.
- Horses primarily cool themselves through evaporative and convective cooling.
- To assist them, consider giving cool baths or using sprinklers to enhance their comfort and reduce their need to sweat.
- If there’s no breeze, provide a fan to circulate the air. Some farms even use large golf course fans to keep horses cool in pastures.
- Additionally, remember that being outside in the sun may be more comfortable than being in a stuffy barn with poor airflow.
Exercise and Heat Stress in Horses
Metabolic heat generated by exercise is a significant source of heat for horses; therefore, it is best to limit strenuous exercise to early morning or late evening when temperatures and humidity are lower. Alternatively, consider easing up on hard training during the hottest months of summer.
Even though summer can be challenging with the heat, these tips can help your horse stay healthy and happy throughout the year. Here are some of our favorite summertime essentials for your horses, whether at home or in travel-friendly sizes:
RepleniMash:
On a hot day, during a long haul, or after a tough ride, reach for Purina® RepleniMash™. With built-in electrolytes and Outlast® Gastric Support, it’s the perfect solution to rehydrate, replenish, and comfort your horse when they need it most.
Purina RepleniMash is conveniently available in a 7lb travel size or a larger 25lb bag!
MQ Systemiq
Ensuring Your Horse’s Probiotic is Effective
How can you be sure the probiotic you’re giving to your horse is truly effective? There’s a chance it might not be. For a probiotic to function optimally, it needs to remain alive throughout both the manufacturing process and the horse’s acidic stomach. It’s time to rethink your approach and gain assurance in your choice with Purina’s new MQ Systemiq probiotic supplement.
Benefits of MQ Systemiq™ Probiotic Supplement
Whether your horse encounters challenges from intense exercise, trailering, competition, or occasional gastrointestinal stress, the Systemiq™ probiotic supplement supports horses at all levels in overcoming these obstacles. Its research demonstrates that it remains live and active despite the demands of manufacturing and the harsh gastric environment, providing a systemic effect for your horse. Don’t just take our word for it; listen to theirs.
Purina Outlast Gastric Support Supplement
Many horse owners trust Purina Outlast Gastric Support Supplement for maintaining their horses’ comfort, especially during stressful times like travel, competition season or fluctuating temperatures. This supplement acts swiftly, provides long-lasting relief, and surpasses other gastric support options.
What Makes It Unique?
- In-Depth Research: Purina’s team of Ph.D. experts has conducted over 33 research projects to explore how the Outlast supplement enhances gastric health.
- Exclusive Ingredient: The proprietary mineral complex found in Outlast® is sourced from seaweed-based calcium harvested off the coast of Iceland.
- Unique Calcium Source- In contrast to other calcium sources labeled as “calcite,” the “seaweed-derived calcium” in the Outlast® supplement offers distinct benefits.
Purina’s Outlast Gastric Supplement is conveniently available in a 9lb travel size or a larger 40lb bag!
Equitub w/ClariFly
Purina’s Equitub w/ClariFly is a premium self-fed supplement that provides gastric support, fly control, and consistent nutrition in an easy-to-feed and convenient form. This innovative horse tub combines 3 supplements into a single product:
- ClariFly larvicide is expelled in manure, where it helps control house and stable fly populations by interrupting their life cycle.
- Outlast gastric support supplement promotes gastric health and proper pH.
- Amplify nugget to support endurance and bloom.
Available in a 55lb tub.
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