Get Ahead of The Heat Wave: Tips For Using Summer Horse Rugs

There are various kinds of horse rugs available. Thus, before you buy, it is important to consider what your horse requires. When it comes to putting a rug on your horse, there were not many options available not too long ago. That is no longer the case.

Do you ever question what to cover your horse with, in terms of rugs? Are you checking the sky and your weather app every 10 minutes to get the answers? Simply put, horse owners may experience persistent headaches due to horse rug. In the summer, flies and midges can bite and irritate horses. Good summer horse rugs prevent this from happening. They are made for hot weather and are lightweight and breathable. These can be availed with UV protection to prevent the sun from bleaching your horse's coat.

Summer days can be brutal on horses and their riders, especially if they spend most of their time outside in the sun with no chance to escape the heat. In these conditions, it’s crucial to keep your horse comfortable so that he doesn’t suffer from heat exhaustion or worse yet, die from heat stroke.

The summer horse rugs can make all the difference in how your horse copes with summer weather and protects against the sun's harmful rays. Here are some tips on how to use summer horse rugs properly to keep your horse safe from excessive heat.

summer horse rugs

How To Know When Your Horse Needs Summer Horse Rugs:

Below highlighted are some points which can help you better evaluate whether your horse needs a rug:

How old is your horse?

An older horse could require additional warmth to maintain health and maintain weight.

The load that your horse must carry

Summer horse rugs can add extra warmth throughout the summer if your horse is clipped suffers from cold during the night and has a heavy workload. Think about whether your horse needs a rug if they are not working and have not had their nails cut.

Health of your horse

Keeping your horse covered with summer horse rugs can also help prevent illness if they are prone to it, especially due to insect bites.

The type of horse you own

Thoroughbreds and Arabs are examples of horses with fine skin and fur. Compared to other breeds, they will feel the cold and damp more. (Keep in mind that each horse is unique; be sure your rugging strategy works for your horse.)

Preventing insect bites for your horse

Summer horse rugs help keep biting insects away from your horse throughout the summer when they are most active.

Rugging Horses in a Warm Climate

The important thing to keep in mind is that a horse finds it far simpler to warm up than to cool down, and this is where the risk is. The main problem might be during too warm days. The horse might perspire under the heavy rug you put on as you hurry to work in the morning.

A horse that is overrugged may become overheated, and a horse that cannot properly cool off can experience heat stress.

Is Your Horse Hot Under the Collar? Here Are the Signs Of Heat Stress

The signs include:

  • Reduced appetite
  • Symptoms of restlessness or a colic
  • Fast Heart and Breathing Rate
  • Dehydration
horse rugs

Conclusion

Finally, it is advised that you remove summer horse rugs as soon as you can and cold hose your horse's entire body to lower its body temperature, if it exhibits symptoms of overheating and heat stress.

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