User Tips

As those of us in the Western hemisphere know, Summer is fast approaching, and with summer comes sun! Now while we may be lapping it up, there are precautions that must always be taken in the heat, especially if you're a horse owner! One of our users has sent us some helpful tips, feel free to add yours below!

Make sure you know when not to ride your horse! While horses can sweat, when it gets too hot, a horse can struggle to cool themselves down well. Only 30% of their sweat cools them unlike our 50%! The average horse can sweat up to 12 liters a day, but adding heat and humidity can make this as much as 18 liters. This means your horse is losing a lot of electrolytes and body fluids. A good way to help with this is to keep your horse loaded with salt blocks!

If you live in a very hot area, try to ride when the sun is low - such as early morning or evenings so it's cooler. There are ways online to check what temperature is safe for your horse, but a typical rule is checking the temperature in Fahrenheit, and adding the humidity (EG 80F + 50% = 130). If your numbers add to over 170, do not ride your horse as it can cause health issues! Between 130-170, be careful as your horse can no longer effectively cool itself. Below 130 and you're good to go! A good tip to keep your horse cool is to spray them down with cold water.

Did you have any other suggestions on keeping your horse cool and well in this weather? Comment them below to help other users! Or even comment methods for keeping yourself cool, anything helps!