Protect your horse from sunburn and heatstroke

Summer may be nearing an end, but in some parts of Britain the heatwave continues. The UK’s largest horse charity, The British Horse Society (BHS), has issued advice to owners for keeping their horses safe from sunburn and heatstroke during high temperatures. 

Sunburn

Horses are affected by the sun in exactly the same way as humans – much like paler skinned and fair headed humans, horses with pale flesh coloured skin and grey or white fur are the most susceptible to sunburn.

Lee Hackett, BHS Director of Policy, said: “Anybody who has been burnt on holiday knows how much it hurts. Our message is simple – horses need suntan cream and shade too. Owners need to be extra vigilant during this heat wave.”

“If your horse has pink – rather than brown – skin, they are particularly at risk. Their muzzles are very sensitive to the sun so ensure sun cream is applied liberally around that area.

Many horse sun cream brands are available on the market, but the BHS advises that any sun protection will be beneficial.

As with humans, higher factor SPF and waterproof sun creams are recommended, for instance kid’s sun block, and should be applied regularly throughout the day.

Horses that do get burnt can be treated with aloe vera or after sun lotion, but a vet should see extreme cases.

Take care

The British Horse Society also advises that horses have continual access to water throughout the day. Any field with horses in should have plenty of shaded areas, otherwise horses can be left in the stable in the day and turned out overnight.

Finally, when travelling on long journeys, horses should be given breaks from the heat of the horsebox. Air-conditioning can also be bought for horseboxes.