How to protect your horse during a heatwave
Discover how to protect your horse during a heatwave, recognize symptoms of heat stress, and prevent dehydration and heat stroke.
Summer brings longer days, more training hours, and many competitions, but it also presents one of the greatest challenges to horse health: high temperatures.
If you're wondering how to protect a horse during a heatwave, the key is to anticipate: adjust schedules, monitor hydration, replenish electrolytes when appropriate, and act quickly at any sign of heat stress.
When the heat becomes extreme, the risk of dehydration, exhaustion, or even heatstroke increases, a veterinary emergency that can endanger the animal's life if not acted upon in time.
In this Rincón del Valle guide, you'll find out how to care for your horse during a heatwave, what warning signs you should be aware of, and what products can help keep it cool during the summer.
How to quickly protect a horse from heat
During a heatwave:
- Avoid training between 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM.
- Keep clean, fresh water available at all times.
- Check water troughs multiple times.
- Provide shade and good ventilation.
- Replenish electrolytes when necessary.
- Cool the horse after exercise.
- Watch for any signs of heat stress.
If it shows several alarming symptoms or doesn't improve quickly after cooling, contact your vet immediately.
Symptoms of heat stress in horses
Detecting the first signs of heat stress is essential to act quickly and avoid complications.
Pay attention if you observe any of these symptoms:
- Rapid or labored breathing.
- Elevated heart rate.
- Excessive sweating or absence of sweat.
- Body temperature above 40 °C (104 °F).
- Weakness or lethargy.
- Muscle tremors.
- Lack of coordination.
- Dry gums or bluish tone.
- Loss of appetite.
- Very slow recovery after exercise.
If the horse shows several of these symptoms or doesn't improve quickly after cooling, contact your vet immediately.
Consequences of extreme heat in horses
When the body cannot properly regulate its temperature, various health problems can arise.
Heatstroke
Heatstroke is the most severe complication associated with high temperatures. It occurs when the horse cannot dissipate excess body heat and requires urgent veterinary attention.
Dehydration
The loss of water and essential minerals reduces physical performance and can affect the normal functioning of the body.
Electrolyte loss
Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chlorine, essential minerals for proper muscle function, are also eliminated through sweat.
In the horse supplements section, you can find products designed to complement their diet in specific situations.
Colic
Dehydration can favor digestive disorders and increase the risk of certain types of colic.
Muscle fatigue
Lack of hydration and electrolytes leads to a much slower recovery after work and promotes the appearance of cramps.
UV rays also affect horses
During the summer, we should not only worry about the temperature. Solar radiation can also cause injuries to certain horses.
Horses with pink noses, depigmented skin, or very light coats are much more sensitive to sunburn, especially during the central hours of the day.
If your horse spends many hours outdoors, make sure it always has access to shade and, if necessary, use specific sunscreen for the most sensitive areas.
Fly sheets for horses with UV protection are also an option to reduce sun exposure while in the paddock.
You can also consult our guide on fly masks and sheets for horses.
How to prevent heatstroke and dehydration
Prevention is the main tool to keep your horse healthy during hot weather.
Avoid training during the hottest hours
Schedule work for early morning or dusk.
Between 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM, physical activity should be minimized.
Keep clean water available at all times
A horse can consume between 25 and over 60 liters of water a day during the summer.
Check the water troughs several times and make sure there is always clean, fresh water available.
If living in a large paddock, it is advisable to install more than one water trough to avoid problems if one stops working.
Replenish electrolytes
After intense training or during heatwaves, horses lose large amounts of essential minerals.
In addition to having a salt lick, in certain situations it may be advisable to use specific horse supplements, such as electrolytes.
Maintain good ventilation
Stables should be well-ventilated, and whenever possible, the horse should have shaded areas when outside.
Cool the horse after exercise
A shower with cool water helps lower body temperature.
For more effective cooling, remove excess water with a sweat scraper before re-wetting.
In our horse care and cleaning section, you will find products for daily care and recovery after work.
Promote hydration through feeding
Offering mash, wetting hay, or maintaining a forage-rich diet can help increase water intake during the hottest months.
You can consult the horse feed section to find related products.
Products to protect your horse during a heatwave
At Rincón del Valle, we have various products designed to improve horse well-being during the summer.
Hydration and electrolyte replenishment
Rosehip Lolly Lick Stone
A simple way to promote daily mineral intake and encourage licking, especially useful during warm months.
NAF Electro Salts
Feed supplement formulated to replenish electrolytes that the horse loses through sweat after exercise or during high-temperature days.
Hippotonic Tonic Electrolytes
An option to promote proper hydration and aid recovery after work.
View Hippotonic Tonic Electrolytes
Muscle recovery and cold therapy
Norton Hot/Cold Pack
Ideal for applying localized cold after training or competitions.
NAF Ice Cool Gel
Helps cool muscles and tendons after exercise.
IceTight cold effect 24 h
Long-lasting cooling clay to promote tendon and ligament recovery.
View IceTight cold effect 24 h
QHP Cooling Tendon Boot Protectors
Reusable cooling protectors to accelerate recovery after work.
View QHP Cooling Tendon Boot Protectors
Sun and insect protection
UV-protective fly sheets help prevent discomfort caused by insects and protect the horse's skin from solar radiation.
You can check out:
Frequently asked questions about horses and heatwaves
How do you know if a horse has heat stress?
The main signs are rapid or labored breathing, elevated heart rate, excessive sweating or absence of sweat, body temperature above 40 °C (104 °F), weakness, lethargy, tremors, lack of coordination, and slow recovery after exercise.
How much water can a horse drink during the summer?
A horse can consume between 25 and over 60 liters of water per day during the summer.
What is the best time to train a horse when it's hot?
It is preferable to train first thing in the morning or at dusk. Between 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM, physical activity should be minimized.
How should you cool down a horse after exercise?
You can shower it with cool water. To improve cooling, remove excess water with a sweat scraper before re-wetting.
When should you call the vet?
When the horse shows several symptoms of heat stress or does not improve quickly after cooling, a vet should be contacted immediately.
Enjoy summer with peace of mind
With small changes in daily routine, it is possible to significantly reduce the risks associated with heat.
Maintaining good hydration, adapting work schedules, providing shade and ventilation, and using specific summer products will help keep your horse comfortable, healthy, and ready to continue its training.
