Spudlet
Well-Known Member
I knew, when we were all moping about the snow, ice, rain and mud, that this post was only just around the corner
Are you keeping horses out in this heat?
- Thread starter Berkeley
- Start date
Berkeley
Well-Known Member
Its all relative.
Snickers
Well-Known Member
All of mine were in for a few hours over midday today, and to be honest it was so hot 
They would have fried stood out in the sun!
One of mine lives out 24/7 all year, and he seems not to mind the heat, but his coat is very fine, and he has shade in his field (a forest!)
They would have fried stood out in the sun!One of mine lives out 24/7 all year, and he seems not to mind the heat, but his coat is very fine, and he has shade in his field (a forest!)
Snickers
Well-Known Member
"Why on earth would you want to bring them in?! Good grief, the heat the UK ever achieves is absolutely nothing compared to what horses experience in other countries. I honestly dont get why people are so quick to bring their horses in, especially when they clearly hate it! So basically the weather can now be too NICE to leave them out?!"
But our naglets have been acclimatised to our mild weather, and this temperature is most definately out of the ordinary.
But our naglets have been acclimatised to our mild weather, and this temperature is most definately out of the ordinary.
Firewell
Well-Known Member
Our horses were out 24/7 at the old yard. There was no shade in the field but it was on top of a hill so always a cool breeze and no flies. Stables were wooden as well so hotter than being out in the field
Moved them yesterday and now they are in a field with v long grass that doesn't get a breeze and no shelter, also the horse flies are awful!! Left then out today and they were driven stir crazy
covered in bleeding horse fly bites and sweating from galloping around Im def bringing them in during the day now at least while it's warm and the flys are bad. The stables are old fashioned large brick ones so lovely, airy and cool. They can go out about 6pm with their fly rugs on.
It's not the heat that bothers me, more the flies. It was awful seeing them so uncomfortable
Moved them yesterday and now they are in a field with v long grass that doesn't get a breeze and no shelter, also the horse flies are awful!! Left then out today and they were driven stir crazy
covered in bleeding horse fly bites and sweating from galloping around Im def bringing them in during the day now at least while it's warm and the flys are bad. The stables are old fashioned large brick ones so lovely, airy and cool. They can go out about 6pm with their fly rugs on.It's not the heat that bothers me, more the flies. It was awful seeing them so uncomfortable
Jezzerbell
Well-Known Member
My boy is in during the day and out at night but then this is his usual routine from April - Oct as he is greedy and never wants to work full of grass - can't say I blame him. He also has a pink nose and burns very easily and as he refuses to wear any sort of mask with a nose guard (just stands shaking his head and constantly snorting!!) It is better for him to be in as suncream on at 8am is no use to him at midday. It suits me and him and he doesn't seem bothered comes to you to come in and then crashes out for a good long sleep after his brekky!
Snickers
Well-Known Member
Mine come in during the day because we have no shelter in our fields. The horse flys are really bad in our area too.
Dandy is pink too so his nose sunburns and cracks really easily
We used to have a pony with this problem, and his skin was so sensitive that he'd get a rash if we put suncream on him! The only thing that worked to stop him burning was a UV proof fly mask with a flap thing that protected his nose.
MotherOfChickens
MotherDucker
am not sure when horses lost the ability to shiver, sweat, be waterproof etc? good grief, it's a wonder they survived until the noughties got here tbh.
mine are out all year-they have a shelter which they use to miss the worst of the midges at dawn and dusk. midday they snooze and graze. when its zero degrees they snooze and graze. they really are remarkable creatures
very adaptable.
mine are out all year-they have a shelter which they use to miss the worst of the midges at dawn and dusk. midday they snooze and graze. when its zero degrees they snooze and graze. they really are remarkable creatures
very adaptable.
ladyt25
Well-Known Member
You do realise we are in the UK here people?! Well I assume most of us all are anyway. It doesn't really get that hot here and horses are designed to cope you know! Of course we should ensure fields have natural or artifical shelter so they have an option but really, unless your horse has particular health problems it really shouldn't be struggling in this heat.
Our horses have access to natural shade under the trees yet my dad went down the field this afternoon (hottest bit of the day) and said they were all up on top of the hill out in the sund ALL lying down! Now that doesn't scream of a horse that is unhappy and and uncomfortable in the heat.
As for whoever said their horse has sunburn - are you sure it's sunburn or does the field have buttercups in? I think it is more a mixture of the sun and buttercups that cause the sore noses as opposed to just the sun. I have 2 who get sore on their pink noses and, although I do put sunblock on (bananaboat factor 50) I also out sudocrem on (as someone mentioned) and that has cleared the soreness in a couple of days.
If however yur horse is very bad I would ask you vet for some fuciderm and this will heal the sores up very quickly.
Our horses have access to natural shade under the trees yet my dad went down the field this afternoon (hottest bit of the day) and said they were all up on top of the hill out in the sund ALL lying down! Now that doesn't scream of a horse that is unhappy and and uncomfortable in the heat.
As for whoever said their horse has sunburn - are you sure it's sunburn or does the field have buttercups in? I think it is more a mixture of the sun and buttercups that cause the sore noses as opposed to just the sun. I have 2 who get sore on their pink noses and, although I do put sunblock on (bananaboat factor 50) I also out sudocrem on (as someone mentioned) and that has cleared the soreness in a couple of days.
If however yur horse is very bad I would ask you vet for some fuciderm and this will heal the sores up very quickly.
Firewell
Well-Known Member
Like I said before it's not the heat that bothers our horses but the swarms of horse flies eating them alive.
Those people who's horses don't suffer your lucky! Ours didn't untill yesterday when we moved to new yard. I've never seen them so bad, outs aren't thick skinned hairy cobs either bu satin skinned Tb's. In my mind leaving my horse outside in the heat being driven to the point of galloping around constantly and bucking to get off the flies to the point they are making themselves sweat and shake is cruel. Hence why they are coming in! Nothing to do with the heat alone which I agree they can cope with
Those people who's horses don't suffer your lucky! Ours didn't untill yesterday when we moved to new yard. I've never seen them so bad, outs aren't thick skinned hairy cobs either bu satin skinned Tb's. In my mind leaving my horse outside in the heat being driven to the point of galloping around constantly and bucking to get off the flies to the point they are making themselves sweat and shake is cruel.
Hence why they are coming in! Nothing to do with the heat alone which I agree they can cope with Prince33Sp4rkle
Well-Known Member
echo firewell, my boy was driven mad today, by the flies, galloping himself in to a sweat and a panic.
theres absolutely no point leaving them out if they are that uncomfortable, as apart from the fact that they are clearly unhappy is that they can injure themselves charging around trying to get away from the flies, or at the least make their legs sore and wreck their feet.
so mine are in in the day, in cool brick stables, and out overnight.
theres absolutely no point leaving them out if they are that uncomfortable, as apart from the fact that they are clearly unhappy is that they can injure themselves charging around trying to get away from the flies, or at the least make their legs sore and wreck their feet.
so mine are in in the day, in cool brick stables, and out overnight.
Spudlet
Well-Known Member
For those having serious fly problems - is there anything you could do to reduce the breeding sites and things attracting them nearby? Eg: covering over muckheaps with a tarp, making sure there's no stagnant water nearby, for example under drippy taps or in puddles for the little blighters to reproduce in. Poor horses, it must be awful to see them like that
MochaDun
Well-Known Member
Think today was exceptional with regards to heat and flies (tomorrow due to be hotter here they say...) but my pony who'd been out from 11.30am today after being in overnight and a hack this morning came trotting to me and past me and headed to the gate this evening about 6.30pm constantly tossing his head to get flies away from his face/chest. Never done that before. Stood exhausted in his stable. He's in at night to come off the grass but think tonight he was more than happy to be in. I did contemplate putting him back out once it cooled off but looking across the mares field I could see a lot of flies about still at nearly 9pm so abandoned that idea.
Prince33Sp4rkle
Well-Known Member
muck heap is way way away from stables and even further from field,and field is poo picked every day, no stagnant water as im anal about yard tidyness.iv even been going round spraying entire yard/fences etc with fly spray to try and keep them away!!!!!
the other 2 horses wernt so bad, but mine is a quirky toad and wont come in on his own and as there are only 3 of them, if he comes in, his shetland buddy comes in,so then mums horse has to come in otherwise he's left alone.
TBH i dont like keeping competition horses out 24/7 so mine has to be in half the time and the other two NEED to be in half the time for weight control, so it doesnt matter to me which half it is ,day or night.
the other 2 horses wernt so bad, but mine is a quirky toad and wont come in on his own and as there are only 3 of them, if he comes in, his shetland buddy comes in,so then mums horse has to come in otherwise he's left alone.
TBH i dont like keeping competition horses out 24/7 so mine has to be in half the time and the other two NEED to be in half the time for weight control, so it doesnt matter to me which half it is ,day or night.