Horses in the heat of summer...

[freckles22uk]

OK, so I know you have not had the best weather in the UK, but here this week (Spain) its been reaching 40'c/ 104'f in the shade and 49'c /120'f in the sun, flipping hot! (its cooled down today to a more respectable 30'c)

Now the horse all live out at home, a 22 year old welsh sec A, 2 appaloosa mares aged 14 and 12, all 3 from the UK, and the stallion and 2 year old colt, both born here.. theres plenty of shade fro the trees, yet the colt (dark bay) and the pony (chestnut) will often quite happily stand in the sun all day! with not a drop of sweat on them...

Now when I lived in the UK they would be stabled in the daytime in the summer, to 'get them out of the heat' yet would be stood sweating in stuffy boxes... (I was on livery then)

so what do you do, do you get them out the sun or leave them out?

Ps... its not always hot, winters are freezing, with snow! brrrrr

 

[Mince Pie]

When at yards that allowed it mine always lived out in the summer. However at my new yard they don't offer 24/7 turnout so he is in during the day.

 

[pookie]

Mine are out 24/7. Should we ever have a summer this year they'll stay out. They've got plenty of natural shade

 

[rhino]

Ours are all out but have plenty of access to shelter, natural and field shelters. We are in Scotland though, so 'heat' and 'summer' probably don't apply

 

[Kokopelli]

In Italy where it was 38 degrees the horses were in from about 7/8 to 5/6 because of sun and flies. The stables were lovely and airy and the horses only got sweaty if their window wasn't open. Forgot to add the majority of horses here came from Ireland.

 

[Fools Motto]

Arhh, so you lot are responsible for nicking all our heat eh? They say it is ever so nice to SHARE!

 

[freckles22uk]

Arhh, so you lot are responsible for nicking all our heat eh? They say it is ever so nice to SHARE!

Believe me, this week I would of been happy to share it, theres hot and theres melting!

and you can tell when your a big softy when you sit there melting and the dogs have the fans pointing at them...

 

[Jazzy B]

its not so much the heat with mine, its the flies they drive him insane - so much happier to come in during the day. If I turn him out when flies are out he just stands around looking miserable

 

[sallyballybee]

Mine are out 24/7 but I do find my ponies get really narky in the heat just really stroppy.....I think they're winter ponies lol

 

[LJN]

I'm in Spain too - it was bloomin' hot wasn't it! My boy is out during the day and in at night, but all the horses have fans above their stables so I think he was ok!
It is meant to get very hot again next week - I am dreading it! My horse was born here and I think he copes with heat better than I do, the poor dogs have been lurking in the shallow end of the swimming pool for the last few days!
Do you clip yours in the summer?

 

[Becca-84]

So glad I'm not still living there right now! What with that heat and the blimming football (plus associated fireworks!!!) last night, I'd be hating it. Mine both lived out 24/7 when I was in Spain too. They only came in when we had loads of rain and the field flooded. Lulu used to get a little sweaty but she was a sweaty mare anyway and always struggling with her weight. Winnie never did. They had open stables in the field and used to stand in them in the heat of the day but were never particularly bothered.

 

[JFTDWS]

mine are out 24/7 but they have shade, natural shelter on a few sides and one of the stables is open for them if they choose to go in.

 

[LJN]

I have to say that there are days when I wish I was back in the UK with green fields and miles of hacking. And I miss taking my dogs out running in the woods :-(

 

[freckles22uk]

I'm in Spain too - it was bloomin' hot wasn't it! My boy is out during the day and in at night, but all the horses have fans above their stables so I think he was ok!
It is meant to get very hot again next week - I am dreading it! My horse was born here and I think he copes with heat better than I do, the poor dogs have been lurking in the shallow end of the swimming pool for the last few days!
Do you clip yours in the summer?

Yes too hot!! I thought I was going to melt!

No, Ive never clipped them, but they get really thin coats now, and Ive never seem them sweat once due to the heat, well unless I ride, but I dont when its hot. Though I do clip in winter, but you know what its like, cold at night and warm in the day,

No, my dogs are not impressed, Ive got a spanish Mastiff that was born here and a Sheltie, I do shave off all the shelties belly hair, so its cooler when she lays on the tiles, and brush her a lot to get the undercoat out, and Ive had fans on them too...

There is a huge forest fire not far away, near Valencia and that quite worrying, :-/ hope they manage to put it out...

 

[ClobellsandBaubles]

when I was in Spain the horses lived out 24/7 a couple came in a night if they were needed early. But then is was north west Spain so the weather was more akin to Scotland

 

[Old Bat]

Ours are in during the day and out at night during the summer, not just because of heat but as respite from flies. As important, though, is to keep them off the grass with higher sugar content from 10ish to 6ish. (We have good doers!)

 

[Goldenstar]

Always in they are waiting to come in if I have not got them in by ten .
Out the flys they rest and have a lie down my stables are not stuffy though.

 

[monkeybum13]

I bring my horse in through the day, mainly to get away from the flies which are horrible this year. She's stabled in a really light, airy american barn which stays really cool.