Just wondered if you bring in or leave out during the hottest days... particularly those who's horses are in paddocks without any form of shelter from the sun?
Definately bring in on the hottest days (like sunday and yesterday). We have shelter up until midday, and then none until about 4 o clock. I hate to see horses out there kicking and nodding and clearly getting hot and bothered, so i bring mine in to the cool barn where they inevitably go to sleep
Not so sure if i didnt have a cool barn - if the stable is outdoors and facing the sun, probably no difference from bring outside??
For Milly her stable is actually hotter than outside with a breeze, so she stays out as I have found her sweating in the stable. Genie's not bothered by the heat, but she comes in off the grass anyway during the day.
Lacey comes in, she has sensitive skin so if left out she would wear a fly rug, but she sweats under the rug in heat so its just easier to bring her in during the day.
Her stables very cool so she likes to sleep during the day, it also means when I ride her in the evening she isn't lethargic and bloated.
Both of ours stay out. The oldest one will not stable so has to stay out. He has shown my boy that if you put your head in the water bucket, and splash about you gat covered in water and cool down. He hasn't quite got the hang of it he ends up dry as a bone, and every where else ends up wet through!! He's not bothered by the sun, oh and they can get under trees if it's that bad.
Just wondered, as mine's looking really p'ed off where ever I put her. I think the sun is really getting to her. We're in Devon and it's been boiling hot recently. Mine's always in on the hottest days as we have no shelter whatsoever in our electric fenced paddocks - when it gets to 22 degrees or above.
I got her in at 9.10am yesterday and she was already dark with sweat across her flanks. I brought her into her stable which is in a darkish barn (and therefore cooler one assumes) but she was listless and sullen even in there. Only time she moved was to dump her nose into her water bucket to splosh her muzzle and face. I sponged her down head-to-tail in Lavender Wash to help.
I am starting to think she genuinely gets sun stroke!
Ours have a field shelter, plus shelter from the trees up until about 1pm. So....we decided this year to also allow them access round the stable block in the daytime also as there is shade in there throughout the day. Went up on Sunday - both standing in the full heat - sweating. Sometimes I really question their intelligence!
Our two are out 24/7, 365, but there are a row of 15ft high Hawthorn trees all along one side of the field where they can stand in the shade if they want. More often than not they stand in the full sun, but very close to the water trough, not drinking, just standing and snoozing.
They are both New Forest's, so they are more than able to cope with being out.
Mine had sweated at the weekend but then to be fair, so had I! We have a little shade from some small trees next to the field but when th esun is overhead, nothing. They (one in particular) can be dopey when I bring them in, due to the heat I think. But I am not allowed overnight turnout, and work all day so its either in all day and night, or out all day and in at night. The stables were very hot during the day at the weekdn - more muggy than outside where there was a little breeze.
I find that leaving it til late to bring them in help, they have a couple of hoiurs to cool off before bed, rather than being put into a warm stable while they are still baking. I would love a nice big tree in the middle of the field though.
Mine's out 24/7, only gets brough in for riding, farrier etc. There's plenty of trees in his field for him to shelter under, although generally if you go out on a hot day they're all sunbathing!
I moved yards because of the lack of shade/shelter. I think it is cruel to leave horses in paddocks with no shade whatsoever in the heat of the day. I liken it to being sat on a beach without an umbrella. I'd hate it.
mine are only out for a couple of hours each afternoon so they go out regardless of the heat. they have plenty of shade and are clipped out anyway. and they need to be OK about being in the sun, some days i need them to jump in the heat so theres no point keeping them out of it all the time!
mine have open stables in their fields and they are choosing to stand in their stables most of the day - they don't use them if it's raining or cold, more to get out of the heat!