How important is shade in the field

[MyBoyChe]

Ive always been really lucky and had natural shelter in my boys field but for various reasons that is no longer the case. Ive plenty of grazing for all 3 but only hedgerow for 2 of them and no trees at all. Im more bothered by the heat in summer than rain. How important do you think shade is to horses when it gets above about 20 degrees?

 

[milliepops]

I've had horses in fields with no shade at all and it got too hot for them in the summer. I have always brought in during the day in that sort of set up.

 

[ycbm]

I wouldn't leave a horse out in full sun in summer.
.

 

[AmyMay]

Vitally important, unless you’re prepared to bring in during the day.

 

[laura_nash]

It does depend a bit on the type of horse, how much of a breeze there is, how bad the flies are, if they can roll in some mud etc. There's no way my current cobs could cope without shade though, even above about 15 degrees never mind 20.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I'm fortunate to have shade and shelters for mine.
OP, having dealt with heatstroke in a pony which was found at 2pm in a paddock with no shade at a neighbouring yard, it wasn't pleasant, I only assisted till owner and vet arrived. 2 summers ago, was 28/30 degrees at that point.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I've had horses in fields with no shade at all and it got too hot for them in the summer. I have always brought in during the day in that sort of set up.

We have no shade in our summer paddocks, me and several others always bring in during the day but 2 liveries leave out 24/7 even in 30 degrees heat.

We had a livery last year (leave out on a hot day) the vet diagnosed with heat stroke

 

[Spotherisk]

I really don’t like seeing equines in electrically fenced paddocks with no hedges for shelter and I wouldn’t livery in that type of yard, however my retirees are now at home.

Our 6 acre field is SE facing and has hedges on the south and west sides, fencing on the others. There’s possibly 2-3 hours a day when they’re short of shade and at that point they stand in the middle high point with the wind coming straight off the moor.

I do have a couple of acre field with woodland and they often come into that in high summer.

 

[humblepie]

Unfortunately don’t have shade so he comes in daytime if hot. The flies are generally bad enough he’d been in for those. Fields with trees and hedges fairly non existent in our intensely arable farmed area.

 

[MyBoyChe]

Thanks everyone, youve all confirmed what I thought but was wondering whether I was being too protective. I absolutely hate the heat and for that reason really, dont think its fair to leave my boys with no shade. Ill have to think about building a shelter in the field that has no shade in it as my stables are also, unfortunately, far too hot in summer to leave them inside

 

[Jango]

Our fields have no shade, but we have 24/7 turnout starting next week so I turn out overnight instead of during the day. Also it really depends on the horse, the few days I left her out my chestnut WB mare was absolutely fine out in the sun with a fly rug, but my black Welsh D absolutely hated the sun and was wanting to come in 8am in the summer. I like out over night/in during the day over 24/7 out for weight management purposes so its fine for me. I think you have to weigh up the options and your horses type rather than a blanket no.

 

[ihatework]

For me, very important in the summer. No shade and then they come into stables during heat of day.

 

[bouncing_ball]

For me, very important in the summer. No shade and then they come into stables during heat of day.

That’s fine IF the stables are cooler.

We have wooden stables that are cool in the morning but sun traps but mid afternoon.

 

[Tiddlypom]

If you get a field shelter with an overhang and site it so that it faces north, the horses can stand just outside the shelter but still in shade from the overhang, and are able to pick up any breeze.

My north facing shelter is much cooler in summer than the same design one which faces south - the south facing one is more snug in winter, though.

 

[spotty_pony]

I always used to bring in during the hottest part of the day in the summer but my stables now are wooden and they get really hot when it’s late 20’s/30’s. I’m lucky that my fields have big trees and hedges in them. We have some beautiful London plane trees that provide great shade.

 

[ihatework]

That’s fine IF the stables are cooler.

We have wooden stables that are cool in the morning but sun traps but mid afternoon.

Sure.
I wouldn’t ever keep my horses somewhere with wooden oven stables

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I would not leave mine without shade in summer.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Wooden stables are ok in hot weather if they have high ceilings, lined walls and roofs, and good ventilation. My small old wooden stables were like ovens in hot weather, so I made very sure that the new ones wouldn't be.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

My boys don't have shade. I would prefer it If they did. My stables are wooden so get really hot. I have a tb and a wb , they seem to come out OK in the heat. They both wear fly rugs and fly masks. There are not many days that we don't have some sort of breeze.

 

[HashRouge]

I'm a bit obsessive about my two having shade. I once kept them on a yard high up in the Peaks where all the fields were bordered by dry stone walls, so no shade, and the stables, although breeze block, got incredibly hot in the summer. It was a great yard, but an absolute nightmare in hot weather!

My current summer field is a big five acre field with my two on 2/5 and 3 others on the remainder. I have lucked out with my section because it is L shaped and runs all the way down the west side of the field, along the bottom (south side) to the east side of the field where the water trough is (which is split between the two groups). The field has decent hedges interspersed with bigger trees (mainly oak) all the way round the boundary. So my two get shade on at least one side of the field all day. I do worry about the other horses, who only get shade on the east side of the field in the morning, and then don't really have any! Last year the field we are in now was used for hay and we were on a different summer field which didn't have shade to the west/ south sides, so we used to have to move fields if the weather was too hot. We have wooden stables in a small 1/2 acre paddock where the grass doesn't really last for longer than a week or two of grazing, but it is very shady so was a good place to turn out in hot weather and we would just leave them there for any hot spells and hay if necessary. They spent a long time in there with hay in 2020. The stables, being wooden, get too hot to be of much use.

I have to say that they seem to prefer to stand out in the blazing sun, but at least they have the option!

 

[chaps89]

When it’s been really hot I have made a point of hosing them first thing, then making an extra trip back at lunchtime to do the same thing if I felt it’s needed. Not the same as having shade and not ideal if you’re not close to the yard but another option to have if needed.
But yes, if you can try to put something up for them