11/06/2024
☀️ Summer Horse Care Necessities ☀️
I’ve lived in South Carolina pretty much my whole life, and I’ve tried just about every summer horse product under the sun. These are some of my must-have items to keep horses comfortable and healthy in the summer sun! I always start with a lightweight high-UV combo neck fly sheet, ideally with a belly band, and a high-UV fly mask with ears.
☀️ Coat sunscreen! I go back and forth between Absorbine Santa Fe (shown here) and Healthy Haircare Sunflower Suncoat. Both smell amazing, but Santa Fe I think makes the coat softer as it’s predominantly a conditioner. I spray coats and Epic’s black tail to protect them from bleaching in the sun! *Keep in mind that sprays can only do so much, and protecting your horse from the sun with a high UV fly sheet and/or night turnout are the only truly effective ways to prevent bleached coats.
☀️ Pink nose sunblock! I love the KineticVet Equishield SB for protecting Epic and Luca’s soft pink noses from painful blistering sunburn. It stays on and does the job so much better than any normal sunscreen I’ve tried.
☀️ Defend against bugs! I will shout from the rooftops to use Zephyr’s Garden No Fly Zone instead of Swat!!! Anything that says not to touch it to your bare skin and wash hands immediately after coming in contact with it, does not belong on my horse’s delicate areas. No Fly Zone Salve is perfect for protecting chins, bellies, and sheaths from gnats without harming soft skin. The yellow Pyranha is the only fly spray that’s working for me this year, and it also adds a glossy sheen to your horse’s coat. *Remember when using oil-based fly sprays to cover your horse with a fly sheet while in the sun as the oil can cause sunburn.
☀️ Prevent coat damage from sweat and bathing! Sweating can wreak havoc on your horse’s coat, drying it and causing skin irritation. Meanwhile, constant rinsing and bathing can strip the coat of necessary oils. I use Purvida Grooming Spray year round to protect and nourish my horses’ coats! It conditions, soothes, and provides valuable moisture.
☀️ Care for feet in the heat! Summer is rough on horses’ hooves. From longer grass covered in dew to stomping flies, droughts to extra baths, the constant fluctuation between wet and dry can cause major damage to shod and barefoot hooves alike. Currently, I’m using Venice Turpentine to toughen Epic’s barefoot feet and block against cracks and too much moisture. Be sure to ask your farrier what they think can benefit your horse’s feet the most! Additionally, keeping fly boots on your horse can serve two valuable purposes: keeping them sane and limiting hoof damage caused by stomping.
☀️ Protect legs while cooling! I’m big on leg protection, but know how important breathability is for tendons and ligaments in the heat. These mesh LeMieux brushing boots are super breathable and I put them on last and take them off first to avoid overheating tissues while providing protection while working.