Tips for Summer Horse Care
Summer horse care varies in a few ways from how you care for your horse during the colder months. Instead of feeding your horse extra calories to keep him warm, your focus will be on disease prevention, pest control, hoof care, and providing and adequate amount of exercise.
Farrier Care
Because of their summer nutritional needs and increased activity, horses’ hooves grow faster in the summer. Horse owners also ride more in nicer weather, causing extra wear and tear on the hooves. As a result, regular trimming becomes especially important in the summer months. Some horses may need to wear shoes during the warmer months to protect them from increased wear.
Deworming
The warmer weather makes parasites a bigger problem. Standard practice is prevention. Deworm your horse four to five times a year with rotating dewormers. Some horse owners lean toward performing fecal tests and choosing a dewormer based on the test results. Your vet can help you come up with a treatment plan that is appropriate for your horse. If you board, your barn may have its own deworming requirements for the safety and well-being of all horses on the property.
Pest Control
Mosquitoes, flies, and other pests are more than just an annoyance for you and your horse. They can also carry diseases. Some you can vaccinate against, but many you cannot. This is why pest control is extremely important for your horse’s health and well-being. Regular fly spray application will make your horse more comfortable and cut down on the risk of pest-born diseases. Some horse owners swear by natural solutions, such as Fly Predators and feed their horses pest-deterring supplements such as garlic. Keeping water tanks fresh and clean, draining any standing water, and keeping up with manure removal can also help cut down on flies and mosquitoes.
Vaccinations
Horses get vaccinated twice a year. Spring vaccines usually include Eastern and Western Encephalomyelitis, tetanus, and West Nile, as well as the six-month Rhino flu vaccine. If your barn has a history of strangles or if you travel with your horse, you may also want to vaccinate against this highly contagious disease. Most of what the spring vaccines cover is more common in the warmer months, so vaccinating your horse is an especially important part of summer horse care.
Other Diseases
There are many other diseases that are more common in the warmer months but can’t be vaccinated against. While some of these diseases are pest-borne, others are passed through saliva or contact. This is why care should be taken to check for disease outbreaks in your area before traveling to parks, public arenas, or horse shows.
Weight Maintenance
During the winter months, a little extra weight or additional calories may be perfectly acceptable to help a horse combat cold weather. In the summer you’ll need to pay closer attention to your horse’s weight. Most horses get more exercise during the warmer months, so changing the amount you feed may not be necessary, but it will be important to check your horse with a weight tape at least once a month and make any needed change to his diet.
Just like in the winter, summer horse care simply requires some preventative care and careful weight maintenance. Luckily, it also presents more opportunities for riding and having fun! Contact Sacate today for more information on the right kind of feed is the best fit for your summer horse care program.