Summer is a beautiful season, but as we suffer from the heat, animals, including horses, also suffer.
Excessive exposure to high temperatures can also cause horses the dreaded “heat stroke”. Heat stroke, or hyperthermia, is the very rapid increase in body temperature and the body’s difficulty in bringing it back to normal levels. We must therefore pay the utmost attention to avoid exposing our horse to this risk typical of the hot and humid season. Heatstroke can affect both horses in the box and in the paddock. Poorly ventilated boxes and poorly shaded paddock sheds can be transformed into small ovens. First of all, we avoid working with the horse in too hot hours of the day and check that in box and there is good ventilation throughout the stable, if our horse lives outdoors, make sure it has a shaded area where it can shelter from the sun and heat. If you notice that while doing nothing he is sweating, or sighs often, or breathes strange, take him to a more ventilated and shady place. Heatstroke often comes with little things that may seem normal. Even if the horse is fine, a shower with only fresh water may be of benefit then leave it in the shade to dry. In hot weather, always leave fresh water available to drink. Fresh food, grass, raw fruits and vegetables help supplement liquids, minerals and sugars. To avoid the danger of mineral salt deficiencies, by talking to your vet, consider adding salt to your diet or administering electrolytes. Remember that prevention is always better than cure because banalities can give rise to very serious problems.

In case your horse is sweating excessively, is breathing hard and hurried, has a very painful air due to a general malaise and has a very high body temperature, the horse must be immediately placed in a shady and ventilated place, and wet with cold water .

If you have doubts of any kind or the situation seems excessive it is good to contact your veterinarian, in important cases in which dehydration has occurred that is not resolved only by drinking a little, on the decision of the veterinarian, one or more infusions may be useful. – in any case, abide by its decisions.

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