Paddocking - the summer season is coming

For some time now, there has been a noticeable trend in which in our climate, the classic early spring has been replaced by spring, which lasts a short time, and with the classic spring comes lazy heat. As a result, the established patterns that have worked so far simply no longer have a climatic raison d'être. So, with the beginning of May, heat often arrives, and with it should come our increased vigilance for the needs of the horses in the face of high temperatures.

It is worth knowing that sunstroke in animals occurs as often as in humans and it is important to think carefully about the time and form of shelter for horses from the sun.

Horses that live in grazing herds, even in the absence of shelter, are able to position themselves in such a way as to provide shade for each other and protect their heads from excessive "radiation", although of course this is a behavior that the herd develops as a last resort, in order to survive.

It is ideal if the herd has access to a fenced piece of forest or a safe body of water where it can cool off and find a blissful moment of respite from insects. If, in addition, there are species of trees in this forest that are eatable for horses, then such a place, let's be honest, will be a heaven on earth.

A much bigger challenge is paddocking sports horses, especially those that go out to the quarters alone. These are horses that are particularly susceptible to strokes if they do not have access to trees that provide shade or to a piece of roof or a small shed.

If for some reason it is impossible to generate temporary sun protection, then such horses in the summer should be paddocking from dawn until the temperature starts to rise (above 25 degrees in the sun), i.e. from about 4:30 to 8:00 am or just before and after sunset. This is also the ideal time for horses that suffer from summer eczema or are particularly sensitive to flies and other flying insects. Sport horses that are let out into the paddock or pasture after training should be rinsed of sweat, because nothing attracts insects of all kinds more than the smell of horse sweat.

An absolute must-have on every paddock and pasture is constant access to clean water, and those horses that have white and pink nostrils and have particularly sensitive skin should be additionally protected with appropriate creams with a filter created especially for horses. In some cases, it is also worth considering masks and mesh blankets, but as to how, why and whether your horse needs it, it is worth asking your trainer or the owner and manager of the stable, who knows the area, functions in it on a daily basis and observes the behavior of their mentees and knows the types of insects flying there.

In the fight against insects, spraying has been a fashionable trend for some time now, which effectively eliminates the problem of insects, but if insects are like bacteria, it means that their species will always evolve to survive and perhaps become even more malicious - virulent, and the ordinary horse fly will be replaced by flying monsters. Maybe, therefore, it is worth considering more natural forms of support, such as feed with the addition of garlic, and spray preparations based on vanilla oil, among others, the smell of which perfectly repels, for example, midges.

In summary, the best time for horses in the summer is rainy days, when horses can calmly eat delicious grass without a fly buzzing around their ears. The opposite of rainy days are stormy days, when horses, if they don't have a shed, should find safe shelter in a stable.

fot. source: internet