As summer drags on the heat can become a serious problem for
many horses. The primary way in which
horses cool themselves is through sweating.
While the exact mechanisms for inducing sweat production in horses are
not yet fully understood, some experts believe that prolonged, consistently
high sweat rates can lead to a kind of “exhaustion” of the sweat glands in
horses which may result in anhidrosis (the inability to produce sweat
adequately). Recommendations to help address
anhidrosis center on finding ways to keep horses cooler, decreasing the need
for sweat production. Here are a few
ideas you may want to try to keep your horses cooler this summer.
1. Feeding management. At rest, body heat is
produced primarily by microbes in the hindgut digesting the forage a horse eats. Try providing the bulk of the horses’ daily
ration overnight. Ration out smaller
quantities of hay during the day and give them the largest portion for
overnight consumption. Feed concentrates later in the evening and early in the
morning as well.
