Summer brings warm weather and a bright sun. With that comes sunburn.
Horses can sunburn just as people do. Some horses are more susceptible to it than others; for example, lighter colored horses or Paint horses and Appaloosas with a lot of white on their bodies are prone to sun burn. The most common places for sunburn on a horse are around the muzzle and eyes and on the ears. Horses with pink skin all over their bodies can become burnt in other areas as well.
So what should you do? There are many ways to prevent sunburn for your horse. Make sure your horse has shade to escape the sun and during times of intense heat leave him in the stall and then turn him out in the evening to graze. If your horse prefers to stay outside or you aren’t able to turn your horse in or out, putting a fly sheet or fly mask with UV protection on the horse is a good option. Applying sunscreen to the areas most susceptible to sun burn will help protect your horse but this is something that needs to be done regularly and often. Be generous when applying cream to horses to help prevent it from rubbing off while grazing or drinking water.
During the summer months it’s important to keep an eye on your horses especially those horse light coats and pink skin. Take the necessary precautions to ensure that your horse is well protected in the harsh summer sun.
