Preventing Sunburn in Your Horse

The Last Ride Arizona discusses Preventing Sunburn in Your Horse

While horses are just as susceptible to sunburn as humans, there are several steps that you can take as a horse owner to help reduce your horse’s risk of burn. Some steps you might want to consider include:

• Keep your horse out of the sun during the hottest hours of the day, but make sure the stable is well-ventilated and cool. If you do not stable your horses, make sure there is a paddock lean-to, shelter or plenty of trees available for your horse to use as shade.
• Cover your horse with a lightweight turnout combo. Be sure to consider the weight and the density of the rug so you don’t inadvertently cause your horse to become overheated.
• Apply horse sunscreen on your horse, especially on sensitive areas around the eyes and muzzle. If you can’t find horse sunblock, it is safe to use the same sunblock that you use on yourself. Using colored sunblock can make it easier to keep track of where you have applied the sunblock and where it still needs to be applied.
• Put on a flyveil to help protect your horse’s eyes and forehead. A fly mask with muzzle flaps can also help protect the soft skin around the horse’s nostrils and mouth.

Through proper care, your horse can live a long and happy life. When the day comes that your horse reaches the end of its path, however, you can count on The Last Ride to remove and transport your horse’s body in a respectful and timely manner.