Sweating
Sweating is very common in the Asustralian environment. And the Australian weather humidity is something that causes many horses to overheat and sweat profusely. Sweating results in the horse loosing many essential nutrients through the coat. Some breeds of horses tend to be more susceptible to this such as thoroughbreds. You will notice if your horses get hot easily after light work or still sweats on a reasonably pleasant day.
We are unable to stop horses sweating but we can certainly reduce the amount that they do and ensure it does not affect their health. My tips for helping your horse manage sweating are
- Limit exercise to cooler times of the day when possible.
- Always ensure they have access to water
- Hang a salt lick somewhere they are able to access regularly. This way they will regulate when they know their salt levels need increasing.
- Use a rug that has a high percentage of cotton in the material. This helps the rug breathe more and ensures air flow is maintained. I recommend the Zilco Supa Guard Combo for this https://aussiesaddlery.com.au/zilco-supa-guard-combo/
- Use a high quality electrolyte to combat the sweating and nutrients that are being lost. I recommend having a look at the Ranvet Salkavite. One of our best sellers in the shop and we believe on the market
https://aussiesaddlery.com.au/salkavite-2-kg/
Sweating is very common in the Australian environment. Ponies with long coats or a black coat, can retain heat and become stressed during warmer weather. It is important to limit riding during the heat of the day. If a pony starts to blow hard and pant during exercise, get off, walk and cool off in the shade. Ensure that your pony has a shady paddock area under trees (except if flying foxes are present) or access to a shelter from the sun on hot days. If you need to rug the pony to keep him clean, keep biting insects off him, or to keep his hair coat short, then provide a breathable and preferably a light coloured 'sun' sheet to avoid him overheating and sweating.
Dr John Kohnke BVSc. RDA
White Crystals in the Coat
Under hot conditions, during and following exercise, your pony will sweat to get rid of heat to help cooling and avoid overheating. If your pony develops white crystal-like particles on the neck or along the topline, it is a sign that the pony is sweating heavily. if you notice wet patches on these areas after removing the rug each morning, it is likely that your pony is sweating heavily under the rug. In this case, provid a lighter, breathable rug overnight and certainly during the day if your pony needs a sheet to protect its coat.