For many working horses or athletic horses, summertime can be a time when heat strokes occur more often. It is important to minimize this illness with some tips from the experts. Heat stress can impact your horse’s performance greatly.
When the horse’s body generates excessive heat, it’s cooling mechanisms begin to work towards cool down. Sweating is one of these mechanisms that become ineffective once a horse’s body temperature reaches the same outside temperature. Blood flow to the brain, intestines, and nerves become compromised and cause serious effects on your horse’s health. Dysfunction to the central nervous system could lead to convulsions, unconsciousness, coma, and death.
In order to keep your horse at peak performance and avoid heat stress, be sure to cool your horse down properly by applying ice and cold water directly to horse’s body. It’s important to know the signs of heat stress. Here are some signs to look out for.
Signs of Heat Strokes
- Hot and Distressed (sweating profusely with a heart rate >150 beats/minute)
- Irritable and Uncooperative
- Frequent Kicking
- Random Head-Shaking
- Gait abnormalities
- Depression and Disorientation
- Bright Red Mucous Membranes
Combine this water cool down method by giving back the loss of nutrients from the summer heat. Be sure to get the right feed with rich protein and nutrients that will help restore your horses’ energy levels back up. Stampede Premium’s Pellets and Hay Cubes products have the right amount of those nutrients needed.
Stampede Premium offers the best quality equine hay and equine products since 1995.