Keeping Your Horse Safe During Extreme Heat Waves
Your horse feels the effects of soaring heat and humidity just as much as you do. Although you can shed a layer of clothing or venture into an air-conditioned room during an extreme heat wave, it's much harder for your horse to find relief. Taking a few precautions will help your horse cope with hot, humid weather and prevent a health emergency.
Offer Plenty of Water
Evaporating sweat helps your horse stay cool on hot days. According to the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, horses lose up to four gallons of water per hour when sweating during vigorous activity on a hot day. Although sweating keeps your horse cool, it also increases a horse's risk for dehydration if lost fluids aren't replaced.
Replace water in troughs and buckets frequently during heat waves. Your horse may be less interested in drinking if water is too warm or has become slimy. Contrary to popular belief, offering water to a hot horse won't increase the risk of colic, according to the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary medicine.
Worried that your horse isn't drinking enough? Offer hay cubes or pellets soaked in water to improve hydration.
Consider Electrolyte Replacement
Excessive sweating depletes electrolytes, including sodium, chloride, magnesium, and potassium. These minerals are essential for hydration, pH balance, and nerve and muscle function. During extreme heatwaves, supplementing electrolytes with loose salt, salt licks, or electrolyte powders added to grain can help your horse maintain normal electrolyte levels.
Change Your Turnout and Exercise Schedule
Schedule adjustments offer a simple way to keep your horse comfortable when the heat and humidity rise. Plan turnout, riding, or training for the cooler parts of the day, usually before 9 a.m. or after 7 p.m. If your horse is outside during the afternoon, adequate shade is important, whether it comes from a covered area, a run-in shed or trees.
Although your horse can exercise when its cooler, shorter, leisurely sessions with frequent breaks are recommended during extreme heat waves.
Look for Signs of Heat Stress
Common signs of heat stress include:
- Rapid Breathing
- Excessive Sweating
- Lack of Sweat
- Temperature above 106F
- Rapid Heart Rate
- Whinnying
- Dry Mucous Membranes
- Heavy Breathing
- Lethargy
- Poor Appetite
- Trembling Muscles
- Stumbling or Coordination Issues
- Collapse
If your horse shows any signs of heat stress, stop all activity and bring it to a shady, well-ventilated area immediately. Use a hose to spray cold water over your horse's body. If a hose isn't available, use a water bucket instead. Continue to apply water until your horse's body feels cool.
Provide plenty of drinking water during this process, and use fans if available. If your horse doesn't show signs of improvement within a few minutes, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Make Ventilation a Priority
Open doors, windows, and vents in your barn or stable to improve air flow. Strategically placed fans and misting fans keep air moving throughout the day and night.
If you must trailer your horse during an heat wave, schedule trips for early in the morning or later in the evening. Open vents to provide ample ventilation and put battery-operated fans in the trailer. Check on your horse throughout the trip and offer regular water breaks. Horse & Rider recommends placing a camera in the trailer to make it easy to check for signs of distress during a trip.
Check on Old, Young, and Sick Horses
Foals, older horses, overweight horses, and horses with health conditions may struggle to regulate heat during extreme heatwaves. Check on them often and limit exercise until heat and humidity are lower.
Prompt treatment is important if your horse experiences signs of heat stress. If cooling measures don't improve your horse's condition, contact our office immediately to schedule an emergency appointment with the veterinarian.
Sources:
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension: Keep Horses Hydrated, 7/14/2025
https://elevatedequine.uga.edu/2025/07/keeping-horses-hydrated/
University of Minnesota Extension: Caring for Horses During Hot Weather
UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine Center for Equine Health: Keeping Horses Healthy in Hot Weather, 9/4/2020
https://ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/keeping-horses-healthy-hot-weather
Horse & Hound: How to Keep Horses Cool in a Heatwave with Helpful Tips for Instant Results, 6/22/2026
https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horse-care/horse-care-tips/keep-horse-cool-tips-313037
Horse & Rider: Your Checklist for Safe Summer Hauling in Hot Weather, 8/6/2025
https://horseandrider.com/horse-life/trailering-horses-in-hot-weather-how-to-keep-them-safe/