How to Keep Your Horse Hydrated and Healthy in a Heatwave

Hot and humid weather can put horses at risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. A sensible heatwave plan should start with plentiful fresh water, suitable shade and changes to exercise and turnout. Feeds and supplements may support that routine, but they do not replace water, active cooling or veterinary help when a horse is unwell.

The British Horse Society advises that a 500kg horse may drink around 50–70 litres of water a day in hot weather, with requirements increasing further during exercise. Individual needs vary, so the practical priority is unrestricted access to clean, fresh water rather than trying to make every horse drink a fixed amount.

Make fresh water easy to access

Check troughs, automatic drinkers and buckets several times a day. Clean out algae and stale residue, confirm that automatic systems are refilling correctly and position water where every horse in a shared field can reach it without being trapped or bullied. More than one water point is helpful in group turnout.

When travelling or competing, take familiar water where practical and offer it regularly. Some horses prefer a large, open container to a small bucket or automatic drinker. If a reluctant drinker is tempted by a little apple juice or another familiar flavour, offer the flavoured water in a separate bucket and keep plain water available at all times.

Add water to the ration carefully

Wet feeds can add useful fluid to the diet. Dampened hard feed, a correctly prepared soaked feed or a hydration mash may be helpful, particularly after travel or exercise. A product such as Saracen Re-Covery Mash 20kg is designed to support fluid intake, while the Saracen Re-Covery Mash 1.5kg travel pouch is convenient away from home.

A mash is an addition to the horse’s water supply, not a substitute for it. Follow the product’s current preparation instructions, introduce dietary changes gradually and keep clean drinking water freely available. Our guide to when to feed a recovery mash explains where this type of feed may fit into a wider routine.

Soaked or steamed hay can also increase water intake. Manage soaked forage carefully in warm weather because bacteria and mould can multiply quickly, and remember that prolonged soaking can reduce its nutrient content. Ask a qualified nutritionist for advice if soaked hay makes up a substantial part of the diet.

Use salt and electrolytes for the right reason

Sweat contains water and electrolytes. Horses working, travelling or sweating heavily may need targeted replacement, but requirements depend on workload, diet, weather and the amount of sweat lost. Use an equine product such as Baileys Aqua-Aide according to its label and seek advice from your vet or an equine nutritionist when you are unsure.

Always provide plain water alongside any water containing electrolytes. A suitable product from the horse salt and mineral lick range can give some horses free access to salt, but licking behaviour varies and a block should not be assumed to replace a properly planned electrolyte regime.

Adjust turnout, stabling and exercise

• Provide reliable shade. Remember that shade from trees and hedges moves during the day. A field shelter may provide more consistent protection if it remains well ventilated.
• Keep stables airy. Stabling through the hottest part of the day may help only if the building stays cooler than the field and has good airflow.
• Exercise in cooler conditions. Ride early or late, reduce intensity where necessary and build in extra rest and water breaks. Heat and humidity together make cooling more difficult.
• Review rugs. A heavy or poorly ventilated fly rug can make heat loss harder. If a rug is needed, choose a light-coloured, breathable option and monitor the horse beneath it. Browse horse fly sheets and rugs by material and design rather than assuming every summer rug is suitable for very hot weather.
• Plan travel carefully. Ventilate the vehicle, avoid the hottest part of the day where possible and allow time for water and recovery after the journey.

Cool a hot horse effectively

After exercise, move the horse to a safe shaded area, remove tack and apply plenty of cold water over the body. Current British Horse Society guidance is to continue applying cold water and not to scrape it off. This replaces the older advice to use tepid water and repeatedly scrape the horse.

If the horse appears well and is cooling normally, continue to monitor breathing, temperature and behaviour. If heat-related illness is suspected, call your vet immediately, offer drinking water, move the horse into shade and keep applying cold water continuously over the whole body without scraping while help is on the way.

Know the signs of dehydration

One sign on its own may not confirm dehydration, but a combination should be taken seriously. Warning signs can include:

• dark urine or passing less urine than normal;
• dry or reduced droppings;
• a higher-than-normal heart rate;
• lethargy or depression;
• a dry mouth or thick saliva;
• dull eyes;
• dark or reddened gums; and
• slow capillary refill when the gums are pressed.

The traditional skin-pinch test is not considered an accurate measure of hydration when used by itself. Look at the whole horse and contact your vet if dehydration is suspected.

Recognise heat exhaustion and heat stroke

Fast or shallow breathing, nostril flaring, an elevated temperature that is slow to return to normal, an irregular heartbeat, muscle spasms, poor recovery, marked lethargy, weakness, unsteadiness or collapse can indicate serious heat-related illness. A horse may also show a reduced appetite or thirst, dark urine or dark gums. “Thumps”, where the diaphragm contracts in time with the heartbeat, is another urgent warning sign.

Heat exhaustion can progress to life-threatening heat stroke. Do not wait for every sign to appear. Stop exercise, call your vet, move the horse to shade and begin continuous cold-water cooling immediately.

Where hot-weather products fit

Choose products by their actual purpose. Saracen Re-Covery Mash is a wet feed designed to support fluid intake and recovery. Baileys Aqua-Aide is an electrolyte product. Salt and mineral licks provide free-access options, although intake should be monitored.

Global Herbs Heat Stress Liquid is different: the manufacturer describes it as a short-course herbal calmer for periods of extreme heat or strenuous exercise. It is not an electrolyte and should not be used in place of water, cooling or an appropriate electrolyte plan.

For detailed, current welfare advice, read the British Horse Society’s horse care in hot weather guidance. If your horse has a health condition, is elderly, overweight or is not recovering normally, ask your vet for advice tailored to that horse.