Summer Skin & Coat Care

The summer season brings a number of challenges for our horse's skin and coat.

Our care guide has some great advice and tips on how to best manage your horse during the hotter months, keeping him looking glossy and feeling his best.

Our horse’s skin and coat are challenged through the summer months due to a number of factors:

Hotter temperatures
UV rays
Changeable weather
Flies and biting insects
An increase in dust and pollen

These challenges will be particularly difficult to manage if your horse is sensitive or has any underlying health issues. Properly caring for and maintaining the coat and skin’s integrity while offering protection from heat, sun damage and flies will keep our horses looking and feeling well throughout warmer weather.

Focus on the diet

First things first – much of your horse’s health comes from within, so it’s essential that the correct nutritional support is given throughout the summer.

Many of us will be restricting our horse’s diet through the spring and summer months while the grass growth accelerates, but it’s important that we don’t neglect the nutrients our horses still need in their diet. Feeding a balancer should fulfill your horse’s nutritional needs without adding any unnecessary calories. Key nutrients for a healthy, glowing coat include Vitamin A, Zinc and sulfur.

Hydration is also key – it’s vitally important to keep your horse’s supply of fresh water topped up always, but especially through hotter weather.

Keep on top of daily grooming

Elbow grease is the single most effective way to achieve a glossy coat, so crack out your brushes and prepare yourself for arm ache!

Daily grooming is especially important in the spring and summer when your horse is shedding more, helping your horse to lose his coat while relieving any itching. Properly grooming your horse with brushes and curry combs will effectively remove any dust or dirt in the coat, while also stimulating the production of sebum and distribute the skin’s natural oils evenly which gives an even, all-over shine.

During the summer, keeping your horse’s coat and skin clean allows perspiration to evaporate more freely which maintains cooler skin as a result. Grooming will get rid of any dried-on sweat too which reduces itching, irritation or skin reactions.

Use washes post-exercise

If your horse sweats during his work in warmer weather, using a cooling wash to wash him down with afterwards will remove any sweat while cooling the skin and making him more comfortable. We would recommend either NAF Lavender Wash or NAF Cooling Wash for cleansing away any build up of sweat, relaxing your horse and leaving a cool and comfortable feel.

Properly protect your horse

If your horse is showing sensitivity or irritation to flies or insect bites, it’s a worthwhile investment to protect your horse with an effective fly rug and/or fly mask. With a huge number of different designs available on the market you have plenty of choice to match one to your horse’s needs.

Most fly masks and rugs we offer are made from fabric which provides protection from UV rays and sun damage. For long days out in the sun this level of protection can be invaluable, particularly for horses with sensitive skin, photosensitivity, pink skin and to prevent dark coats from bleaching).

Apply sun cream to any pink skinned areas not covered by a fly mask or rug, for example the muzzle – sun burn is so common on the sensitive areas here.

During very hot weather or during periods where flies and biting insects are rife, it may be more comfortable for your horse to be stabled, or to use a field shelter.

Regularly monitor for skin issues

When you are grooming your horse regularly you stand the best chance of identifying any skin conditions or issues as soon as they occur. During summer, key conditions to look out for include dermatitis, sweet itch, bug bites, sun burn, rain scald and weepy, watery eyes (which may indicate an allergy or fly irritation).