Protecting horses from sunburn is a summer task that surprises owners who assume that a coat protects a horse from the sun, when in fact pink skinned and light coloured horses can burn painfully on exposed areas. Sunburn is uncomfortable and, where it is linked to an underlying problem, can signal something more serious. Heavenly Pastures, a specialist provider of horse cremations across the north west, works with owners who want their horses comfortable through the brightest months, and this guide sets out how to guard against sunburn and sun damage. A little awareness of which horses are at risk, and a few simple precautions, spares a vulnerable horse real discomfort through the summer. Owners who know which of their horses are prone to burning can act before the sun does its damage, rather than treating sore, blistered skin after the event. A little preparation at the start of a sunny spell saves a great deal of discomfort later.
Which Horses Are at Risk
Sunburn affects horses in much the same way it affects fair skinned people, striking the areas where pink skin is exposed to the sun. The muzzle, particularly on horses with a white blaze or pink nose, is the most commonly affected area, along with any other patches of pink skin and thin coated areas. Grey, light coloured and white marked horses are most vulnerable, while dark skinned horses are largely protected. Sunburn leaves the skin red, sore, sometimes blistered and later flaking, and a badly sunburned muzzle can be genuinely painful. Knowing which horses in a yard are at risk allows their owners to protect them before the damage is done. It is worth checking a horse over carefully at the start of summer to identify every patch of pink or thinly coated skin that may need protecting, since these areas are easy to overlook until they burn.
There is also a more serious form of sun sensitivity to be aware of, and distinguishing simple sunburn from it is important for a horse’s health. Treating an ordinary sunburn is straightforward, but mistaking a deeper problem for simple sunburn can allow a serious illness to go unnoticed.
Recognising Photosensitivity
Beyond ordinary sunburn lies photosensitivity, a condition in which a horse’s skin reacts abnormally severely to sunlight. Photosensitivity can follow the eating of certain plants, or it can be a sign of underlying liver disease, which is why a severe or unexpected sun reaction, especially on a horse that is not obviously fair skinned, always deserves veterinary investigation. What looks like bad sunburn may occasionally be the outward sign of an internal problem that needs treatment in its own right. Taking severe cases seriously, rather than assuming simple sunburn, can uncover a hidden illness. Owners around Coppull horse cremations and Longton horse cremations know to seek advice when a sun reaction seems unusually severe.
Providing Shade and Shelter
The simplest protection against the sun is shade, and ensuring a horse can escape the strongest sunlight makes a great difference. A field with natural shade from trees or hedges, or a field shelter that a horse can use freely, lets it get out of the sun during the brightest, hottest part of the day. Where shade is limited, adjusting turnout so that a vulnerable horse is stabled during the peak sun and out in the cooler, lower light hours protects it. Access to shade is a genuine welfare need in bright summer weather. Owners across Bolton Le Sands horse cremations and Heysham horse cremations make sure their horses can always find shade.
Using Sun Protection
For horses prone to sunburn, direct protection of the vulnerable areas works well. Sun creams suitable for horses, applied to the muzzle and other pink areas, guard against burning much as they do for people, and need reapplying through the day. A fly mask with a nose flap protects both the eyes and the sensitive muzzle at once, offering shade and a barrier in one. Keeping these measures up consistently through sunny spells, rather than only after a horse has already burned, spares it discomfort. Applying protection in the morning, before a horse goes out, and topping it up through the day keeps the cover working when the sun is strongest. Owners around Cockerham horse cremations protect their pink skinned horses with cream and masks.
Caring for Sunburned Skin
Where a horse has become sunburned despite precautions, gentle care helps it heal and prevents further harm. Keeping the horse out of the sun while the skin recovers, and applying soothing, suitable products to the affected area, eases the discomfort. Broken or blistered skin needs particular care to keep it clean and prevent infection, and severe cases warrant veterinary attention. Preventing further burning while the skin heals is essential, as burned skin is all the more vulnerable. Keeping a horse that has burned out of the sun entirely until its skin has healed prevents the cycle of repeated burning that makes matters worse, and a little patience sees the skin right. Attentive care sees a sunburned horse comfortably through to recovery.
Attentive Care in Every Season
Guarding a horse against sunburn is one of the many small attentions that keep it comfortable through the year, and that care runs through the whole of a horse’s life. Where a horse dies naturally at home, a cremation service following natural death can be arranged with gentleness and without delay. For guidance on any aspect of equine care or aftercare, owners across the north west are welcome to call Heavenly Pastures on 01704 776976.