As people we’re aware of the hazard of remaining in the sunlight too long. We all know that if we waste to much relaxing time in the sunlight we run the risk of turning a pleasant suntan in to an ugly burn. Besides being ugly and sore we are also aware that sunburns can lead to skin cancer. We make use of all kinds of methods from sun tan lotion to light weight covers to avoid our
skin from burning.
Because they are large and appear to be infallible (a quality that every horse owner is aware is an illusion) we frequently forget about the affect that the sunlight has on our horses.
Equines, exactly like people, can burn. Sunburn is most frequently seen on horses with light colored hair coat for example Appaloosa’s, Lipizzans, Paints, Pintos, Andalusian, and Grays. Horse owners who possess equines with white noses and lots of pale skin round the eyes often find themselves treating their equine companions for sunburn. A swift change in hormones, like horses which have been bred, can cause a horse to develop sunburn. Although dark horses aren’t generally irritated by sunburn the sunlight often lightens the dark hair. In some cases serious sunburn is alleged to contribute to some liver impairment.
Horse owners must also bear in mind that some medicinal drugs might also trigger sunburn in horses. Tetracycline is one prescription which has been known to cause sunburn in various horses.
Equine sunburn seems to be just like human sunburn. The skin turns an angry colour of pink or even a violent red. If skin is left raw long enough it begins to chap and crack. Horses which might be suffering from harsh sunburn will begin to break out in blisters. Sunburn can cause hair deficiency.
Soothing burnt eyes is somewhat straightforward. All an owner needs to do is acquire a fly mask for his or her horse. When using a fly mask it is extremely important to make sure that the fly mask is kept hygienic. Just use a hosepipe including a sprayer to clean the dust and eye substance from the mask. After washing the fly mask hang it in the sun to dry.
A number of fly masks have an enlargement that protects the tip of the nose from getting sunburned. If you don’t own a fly mask that covers your horses nostril all you might want to do is rub your horses nose with sun tan lotion that you should buy at your local drugstore.
Some horse owners, particularly ones who are interested in showing, try to prevent the sun from damaging their horses coat by keeping them inside usually in the day time hours when the sun is the most damaging. Other owners prefer to keep their horses covered with a light-weight weight turn out blanket or fly sheet to shield their horses hair coat. An example of the reasons some owners prefer a blanketed horse to one kept indoors is they feel that keeping a horse stalled and fully freed from daylight can lead to a depressive disorder.
If you’re looking for horses for sale and ponies for sale, you could always try the Horse and Pony Directory.