Keeping a Backyard Horse

For Comfort

In this section I will talk about some things you can do to add to the comfort of your horse, if you wanted to. These are not absolute needs, but tips on how to keep your equine friend a little more comfortable.

First thing's first, I need to teach you a little math. Yes, I know, math; don't groan until you've read my formula. If you're planning a ride in warmer conditions, consider this formula: heat + humidity = X. If you add up the ambient (outside air) temperature, and the current humidity (a weather app for your phone will provide you with these numbers), and that number comes to greater than 130, then it's likely going to be too hot for your horse to work. In these conditions, dehydration and heat stroke are likely. This is also true if the temperature is over 100°F/37.7°C, even if the humidity is low.

Heat stroke can be a medical emergency, and should be closely monitored. It can cause restlessness, anxiety, lack of interest in food, body temperature of 106-110°F/41.1°-43.3°C, dry skin and weakness. Your vet should be contacted right away. Put your horse in a shady spot, if possible, and use a garden hose with cool water to try and reduce his body temperature.

There are many different products that can help keep your horse more comfortable in weather conducive to biting insects. Fly spray of many kinds are available in feed stores, as well as fly-repellant 'bracelets' that snap around your horse's legs. These do help a little bit; in the hottest part of summer, your horse can stomp his feet to rid his legs of flies so many times and with such force that he can actually damage his hooves. Fly masks and sheets (see the section on Tack) can keep flies away from the more sensitive areas that your horse can't easily reach.

Sometimes, the constant use of a halter on your horse's face may rub off the fur and even cause nasty sores. Halters are made in a general size, ranging from mini, pony, cob, horse, and draft, and a horse-sized one is suitable for the average horse. But horses' faces come in all shapes and sizes, and may be tight in certain places. There are fleece halter liners that can slip over the halter like a seat belt pad does in a car. This can greatly reduce the chance of sores on your horse's face, if he must wear a halter at all times.

You can also add to your horse's comfort by installing fans in your barn or stall. A cheap box fan will work, and you can buy a mounting kit from Jeffer's Equine to mount it at an angle in the top of your stall. Not only will the fan give your horse some comfort during dry, still days or nights, but the fan will also blow away some of the flying insects. I used to stand over the air conditioner compressor for the house in order to blow flies off my face!

Mom also keeps a space heater in my stall. Keep in mind, my stall is attached on one side to a concrete building with a small walkthrough door and an even smaller door where chickens used to go in and out. She keeps the space heater (one specifically for shops or garages is safer, better yet if it has a tip shut off sensor built in) inside the concrete room, with a grate over the smaller door where she places the heater, so I can't actually reach the heater to chew on it or burn myself. Of course, my stall isn't air tight or insulated, but the heater, even set really low, along with my own body heat, is usually enough to keep my water from freezing overnight in the winter. Just remember to keep all electrical appliances and cords out of your horse's reach!

As for your own comfort, having some riding clothes is a definite perk! Durable jeans, light cotton shirts (in summer), flannel or other long sleeve shirts (in winter), and good boots are a must. Your boots should have a tall enough heel to keep your foot from slipping forward in the stirrup. If you're planning to ride in a light rain, you should probably have a rain coat. If it's cool, you might want a jacket or a coat. And you might want gloves, no matter what the weather. Lightweight driving gloves will protect your hands in the summer, and heavy leather ones will help keep them warm in the winter. If you ride through the woods or heavily brushed areas, you might want a pair of leather chaps, like you've probably seen cowboys wear. These will protect your legs from tree branches and other such things.