Summer Survival - can we help?

From riding to feeding, turnout to competing, here are our answers to your 10 most common issues you might face with your horse this summer.

Would love to hear your tips and advice to get the most out of summer or let us know if we can help with summer setbacks.

1. Help! My laminitic pony lives out 24/7 in the summer and I have cut out his hard feed completely. I want to make sure that he stays in good condition. Should I be feeding extra vitamins?

Yes, feeding essential vitamins during this time is advisable. Fibre plays a big role in the horses diet, making up most of their feed intake and keeping the digestive system moving and healthy. Grass may not be enough to provide your pony with everything he needs.

Why not try?

Simplysunshine is a broad-spectrum supplement to help provide your horse with those extra vitamin and minerals that he may be lacking. Because it’s pelleted and not powdered, you can feed on its own, without needing to add it to feed. Plus, it’s so tasty; you can feed it straight to your horse from the hand in the field.

2. My horse needs to wear turn out boots in the field in the summer, but I’m worried his legs might get very hot. What can I do to protect his legs but keep them cool?

Turning your horse out with boots on in the summer can be tricky. Heat in the horses’ lower leg can cause damage to tendons and ligaments, so ideally, using a boot that is both protective and breathable would be the perfect solution to a common problem.

Why not try?

Tri-Zone All Sports Boots are tested in an independent laboratory, not only for protection, but also for breathability. Suitable for all disciplines, from hacking to racing and even turnout, their breathable layers help keep legs cool and protected, while remaining flexible to allow freedom of movement.

3. After riding my horse comes back sweaty, even from a hack, do I need to add salt to his feed?

Yes, it would be a good idea to give your horse electrolytes after he has been ridden, especially if he has sweated. Electrolytes play an important part in muscle function, along with other processes, and are mostly lost when horses sweat. They cannot be stored in the body either, so they may need to be topped up from time to time.

Why not try?

Simplyboost ELECTROLYTE can help replace these lost salts when your horse is working hard or sweating. It’s easy to squirt into feed and has a natural minty taste for those fussy eaters.

4. How do stop my horse getting a burnt muzzle – my boy won’t let me go near him with suncream!

Some horses, especially those with sensitive pink muzzles, are prone to sunburn, which can cause discomfort, redness and peeling of the skin.

Why not try?

The Field Relief Muzzle Protector attaches easily to a field-safe head collar and effectively blocks out up to 80% of UV rays.

Our comfortable Field Relief Max Fly Mask provides up to 80% UV protection and features a detachable nose piece to cover those sensitive muzzles, while keeping horse flies at bay.

5. My mare is turned out at night when the midges are really bad. Is it safe for her to wear a fly mask overnight and how do I get her to keep it on?

Some horses don’t like to wear a fly mask, especially for long periods of time. They can also master the knack of conveniently losing them in the field! Choose a good quality, comfortable and well fitting fly mask with good visibility and she won’t know she’s got it on!

Our Field Relief Fly Masks can be worn all day and all night. Its often early morning or late evening when midges and other biting insects are at their worst – the Field Relief range is so comfortable and visibility is great that keeping them on overnight means you catch the midges from dusk til dawn . For horses out 24/7, we do recommend making sure you check your horse regularly and allow him time without the mask to prevent risk of rubbing.

Why not try?

Our Field Relief Fly Mask range features adjustable fastenings behind the ears and under the jaw area together with elastic bindings to ensure a secure and comfortable fit.

6. When I go hacking my horse keeps shaking his head about and its really scary – this only seems to happen in the summer months.

Headshaking can be a frightening experience for any rider, whereby the horse exhibits sharp, jerky head movements in a horizontal or vertical motion. There are many different causes that could cause a horse to headshake, however some horses are known as seasonal headshakers as they are mainly affected from March to October.

Why not try?

Our Net Relief Muzzle Net is one of the most effective products in helping to control the symptoms of headshaking, having improved the symptoms of 79% of headshaking sufferers in clinical trials. It’s easy to fit and use, and totally unobtrusive to allow your horse to breathe freely.

7. My horse lives out and I need to feed him daily antibiotics but I have cut his feed right down over the summer. What shall I do?

Some horses can be fussy when it comes to eating antibiotics and medication (can you blame them?), however there are a few ways to entice them to eat up.

Why not try?

Mixing his antibiotics with a handful of Simplyirresistible feed topping.   Simplyirresistible is a delicious yet healthy mix of dried fruit and vegetables with an added probiotic that helps disguise medicines and supplements.

Feeding antibiotics can upset the delicate balance of the microflora in the horse’s digestive system.The live yeast probiotic in simplyirresistible will help maintain a healthy digestive tract.

8. I’m competing a lot more this summer and stabling way from home. How can help my horse stay healthy and keep his energy levels up without completely changing his feed.

Travelling, competing and staying away from home can all have an effect on horses, mentally and physically.

Adding a short term supplement to your horse’s diet will provide the extra nutrients he needs to help keep him in tip-top shape and ready to perform.

Why not try?

Simplyboost vitamin and mineral supplements. Simply add to feed when you need!

Simplyboost ENERGY contains a high concentration of vitamin B12 and is a great way to help boost energy levels throughout the competition and even between classes, particularly if your horse eats less hay than normal when competing.

Simplyboost ELECTROLYTE contains essential salts and minerals to help replace those lost salts when your horse is working hard and competing.

9. My horse is stood in his stable all day. He eats his small hay net really quickly and then get bored. I don’t want to feed lots of extra hay because of his weight and want a healthy way to keep him occupied in his stable.

Many horses tend to come in during the day in summer for various reasons – a break from the flies, relief from the heat or to get them off the grass.

Horses are trickle feeders that need to eat little and often to keep their guts healthy and moving, but we often don’t want to give them too much hay to control their weight.

Why not try?

Our MUNCH blocks are the perfect solution to keeping your horse occupied, while giving him a high fibre, low sugar treat. Handy 1kg snack sized blocks of quality compressed Timothy grass.

Feeding in a munch net can extend the eating time while helping to reduce boredom – PLUS, most horses can’t resist the delicious smell and taste!