Horses and Sunburn | Photosensitivity

Despite our best efforts to "slip, clap and sip," most of us still manage to get a sunburn occasionally. The summer sun can be s...

Despite our best efforts to "slip, clap and sip," most of us still manage to get a sunburn occasionally. The summer sun can be strong, and even your horse is prone to sunburn. It is not uncommon to see horses with pink, peeling noses during the summer months. Sunburn on the back of a horse can mean that you have to wait for the fire to heal. You don't want to put a saddle on a painful burn.

Most often, horses such as greys or pintos with white or pink noses will get sunburn. The skin will turn pink or red and the skin will throw blisters and peel off, just like you do when you get a fire. In horses with thin fur or pink skin, sunburn can occur on the back. Horses can also get sunburn on the protruding areas of the face, at the tips of the ears and in the white spots of the legs, just as our noses, ears, shoulders and collarbones are burned.

Light sensitivity: Not only the sun

Even if exposure to the sun during the hottest parts of the day is enough to cause sunburn on your horse, there are things it can eat and things we put on its skin that could also contribute to the problem. There are a number of plants that can cause sensitivity to light in horses. St. John's wort is a plant that can cause sensitivity to light in both horses and cattle. I once badly burned my horse's nose when I applied a herbal oil made from St. John's wort flowers. The cure was definitely worse than the original problem.

Alsike clover can cause both sensitivity to light as well as liver failure, stomach and neurological disorders. Dew point poisoning is the term for the sunburn that occurs on the nose and lower legs of the horse when it grazes in damp areas of the Alsikeklees. Other plants that can cause sensitivity to light are buckwheat and elderberry (some gardeners may know it as snow-in-the-mountain).

Sometimes care sprays or fly sprays can exacerbate sunburn. Sensitivity to light can also be caused by some medications.

Prevention of sunburn in horses

Preventing sunburn usually means keeping them away from the sun when it is strongest. It is important to provide a shady place such as a row of trees or a shelter. Some people choose to keep their horses in the stable during the day and go to the pasture at night. This is a strategy to prevent tournament horses from getting a sun-bleached coat.

Baby food sunscreen can be used to protect the sensitive areas of your horse. Since your horse has to graze with its head down, the product can be quickly wiped off, so it often needs to be reapplied. Products specially made for horses are brightly coloured so that you can see when they are worn out. However, this may not be the best idea if you are on your way to the show ring. Inexpensive zinc oxide paste is useful both as sun protection and for healing previously irritated skin. I have a tub of "Ihle's Paste" for sunscreen and first aid.

Fly screen cloths and masks can help prevent sunburn on your horse. A full mask like the absorbent fly shield covers your horse from the tip of the nose to the tips of your ears. Pale coloured fly/suncloths provide horses with a small protection over their backs. However, since these sheets are made of mesh, they should not be considered as complete protection, as some sun rays come through. Make sure the sheets fit well. A poorly fitting sheet can be irritating, especially over the shoulders and the withers.