Sweating Horse!

[KAB]

Is it normal behaviour for a horse to sweat without having done any exercise? I went up to feed my horse and another that i share with this evening, and looked at the other horse thinking that he`d just been out on a fast hard hack or something because of how much he was sweating. However, it appears not, i was informed that he suffers badly in the heat. Poor thing, he is only 4yrs old and i couldnt believe it! Is this normal?

 

[coss]

i've never know that to be "normal". my horse is allergic to liquid soya oil (if i add it to a feed rather than it being an ingredient) and it makes him really itchy and it makes him feverish, he tends to get really sweaty from that.
maybe this horse has had an allergic reaction to something? how much winter coat does he have left? was he left in the field on his own and suffered from separation anxiety at all?

 

[Ptaty70]

In this heat, they are going to sweat just by flicking their tails. Some more than others. Plus, it depends on the build and the coverage of hair. One mare at the stables has lost all her hair, CW (mine) has fluffier bits still on his non-clip bits, but a pony who lives out is completely covered in hair still and was dripping after a ride and hot out in the field, to the point she may just get a trace clip to be able to deal with the heat.

If it's normal for the horse, then so be it, but sweating can also signal colic, but I think you would know if this was the case.

ETA: you don't say 'how' much the horse was sweating, so am making assumptions on what I think 'normal' sweating is... i.e. what I have experienced

 

[KAB]

He hasnt got that much winter coat left to come off, and he is never left on his own for him to get stressed - but it appears that its something that happens often when the sun comes out. I was concerned because i thought, well yes, it has been warm here today, but what must it be like for him in the summer! You`d got to see it to believe it!

 

[coss]

i would want the vet out if thats "normal" for him in warm weather. i have 2 arabs so i find they cope with heat well but there are breeds that prefer the colder climate.

 

[Daffy Dilly]

Daffy and a couple of others were sweating when we brought them in earlier. It's been a warm day, and they have winter coats, so I wasn't surprised they were hot.

Daffy does suffer a bit with the heat, he's black, so even with a summer coat he can get quite hot in the summer. As we can't provide any shade in the fields, he'll be in during the day this summer starting in a couple of weeks. Alternatively, a white fly rug does help to repel some of the sun.

I used to go to the field and sponge both horses down with cool water, and even the one that was terrified of buckets of water would stand loose, and even push in, to have a bath.

I don't think it's uncommon, but it depends on the degree to which the horse is sweating.

 

[eml]

We have actually had to clip out a black pony this week, no not ideal I know but he was sweating up badly in the unseasonably warm weather. Out now with rainsheet at night.

 

[KAB]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. I feel better for knowing others experience the same problem. Perhaps they may clip him too in the summer

 

[lolahutt]

Kazz has been sweating quite a lot in the field. A black(partly) coat doesn't help

 

[Loopy_Laura]

This has been the first week of the year that ive actually been pleased that my black mare had such a drastic clip when we bought her!

 

[blackhorses]

All my lot were sweaty in this weird weather, they all still have various degrees of winter coat left, I feel sorry for my foals in thier wooly baby coats, the sweat was pouring off them too!