Horses, one of the few domestic animals with a body mass greater than most other domestic animals, have a harder time dissipating the heat. Horses don't pant, like you might see a dog or cat, and if you do see your horse panting, then it could be one of the first signs of heat stress.
Because of this horse owners need to take care to ensure that their horses are maintained throughout the summer months, but definitely in a heat wave situation that has been seen in 1995, 2003 and also in 2011.
Horses will often actually drink less water during a heat wave, so ensuring that the water available to them is checked throughout the day for cleanliness, temperature and that they are drinking is an important part of hot weather summer care. Contrary to that old wives, cold water on a hot day will not make your horse colic. Horses also can be sprayed with a cold hose, but ensure that they are scraped off before the water turns warm on their bodies, which will enable them to continue to dissipate heat on their own. Cold hosing will decrease a hot horses inner temperature rapidly and can save your horse in a life threatening heat stroke/ heat stress situation.
You should also make sure that horses through out periods of intense heat have access to salt and that they are obtaining all the proper electrolytes. Unlike humans, horses actually fare better in cold weather situations, having an internal heating system that is more functional than they do their internal cooling system. Fans in the barn to keep the air moving, access to shade or run ins, or only being turned out in the evenings are all things that are appropriate for the care of your horse in the summer months.
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