Summer is the time to enjoy those fun outside activities, but when you live in the middle of the Sonoran desert, summer can be brutal and overbearing. Our transitional seasons are the ones we get to enjoy the most when it comes to horseback riding but that doesn’t mean we have to abandon our relationship with our horse during the summer. It just means we get to bond a bit differently. Below I’m going to drop some super fun and cool ways to hang with your horse during these dog days of summer!
Create an ice block for your horse.
I like to fill a bundt pan with water and some baby carrots and then freeze the pan. Once it’s frozen solid I use either bailing twine or a lead rope and hang it up in a tree and watch them enjoy the cold!
Break out the sprinkler head and toss it on the hose.
This one even allows you to join in on the fun if you so wish! Simply attach the sprinkler head to the watering hose and set it up in a space where your horse can get away from it if it becomes too overwhelming or scary for them. This is one that even my kids can enjoy when the horses decide they’ve had enough. Your pups can also benefit from this as it will cool the ground and they can find some relief in the cool dirt.
Ice cube tray and treats.
This one works great if you can’t fit an entire bundt cake pan in your freezer. I will dice up some apples or carrots, dump them into a shallow feeder, and throw a bag of opened ice over it (same style as covering your drinks in a cooler!). This allows them to cool their muzzle as they search for their treats and enjoy some ice cubes.
And lastly, I encourage you to let your inner child shine as you take the garden hose, point it up into the air, and act like it’s raining!
This one never disappoints and you may feel silly at first but the more you do it the less silly it becomes. Your horse will most likely point its butt at you because you are simulating rain and when it rains, horses always turn their back to it to cover their ears and heads.
This summer I hope you get to enjoy the warmer weather with your horse in a way that feels relieving for both of you. If you have other water fun summer activities you like to do with your horse, send them my way @unbridledmama because I’d love to hear from you!
Love this blog post? We think you may enjoy Help Your Horse Stay Cool! by Brittany Madonia.
