How horses adapt to summer heat
Anyone who turns out their horse in the winter knows that a horse’s coat changes from the summer to the winter. But have you ever wondered what is at work for this to happen? This week I read about research done in the UK studying the coats of horses that died in the summer and the coats of those died in the fall.
They studied the thickness of the skin layers, the density of the individual hairs, and the number and volume of the sweat and sebaceous glands of ponies, non-Thoroughbreds and Thoroughbreds.
As might be expected, there was a higher number of sweat glands in comparison in the Thoroughbreds and the non-Thoroughbreds compared to the ponies. The non-Thoroughbreds and the ponies’ sebaceous glands were busier in the summer wicking away sweat from their coats.
Of these three equine groups, the Thoroughbreds results were more stunning. The researchers have thought that it may be of their Arabian ancestry with its roots in a hotter climate that made the difference. The Thoroughbreds skin was much thinner in the summer than a non-Thoroughbred. They had the greatest skin change from summer to winter with a larger increase of sebaceous gland volume. Interestingly the Thoroughbreds had higher volume measurements for the sebaceous glands in the winter than the non-Thoroughbreds and the ponies. The sebaceous glands secrete an oily substance which in the winter helps with waterproofing the coat while in the summer helps wick sweat through the coat.
Although horse owners know that their horses do well in both climates, it is amazing how their hydration levels change and just how adaptable horses are.
Speaking of coats, here is a tip for a healthier and shinier coat. It is a supplement called TAHITIAN NONI™ Equine Essentials™, from Tahitian Noni International. Show horses use it. Besides nicer coats, even all through the winter, TAHITIAN NONI™ Equine Essentials™ supports the immune system; helps relieve stress, helps with digestion and nutrient absorption.
As indicated at the bottom of all our web pages, these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and these products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please visit our websites for further information.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 at 4:22 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.