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Preventing sunburn?

Last post 05-18-2008 9:18 AM by Sundays Best. 15 replies.
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  • 03-28-2008 8:27 AM

    Preventing sunburn?

    What products do you use for prevention of sunburn? 

    I have never had a horse with a baldface, and I am considering getting a horse and she has a baldface, and I live where the summers are very hot and we live in a valley...we have trees and shelter, but I am nervous about sunburns with a horse with white skin. 

    Is there lotion that any of you use?  Also do flysheets and flymasks protect against the sun?

  • 03-28-2008 9:55 AM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    I use baby sunblock on Duke's nose.  I figure if its safe for human babies, why not!

    DukesMom
  • 03-28-2008 11:20 AM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    Ooh that's a good idea, yes indeed. I did not even think of that, thanks!

  • 03-28-2008 12:20 PM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    It really seems to depend on the horse whether they sunburn or not.  My bald face tovero filly does not get sunburn, while my maximum sabino mare does - go figure.  I use the same thing DukesMom does, waterproof hi-spf baby sunscreen.  I've also used the zinc diaper rash ointment.  It works as sunblock as well and since it's thick seems to stay on a little longer.  It also heals up any sunburn if you miss a spot or don't get sunscreen on their nose fast enough Embarrassed

  • 03-28-2008 2:22 PM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

     I do believe that it is the colour of the skin, not the white hair, that is the determining factor for sunburn. 

    I have 3 chestnut horses - all have a good amount of white on the face - only one gets sunburned - he has pink skin whereas my 2 females have black skin.

    I use human sunscreen - either baby, children or sensitive skin products - with at least a 30 SPF rating AND waterproof.

  • 03-28-2008 2:56 PM In reply to

    Re Preventing sunburn?

    Yeah, well I see the horse has actually white or pink skin,so that makes me nervous.  I have gray horses, so they have black skin and don't get sunburned. 

    Do you know if flysheets and flymasks protect from sunburn, I know they can help with fading/bleaching of the coat but what about sunburns.

  • 03-28-2008 3:49 PM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    I would get a UV blocking flymask that has as much coverage as you can get.  The UV blocking will work basically like human sunglasses and protect the eyes and skin.  I think they make fly/sun sheets of similar material and UV protection as well if you are afraid of her bleaching (unless she has white skin on her body I don't think she's likely to burn even under white hair).

    Anything that is exposed you can use human waterproof, "sport" sunblock on, but you'll have to experiment with application amounts (I've had good luck, but only had horses with minimal white skin on the nose).  Some people use human diaper rash creme for treatment and prevention, citing that it stays on better/longer, might be worth looking into.

    If she has white skin around her eyes, and does not have natural black "eyeliner" you might want to consider having fake "eyeliner" applied to protect her eyes.  You might want to talk to a vet experienced in this procedure before purchase to talk about benefits/risks/costs/etc.  White horses with white skin around their eyes have a higher incidence of eye problems and sensitivity because of the lack of protection from dark skin in that area; this is something that can be dealt with though with flymasks "eyeliner" or anything else that will provide the protection nature didn't put there. 
  • 03-29-2008 4:40 AM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    I use a flymask with a nose piece on my mare it works very well for her, when smaller i started with suncream but she hates it lol

     

     

  • 03-30-2008 6:39 PM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    Thank yall so much for all the replies!!

  • 04-01-2008 12:06 PM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    My QH gelding get's the WORSE sunburn on his nose in summer. I rub his nose down with SPF 30 or 40 in the mornings, and re-apply in the afternoons when he's sweated most of it off (even though it's waterproof..>>) I've also heard UV fly masks are excellent, I've just never gotten one!

    The zinc baby rash cream also works great for healing sunburns! My trainer told me about that one. It also apparently helps horses stop rubbing their faces or something like that... I'll have to research that again.

    Well, good luck!  

    [Big Dreamer] Dallas. 13 year old Sorrel QH gelding. Currently a trail horse due to permanent lameness in his front hooves. Big teddy bear and LOVES treats!
    [Corona Light] Hank. 9 year old Paint Warmblood gelding. My little hunter/jumper with an attitude. Hates sugar cubes, loves apples. :P
  • 04-07-2008 3:06 PM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    I haven't really had problems with sunburn.  I have a sorrel with a blaze face, pink skin, but all I have done with him is use a fly mask, and sometimes I use a fly spray with sunscreen in it.  I've heard of lots of people using sunscreen made for people, tho and it seems to work well.

    The cure for all evils is a canter
  • 04-07-2008 7:32 PM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    Sunscreen on those pink noses! A boarding horse got a sunburn last week when we had a few days with alot of sun.

    Christina

    My Life.

    [
  • 04-09-2008 7:24 AM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    I've always used sunscreen ment for human babies

  • 05-09-2008 7:46 AM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    I have always used baby sunscreen (SPF 30+) with great success.  Then I got a new horse who was very allergic to sunscreen.  There was nothing I could use on his nose.  I then sewed a bandana to his fly mask to cover his nose.  The look was so original, I sewed bandanas to all my horses' fly masks!  Each one has a different colored bandana.  :-)

  • 05-09-2008 11:57 AM In reply to

    Re: Preventing sunburn?

    Any fly mask/sheet is going to filter the sun somewhat, and don't forget to reomove the fly masks at night. They arent' meant for night vision.  I also use a fly mask to keep excess dust out of my gelding's "bad" eye (he puntured the cornea years ago, the vet didn't want to remove the eye, so it's still in)

    Yes, most any sunblock lotion (Bull Frog seems to work best-and a little goes a long way!) or zinc based diaper ointment, that's water/sweat proof as drinking water will rinse it off, and I'm sure some gets rubbed off in the course of the day from grazing, scratching, etc.

    Someone mentioned the 'artificial eyeliner" but I'm not crazy about tattooing eyelids. For one, it's like getting a tatoo on your arm, it doesn't stop the sun damage, just makes it less visible to you thanks to the pigments in the tat.

    My paint doesn't really burn , unless he's gotten into some milkweed (it has toxins that make horses photosensitive) then he really blisters, no matter what you do. I have to make sure he can't find any! Not a problem in good grazing pastures, but more so in over grazed or sparse pastures where weeds tend to flourish. Horses get bored and try to eat the weeds. There are some horses that get "dew poisoning" where they tend to react to the sun if turned out on wet grass in the mornings. Just depends on the horse. In these cases, I'd try to keep the horse in shade as much as possible during the most intense sun.

     

    Oh, and should mention that certain grooming products can make your horse more sensitive. Shapely's MTG that is so popular for growing out manes/tails etc can cause sunburn in your horse. I've trimmed a few horses that reacted to it, and they burned on their shoulders/butts where the stuff melted down their bodies after being applied to the mane/tail. Usually just a problem with the paints, esp the overos.If you wash it off or keep your horse in the shade, it's not such a big deal.

    Barefoot and Loving it!

    http://www.barefoothooves.net


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