Sliding Into Summer: My Summer Survival Kit

Summer is in full swing and while it brings many nice things like longer days at the barn, horse shows, lazy afternoons by the pool, it also comes with challenges such as relentless heat, bugs and grooming/skin issues. One recent afternoon in the wash rack I began thinking of all the things I grab for every summer and how thankful I was to have them. So, in honor of summer and endless gratitude to anything that makes barn life easier I decided to compile by summer survival kit. Enjoy and Stay Cool!

Flies (and other bugs) are inevitable every summer and drive my horses crazy, but there are a few tried and true products that help ease the burden of flies.

Woof Wear UV Fly Mask: This protects my horses eyes from annoying flies and the searing summer sun. It’s fine mesh and stretch fabric is easy to see thru, cool and comfortable. It’s also seems to be very durable.

TuffRider Comfy Mesh Fly Sheet: This super affordable $29 fly sheet is awesome! It’s soft, fine mesh keeps my horses cool and fly-free. It washes and wears well and easily beats out more expensive fly sheets. Tip: Stock up at SmartPak when they have their seasonal sales.

SWAT Clear Fly Repellent Ointment: This is a year round tack box essential. It’s sticky, goopy formula keeps flies away from wounds, sores, eyes and ears. A little goes a long way, so a tub lasts forever. Early on our miniature donkeys legs were getting sores from all the fly bites and SWAT came to the rescue. We smeared it all over their legs and it protected their legs.

EquiShield IBH Insect Bite Hypersensitivity Spray: I have one horse that is allergic to fly bites and two horses who have reactions to tick bites and this spray does the trick every time. Mist the offending bug bite with this anesthetic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory spray that also helps repel bugs and it is usually gone the next day.

Now that we covered dealing with flies and bugs it is time to move on to the grooming products. Summer brings with it grooming challenges often brought on by hot, humid, wet conditions or dry, harsh conditions and these are some of my go to helpers.

KineticVet VETASAN Ointment: My horses seem to get more cuts and scrapes in the summer and this antimicrobial chlorhexidine ointment heals them quickly. It is also super helpful in fighting the scurfy fungus they get on their legs (from wet grass and lots of rinses) and their faces (from sweat). It’s thick texture stays on in the hottest weather.

Ultra Cruz Equine Shampoo Plus: Dry, itchy skin is just as common in the summer as the winter but this shampoo helps soothe their skin with tea tree oil, clove oil and cedarwood oil that provide anti-microbial protection and help repel bugs. It works great on eliminating girth itch, rain rot and the crusty stuff they get on their back legs. I grab it for every bath and use it to scrub their back legs when I wash their tails. It soaps up beautifully and leaves my horses soft and shiny.

Keratex Hoof Hardener and Sport Horse Essentials Hoof Oil: Summer weather alternates between hot and rainy or hot and dry and both can wreak havoc on hooves. I use both of these all summer to keep their feet in good shape. You can read my post all about Keratex Hoof Hardener here. Sport Horse Essentials Hoof Oil is hands down my favorite hoof oil. It keeps my horses’ hooves moisturized and shiny. It also fights thrush. I apply it after every rinse and bath to keep their feet from drying out when they go from wet to a dry stall.

Cowboy Magic Detangler and Shine: Swishing at flies causes tangled tails and using this detangler on a regular basis makes brushing tails easy, fast and keeps from pulling out precious strands. I massage a little in before brushing and voila an untangled tail, at least until they swish at the next fly.

equiFUSE Gleam Moisturizer and Shine Serum: Hot sun can strip hair of necessary moisture leaving behind dull, brittle manes and tails. This shine serum is infused with Macadamia Nut Oil and Vitamin E that nourish, condition and help avoid tangles and breakage. I massage in a little bit after every mane and tail wash to keep hair soft and shiny.

We spend a lot of time and worry making sure our horses are drinking enough and replenishing electrolytes after sweaty riding/lunging sessions. These are my two favorites that I reach for every year and have used for at least 15 years.

Progressive Nutrition Aqua Aide: This jolly rancher smelling white electrolyte powder is a favorite of all my horses (and my mom’s crew of 30 horses). We have never had one not lick it up immediately. I sprinkle it in their feeder daily to keep everyone drinking. It is formulated for the demands of performance horses and helps speed recovery. You can also mix it in water for a tasty treat.

Electro-Plex Electrolyte Recovery Paste: This is the paste electrolyte I give my horses after long, hot, horse show days or if someone has gone off their water and doesn’t feel well. It aways seems to perk them up and encourage them to drink. It replenishes the electrolytes and it’s also a great way to support your horse’s health during times of physical stress or hot weather. This blend includes chelated minerals which your horse’s body can easily absorb. It’s full of quality essential ingredients including calcium, magnesium and potassium.

We spend so much time taking care of our horses but we need to remember to practice a little self-care too and these are a few of my summer faves for myself:

Kosas DreamBeam Sunscreen: Daily sunscreen is a must and to make it on my face it has to be clean (no toxic ingredients), blend in seamlessly, last all day and never feel sticky or goopy. This one is an absolute dream. It has a subtle tint that makes it look like your skin but better. It goes on smooth and instantly soaks in leaving a soft finish. It has mineral SPF of 40 and includes peptides to smooth and firm, ceramides to improve skin suppleness, hyaluronic acid to hydrate and lock in moisture and allantoin to sooth and condition. It is hands down the best sunscreen I have ever used. You don’t even need to wear makeup with this one. I also like to add a pump of Glow IV for an extra touch of glow.

SunBetter Tone Smart SPF 68 Sunscreen Compact: This amazing product was recommended by my dermatologist and I even wrote an entire blog post about it (here). This sunscreen provides a high level of sun protection in a tone-adapting, silky smooth compact that provides a hint of blendable color. Just swipe it on in the morning and keep it with you throughout the day for touch ups.

Supergoop Lipshade Mineral SPF Lipstick and Coral Sun Mineral Lip Balm: Many people forget that your lips need sun protection too. I love lipstick and can’t leave the house without some color on my lips. Supergoop’s Lipstick comes in 5 buildable shades that provide full sun protection and creamy moisture. It’s a dream of a lip balm, lipstick and sunscreen all in one. If color is not your thing Coral Sun Mineral Lip Balm provides superior sun protection while also moisturizing with sunflower seed oil, beeswax, aloe vera and olive oil. Keep a tube in your car, your purse and your tack trunk.

DesertWest Foldable Neck Fan: This super lightweight neck fan slips on easily and puts out a significant amount of cooling air. It’s like walking around with a personal air conditioner. It makes cleaning stalls, feeding horses and all barn chores more bearable as the temperature rises.

And my last Summer Survival item is a bit of a splurge but I can’t imagine getting through a summer without it! Port A Cools are amazing evaporative coolers that use water to help blow out cold air. I use mine in the wash rack to keep myself and my horses cool after hot rides or daily turnout and on really hot days the horses get them in front of their stalls for a bit of relief from the heat.