August Blog
The idiom “dog days of summer” refers to the hottest part of the summer season, which many parts of the world are currently experiencing. The term has ancient astronomical roots, referring to Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, which is part of the constellation Canis Major (the “Greater Dog”). The ancient Greeks and Romans noticed that during mid-summer, Sirius rose just before or alongside the sun, and that this combination drove the blistering heat and humidity of this season. It is a time when people often retreat indoors or seek places with access to water and shade out of doors, and experience the lethargy extreme temperatures can induce. Notable days in August include National Watermelon Day (August 3) and National Relaxation Day (August 15) and who wouldn’t want to relax with some refreshing watermelon on a hot summer day? I know my horses greatly appreciate this treat and will consume it eagerly, rind and all.
Horses are affected by heat and humidity just like people are – imagine wearing a fur coat outside all summer! In fact, due to their size and muscle mass, they are less heat tolerant than we are. Making sure horses have access to shade and plenty of water is vital in the summer months. They should not be ridden or exercised when the combined air temperature and relative humidity exceeds a heat index of 150 degrees to avoid heat stress or the even more dangerous condition of heat stroke, which can lead to death.
Many peer reviewed research studies have concluded that being in the presence of horses can help people lower markers of stress in their nervous system. Researchers are starting to explore what helps horses lower their stress as well. One such study sought to evaluate the effect of music therapy on geriatric horses aged 20 years or more. Using heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) as excitability indicators, experimenters exposed half of the horses to new age relaxation music for 28 days while the control group received no such exposure. Beginning one week after the onset of this “music therapy” a short-term positive effect on the HR and HRV values of the horses was observed, but the effect seemed to disappear several weeks later.[1]
Another study compared the electrocardiograms of horses who spent 15 minutes immersed in warm springwater with those given more traditional stall rest. Due to increased activity in the parasympathetic nervous system (typically characterized as the “brake” or “rest and digest” arm of the central nervous system), researchers concluded that these immersion baths may provide a means of relaxation for horses.[2]
Depending on where and how you keep your horses, exposing them to music or immersion baths may or may not be realistic options. Boarding barns have to consider the opinions and well-being of multiple owners and equines and may not have the resources (or desire) to provide “extras” such as these. Other facilities may offer services such as red light therapy, cryotherapy, massage and other bodywork to help keep horses well and fit. Supplements, special diets, supportive gear and equipment, targeted treatments and the services of paid professionals may all be helpful or even necessary at times for both humans and horses.
However, we can spend a great deal of time, energy and money pursuing “the latest trends” in optimizing human and equine wellness, and miss some of the more basic approaches to well-being for both ourselves and our equine friends. When my therapy clients describe symptoms of burnout, fatigue and overwhelm, I bring up the idea of developing a plan to improve each of the “four pillars of health”: sleep, nutrition, physical movement, and stress management. In our often over-subscribed, disconnected and fragmented approach to life, we sometimes miss the connection between our schedule and lifestyle and our physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual condition. (The equivalent of this concept in the equine world would be the Five Domains of Animal Welfare: nutrition, environment, behavior, health and mental state.)[3]
The first pillar is sleep. Insufficient sleep has become a global health concern, and is associated with wide ranging risk factors from compromised cardiovascular functioning to workplace and vehicular accidents, and an increase in a wide range of mental and physical health issues.[4] Developing a plan to protect the quality and quantity of our sleep by implementing consistent sleep/wake times, avoiding screens and otherwise creating a peaceful and comfortable sleeping environment, while also limiting caffeine and other stimulants later in the day, can help develop healthy sleep hygiene and improve our health, energy, attention span and mood. Horses have shorter sleep cycles than humans, and are able to sleep standing up (a skill some parents of newborns appear to have mastered as well!) but can only achieve the necessary and restorative REM cycle while laying down, which requires the space, comfort and safety to do so.[5]
The second pillar is nutrition. A staggering amount of information (and misinformation) on this topic is currently circulating but there is no doubt that what we put in our bodies and feed our horses hugely impacts our and their ability to thrive in this world. I have worked with a number of people suffering from eating disorders and body image issues and understand how confusing and overwhelming the messaging around what constitutes healthy eating and beauty standards can be. For many of us, the journey back to a better relationship with food and the physical body may involve focusing on connecting with our own internal experience of noticing how we feel when we eat particular foods, rather than trying to follow diet plans designed for particular outcomes like weight loss. Unless you are on a particular regimen prescribed by a physician related to health issues, you might consider what foods give you the energy, mental clarity, and strength to do the things you want and need (and also enjoy!) doing throughout the day? Learning to discern between true physical hunger cues and more emotionally driven cues can be helpful too.
Just like people, horses have particular dietary needs for optimal health. They are primarily foragers who need to eat frequently throughout the day. The topic of nutrition for both species is too detailed to cover in this article but there are many excellent resources available that are based on rigorous research (and not funded by an industry who stands to gain from the outcome!)
The third pillar is movement. The human body is comprised of over 600 muscles and a complex network of bones, tendons and connecting tissue (fascia) specifically evolved for movement. Movement is a primary biological requirement for proper circulation, metabolism, immune function, and mental clarity. Inactivity is associated with a variety of poor mental, emotional and physical health indicators.[6] “Movement” tends to have fewer triggering connotations for people than “exercise.” Rather than structured, repetitive gym workouts, for example, movement can be organic and playful. Embracing joyful movement—like dancing to your favorite playlist, tending to a garden, or playing with your pets—lowers stress and boosts your mood without the pressure of counting reps or tracking progress.
Horses are designed for movement as well. Historically, horses in the wild covered many miles each day while foraging for food. Due to the constant production of gastric juices, frequent access to forage is vital to gut health. A recent study found that access to grass turnout was one of the most significant factors protecting horses from gastric ulcers.[7] Of note is that stability was also an important factor, signified by the length of time the horse had been with a particular owner and experienced a consistent care routine, which brings us to our fourth and final pillar: stress management.
Again, this topic is too broad to do it justice here, but this is another area where returning to the basics of how the mammalian nervous system is wired can be very helpful. We instinctively create rhythms and routines to help young children regulate through scheduled periods of activity and rest throughout the day, and forget that as adults, we are simply in an older and bigger body made of the same components. Like children, we benefit from these rhythms and routines of bedtime and wake time routines, planned meals and snacks, periods of stimulation through learning and play, connection with others, time for rest, and growth through challenge moderated by support to keep us growing and developing.
Horses similarly benefit from consistent care routines, and adequate support when stressed. Instead of labeling a horse’s behavior as signifying a negative character attribution like being naughty or stubborn, we can recognize it as an attempt to communicate anxiety, fear and/ or lack of understanding of what is expected. Rather than punishment for perceived disobedience, horses need our empathy, presence and patience while we try to figure out what is causing the stress response at hand. We all learn more from our mistakes than our successes if we are not afraid of being punished when we make them.
The key is curiosity. Being curious when you notice you or your horse are struggling in any of the above mentioned four areas protects you from the shame and self-blame that shuts down our ability to be creative about trying new ways of being. Not knowing, making mistakes, floundering and failing are all part of the human (and horse!) experience. Humans are uniquely prone to blaming themselves for what are actually very normal experiences in the complex journey of life. Horses are innately blissfully free from this tendency to shame and blame themselves or us, but can learn to be afraid to make mistakes if punished for making them. Practicing acceptance and kindness towards self and others can be powerful antidotes to shame and fear.
Pratice paying attention to these four pillars of health for both yourself and your equine friends to see where some shifts might be made to improve well-being. And don’t forget to enjoy some watermelon in the shade with your horse during these “ dog days of summer!”
[1] Marcjanna Wiśniewska, Iwona Janczarek, Izabela Wilk, Elżbieta Wnuk-Pawlak, Use of Music Therapy in Aiding the Relaxation of Geriatric Horses, Journal of Equine Veterinary Science,
Volume 78, 2019, Pages 89-93, ISSN 0737-0806, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2018.12.011.
[2] Kato, T., Ohmura, H., Hiraga, A., Wada, S., Kuwahara, M., & Tsubone, H. (2003). Changes in heart rate variability in horses during immersion in warm springwater. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 64(12), 1482-1485. Retrieved Jul 18, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2003.64.1482
[3]Mellor DJ. Operational Details of the Five Domains Model and Its Key Applications to the Assessment and Management of Animal Welfare. Animals (Basel). 2017 Aug 9;7(8):60. doi: 10.3390/ani7080060. PMID: 28792485; PMCID: PMC5575572.
[4] Chattu VK, Manzar MD, Kumary S, Burman D, Spence DW, Pandi-Perumal SR. The Global Problem of Insufficient Sleep and Its Serious Public Health Implications. Healthcare (Basel). 2018 Dec 20;7(1):1. doi: 10.3390/healthcare7010001. PMID: 30577441; PMCID: PMC6473877.
[5] Greening L, McBride S. A Review of Equine Sleep: Implications for Equine Welfare. Front Vet Sci. 2022 Aug 17;9:916737. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.916737. PMID: 36061116; PMCID: PMC9428463.
[6] Stults-Kolehmainen MA. Humans have a basic physical and psychological need to move the body: Physical activity as a primary drive. Front Psychol. 2023 Apr 11;14:1134049. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1134049. PMID: 37113126; PMCID: PMC10128862.
[7] Busechian, S., Bindi, F., Orvieto, S., Zappulla, F., Marchesi, M. C., Nisi, I., & Rueca, F. (2024). Prevalence and Risk Factors for the Presence of Gastric Ulcers in Pleasure and Breeding Horses in Italy. Animals, 14(12), 1806. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14121806