# Is air conditioning bad for horses?



## Heelsdown (Jun 5, 2011)

I was talking with a friend recently about her Shire. She's an older horse and really has a hard time with summer. The humidity here in Virginia is really bad in the summer and the shire has a hard time doing anything more than a walk. She's very healthy and is fine the other 3 seasons. She spends most of her time inside her run-in all day in the summer and only comes out at night.

Would it be bad to run a window unit air conditioner in the run-in shed? She said she was considering doing it for the summer. She only has two horses and money isn't a problem. The question was, could the a/c end up causing colic or something since the horse would be going from 75 and low humidity to outside where it's 95 and humid? I read that sometimes drastic temperature changes can cause colic. 

good idea or not? If not, what is the best way to keep a horse comfortable when they aren't very heat tolerant? This poor thing just seems miserable in the summer and we haven't really hit the nasty part yet.


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

I have been to come Luxury barns that had central air and heat. The horses never had any issues with it. It would be upwards of 110 outside, and around 70 in the barns.


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## candandy49 (Jan 16, 2011)

Rather than put in an air conditioner a box fan will help a lot. A platform/shelf about eye level of the horse will move the air inside the run-in. My mare will stand with her head directly in front of her fan.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

An air conditioner will only work if the area is closed off, so a run in shed will not be kept cool. I agree, use a fan.


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## Heelsdown (Jun 5, 2011)

She had mentioned closing off the front of the run-in with those heavy plastic strips so that it kind of closed off the entrance,so it would keep most of the air inside.

She does have a fan now but on the really hot, muggy days it doesn't seem to help much. 

But then we laughed and wondered if the horse would actually walk through the plastic or think it's a monster. I don't know if she's going to do it. It was a quick conversation. But then it had me wondering about it afterward.


A barn with heat and a/c sounds like a dream! I can't imagine the cost of heating or cooling an entire barn!


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## Rascaholic (Oct 4, 2010)

I'd install misters. We had them out for the humming birds and some of my flowers, Rascal took them over. He loved them. He'd get wet and go stand in front of his fan over and over


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Fans also help keep the flying bugs away.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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