Photo: iStock

Spring is here and summer’s approaching. That means warm weather, great riding days, and lots of sun. As exciting as this might be for riders after a long, potentially dreary, winter, it can mean bad news for pink-skinned horses or those with photosensitivity—a sensitivity to light. These horses are at risk for sunburn, and it’s up to you to protect them.

To help improve your understanding of these conditions and get you started on keeping your horse’s skin healthy this summer, we’ve compiled 10 resources available free on TheHorse.com. Find more by searching “sun,” “sunburn,” or “photosensitization” on TheHorse.com.

ARTICLE: Burning Up: Photosensitization and Sunburn in Horses Chrome enchants horse owners and judges alike, but the flipside to flashy, however, is that the underlying unpigmented skin is vulnerable to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays—and burn it does. But these horses’ reactions can become even more serious than sunburn, involving localized swelling, crusty scabs, oozing blisters, and areas of severe inflammation. These are all signs of photosensitivity, which can be brought on by a variety of exposures. Read