Summer Sun Safety

Spring has sprung and the weather gets warmer every day. The summer months will be quickly upon us and many of us will want to be spending that time outside with our horses! It’s good to remember that our skin is our largest organ and the sun can wreak havoc upon it. 

• Sunscreen: It’s best to choose a sunscreen that provides broad spectrum protection. Broad Spectrum protection will protect you against UVA and UVB rays which cause sunburns, premature aging and contribute to skin cancer. Be sure to choose a Sunscreen with at least a minimum of SPF 30. No sunscreen will protect you completely and they should be reapplied every 2 hours. You can also purchase sunscreen sprays for your horse! Mary’s carries sprays by Absorbine, Healthy Hair Care, Mary’s Botanicals, and Farnam as well as sunscreen for yourself.

• Sunshirts: Whether for hacking out on a trail, riding in a lesson, or showing in the arena; there is a sunshirt out there for everyone! As with sunscreen, many shirts have a UPF rating (Ultraviolet Protection Factor – like the SPF rating of Sunscreen) which can range from 3 to 110+. Technical fabrics will help keep you cool and wick moisture away from you in the warm days of summer. Colors also matter; a pale shirt will provide UV protection but more vivid colors do better. At Mary’s we have a large variety of shirts to choose from in every price point, size, colors for kids and adults: Kastel, Romfh, Asmar, RJ Classic, and Ariat to name a few.

• Sun Visors, Helmets with Wide brims: Most of us wear hats when we’re outside but we now have a wide variety of products that combines head safety and sun safety. You can add a helmet visor to the helmets you already use to protect your face, ears and eyes from harmful UV rays. Some visors, like Soless Classic Helmet Visor are see-through so you do not need to sacrifice your peripheral vision, which comes in handy in a busy warm-up. Equivisor comes in several colors – get your whole barn to match! Helmet companies have become savvy to the need to further sun protection and have come out with wide brimmed helmets like the GPA First Lady or the Samshield Miss Shield that also sport increased ventilation to keep your head cool as the days get hotter.

• Gloves: I bet you didn’t expect to see gloves on the list, but the back of our hands tends to be the most neglected when it comes to slathering on the sunscreen. Increasingly companies are coming out with summer riding gloves which will offer protection from the sun’s rays while still providing grippy palms and air flow backs so your hands stay cool and dry and your reins don’t slip, like Roeckl Malia and Rocekl Lizy Solar gloves.

You want to be able to enjoy your time with your horse outside. Taking the above steps to protect yourself will make your summer a lot more enjoyable and healthier. The staff at Mary’s is always happy to help you find products that fit your lifestyle. And remember if you ever have any skin concerns contact your health provider.

For further reference check out: Clothing and Sun Protection