08/12/2026
🐴☀️ ANHIDROSIS IN HORSES — When Sweating Stops, the Risk Starts!
During hot, humid weather, you expect your horse to sweat—but what happens when they don’t?
Anhidrosis, commonly called being a “non-sweater,” is the partial or complete inability of a horse to sweat appropriately. Because evaporation of sweat is the horse’s primary method of getting rid of excess body heat, anhidrosis can quickly become a serious problem during our hot Southern summers.
🔎 CLINICAL SIGNS TO WATCH FOR
💧 Little to NO sweating despite hot weather or exercise
🥵 Dry, hot skin when other horses are sweating
🫁 Rapid or labored breathing, sometimes even at rest
❤️ Elevated heart rate
🌡️ Increased body temperature
🐎 Poor exercise tolerance or tiring much faster than normal
😴 Lethargy or decreased performance
🧥 Chronic cases may develop dry/flaky skin, hair loss or a dull coat
🚨 Severe overheating can result in weakness, staggering, collapse or heat stroke.
⚠️ WHY ARE WE CONCERNED?
A horse that cannot sweat effectively cannot regulate its body temperature normally. During exercise—or even while standing outside on an extremely hot, humid day—their temperature can climb dangerously high.
🌬️ MANAGEMENT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
There is currently no single scientifically proven cure for anhidrosis, so keeping these horses cool is just as important as trying to encourage sweating.
For our non-sweaters, we recommend:
🌬️ Fans, fans, fans! Keep plenty of air moving across them.
🌳 Provide shade and avoid prolonged exposure during the hottest part of the day.
🌅 Exercise early in the morning or late in the evening when temperatures are lower.
🚿 Use frequent rinsing off/baths, scraping as appropriate, and repeat as needed to actively remove body heat.
🧴 Diluted isopropyl alcohol in cooling water may be used in selected horses to promote evaporative cooling—follow your veterinarian’s instructions and avoid irritated/damaged skin.
💦 Maintain constant access to fresh, cool water and appropriate salt/electrolyte supplementation.
🏇 Reduce or discontinue exercise if the horse’s temperature or respiratory rate is becoming excessive or recovery is prolonged.
Shade, fans, misters and aggressive cooling are among the most important management strategies for anhidrotic horses.
WHAT ABOUT TREATMENTS?
At Elite Equine, treatment is individualized because every non-sweater responds differently. Options we may incorporate include:
🍺 Dark b**r added to the grain
💧 One AC
💦 O3 Animal Health Mega Sweat
⚡ Equiwinner patches
📍 Acupuncture
🧂 Appropriate electrolyte and nutritional support
It is important to understand that many supplements—including dark b**r and commercial “sweating” products—are supported primarily by anecdotal experience rather than strong controlled scientific evidence. One AC and dark b**r specifically have been discussed in veterinary literature, but neither has definitive evidence of efficacy. Acupuncture has shown some encouraging results in affected horses, although additional research is still needed.
💡 The goal isn’t just to make the horse sweat—we also have to keep the horse SAFE while we’re trying to improve sweat production.
If your horse suddenly stops sweating, doesn’t sweat as much as his pasture mates, breathes excessively in the heat, or takes unusually long to recover after exercise, don’t ignore it.
Early recognition and consistent management can make a tremendous difference for these horses. 🐴💙
