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You are here: Horses > Horse Care > Cool out your horse |
Keeping Your Horse Cool During The Summer
During the heat of summer you may find that your horse is covered with sweat
from a long ride even if you take it easy, so what do you do for your horse? Or
you may find that after a hard workout in the winter steam is pouring off your
horse after the workout even in thirty degree temperatures. Even if it is cold
out is it still necessary to cool down the horse? |
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Common sense and time is required to cool off a horse.
After a workout the horse should always be walked that last
mile home. Then when you return to the barn it is important
to get the horse’s temperature, pulse rate and respiration
rate down to a normal level. The first step is to remove the
saddle, but you can leave the pad in place until your horse
cools down slightly if you don’t have a blanket or cooler
available. A blanket or cooler is highly recommended over
anything else when the weather is cold and windy.
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Your horse should then be offered twelve to fifteen swallows of water. A hose
should be used to apply cool water to the horse if it is a hot day and then rub
them down with a towel. Vigorously rub the entire horse and pay special
attention to the area where the saddle was as well as the areas on their neck
and flanks, then you should start walking them a bit. Make sure the horse is
moving at a good working walk since a sluggish horse will cool too quickly.
A Turkish towel should be used to vigorously rub down the horse if the weather
is cold and then you should place a wool cooler on them while they are being
walked until they are almost completely cool.
There are many factors that go into the equation for cooling a horse including
their condition, the weather, the wind chill and how hard the horse has worked.
To decide the best way to cool a horse you should use your best judgment. A
horse’s comfort should always come before your own.
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Read the next horse care article on Stable Design: Keeping it Clean and Organized. |
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