# What Is The White Foam?



## Phantomcolt18 (Sep 25, 2007)

I mostly see it on Cross County horses front legs and chests, sometimes their back legs. I've never seen it on a show jumping horse's legs though.
Is it sweat? Some sort of salve? A rub? 

Also why do only some riders use it and others don't? Just personal preferance?

Here are pics of what I am talking about(wow that last pic it huge sorry)


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

It's a grease. It's not used in other jumping events because those jumps are designed to give to the horse if they hit the fence. In cross country, the jumps are solid, so the horses legs are greased to help them slide off them more. 

Carr & Day & Martin Eventing Grease - Liniments from SmartPak Equine


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## Phantomcolt18 (Sep 25, 2007)

Thanks Alex. I always thought it was something to keep the muscles in their legs from overheating =P Grease definately makes sense. 

Would they also put it on the horse's belly than to avoid their stomachs getting stuck on a jump?

Is it just personal preferance if someone chooses to use it or not?

Sorry for the questions, it's just not my area of expertice.


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## pintophile (May 18, 2011)

Wow, cool. I always thought it was sweat.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

I haven't seen it on the belly, so not sure how common that is. But yes it's a personal choice like using wraps or boots.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

I've seen it on the belly a few times just in pictures, maybe it rubbed off the jump onto their belly or something though.


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## Chardavej (Mar 13, 2011)

Why would it be on top of the front legs? If they hit there I would think they aren't sliding over but doing a rotational flip? I could see on the front of the lower legs but the top of the leg? The last pic looked like salava from the bit?


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## Phantomcolt18 (Sep 25, 2007)

Chardavej said:


> *Why would it be on top of the front legs? If they hit there I would think they aren't sliding over but doing a rotational flip?* I could see on the front of the lower legs but the top of the leg? The last pic looked like salava from the bit?


 
That's actually a pretty interesting point. :think: I don't know much about cross country so I can't answer but I can't wait to hear someone's point of view on it.


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## nicole25 (Jun 24, 2011)

Chardavej said:


> Why would it be on top of the front legs? If they hit there I would think they aren't sliding over but doing a rotational flip? I could see on the front of the lower legs but the top of the leg? The last pic looked like salava from the bit?



Just a thought here, but maybe so it drips down the leg and works sorta like a re-application as the grease on the lower leg gets rubbed off? I am waiting for Allison Finch to respond on this one.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

The first use of this kind of grease was simply crisco. That is what we used in the early days. I really don't like using any of this, as it tends to hold heat in and lowers the horse's ability to cool themselves with blood cooling in the surface skin. 

If you have a young horse or one that starts dragging over the jumps late in the course, it is not a bad idea to use this lubricant.


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