# What to do with sweaty horses?



## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I also live in Utah and I generally just brush them off and turn them loose. If there is snow on the ground they will roll in it and dry off some. I've never had one get sick from it. If I was going to trailer one in the cold that was sweaty I would put a blanket on it but I wouldn't do much else.


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

What I usually do is wait for the horse to dry then put a blanket on them. You can use an Irish knit blanket to put on them while they are drying so they don't get a chill.


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## Arksly (Mar 13, 2010)

Since I live in Alberta we must make sure the horses are dry before letting them back out in the winter. Usually, I walk Jesse out for a long time and then just wait until he's dry. I put a cooler on him then take a towel and work on his neck. I hope this helps.

P.S. We just got our first snowfall today!


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

We always winter our horses outside and without blankets so up until now, we do our best to keep them as sweat free as possible. If they do manage to get soaked (Shay-las retired mare would work herself up just WALKING), we usually toss a blanket on and let them stand in the garage out of the wind until they're almost dry. But yeah, for the most part, we've turned horses out a bit sweaty and they just roll in the snow and go back to eating. Don't forget they'll get themselves sweaty in winter - I live in Manitoba, our winters are some of the coldest on record, and they'll regularly go for gallops in frigid temps and sweat themselves up. We've had almost zero instances of any illness during winter - we've had some get the snots in fall once in awhile when a bug is going around, but never had an issue in winter.

I intend to be working Jynx hard this winter, so I've opted to keep her in a box stall and blanketed. I'm debating whether to clip her or not, it would probably make my life much easier!


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I think it some what depends on what you mean by sweaty too.

If they are soaked from a hard work out I will hand walk wearing a cooler (that wicks the moisture nicely) until they are cool. Then towel and brush until they are dry. Sometimes if it is being stubborn some time with a dry cooler while munching hay inside until they are all the way dry.

Light sweat marks I brush until pretty much dry.


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

I've always put a cooler on them and let them stand in their stalls until dry. Then take it off, curry and brush to get the dried sweat off, then turn them out. If there's snow or a strong cold wind, I'll put a blanket or sheet on them.


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## petitepyromaniac (Oct 12, 2010)

Interesting! So I guess the "Dried sweat will cause skin issues unless removed" is either a myth, or at least something uncommon.

I liked the idea of currying them off after they dry under the cooler. That targets both issues. And just letting them dry under a cooler sounds MUCH better than sponging them off while it's freezing...

Question: What kind of fabric are coolers made out of? Maybe I'll make one instead of buying one if it's cheaper...


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

I use a fleece long enough to go from just behind their ears and down the front using the plastic squeeze clamps for closure. I don't leave while they're cooling and drying, so I'm either petting or watching them munch hay while waiting. That way I ensure they don't do anything to risk hurting themselves with the clamps.


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## meemoicloee23 (Oct 2, 2010)

i live in ontario, what we do is (i know this doesn' tsound right but it works) shave our horses, this wil decress the sweat they will have, if say you horse sweats alot, walk them out realy well, like 20 mins just walking witch should dry most of the sweat then brush out the dry sweat make sure your horse is totally dry and put them out.


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

^^Do you turn them out with blankets or what? It looks like they would get very very cold even if dry if they were shaved in the winter.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

^

I certainly hope you blanket them if they're clipped for winter?


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## Stillstandin (Nov 10, 2009)

I am in Alberta and we compete with our horses every weekend. We always put on fleece coolers for the ride home in the trailer then we switch out to their regular heavy winter blankets. They live outside 24/7 in a pasture with adequate shelter. It seems to work well and none of our horses have gotten sick or had any skin issues.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

If they're really sweaty, we go over them quickly with a towel and fluff them up a bit, otherwise we just give them a quick brushing.


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_Another Canadian pitching in here...._

_We clip at the lesson barn I ride at. All the clipped horses are rugged. Almost all the non-clipped horses are rugged. We do have a few ponies that dont get any blankets, but everyone is brought in at night._

_Before even leaving the arena, we throw a cooler over the horses bums right up to the saddle and our bums and walk around for 5-15 minutes. Then go out and untack, and pull the cooler up over the horses necks. Put tack away clean up our stuff, letting the horse stand in the crossties with the cooler on for about another 10 minutes. Then brush the horse, reblanket them and put them away._

_Personally, I have no problem putting away a horse that still has some slightly damp hair to them as long as it is mostly dry, because when they go into their stall, they are going to start eating their hay again. But...again...only if they are slightly damp, and not "hot" between their front legs._


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## meemoicloee23 (Oct 2, 2010)

charlicata said:


> ^^Do you turn them out with blankets or what? It looks like they would get very very cold even if dry if they were shaved in the winter.


 Yes we always put winter blankets on them and most of them only get turned out dirring the day so the colder part at night there in a heated barn


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I towel him down, vigorously so it's kind of a massage, then backbrush the damp hair up to help it dry faster and let him go. He'll promptly roll in the worst mud he can find, anyway.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Some horses will get itchy skin if the sweat/dander isn't cleaned off them. 

Cleaning them up after drying them off from a workout should be part of the time spent with them.

After using anyone of the drying off processes already mentioned, give the coat a vigorous cleaning with a metal shedder to get the dander up then vacuum the horse.

I vacuum all my horses during the cold months --- with the shop vac. Just be sure to use a brush attachment because a brushless attachment sucks their skin up and most horses won't appreciate that. I have one out of four that thinks that's fun on his shoulders and but


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## petitepyromaniac (Oct 12, 2010)

walkinthewalk said:


> I have one out of four that thinks that's fun on his shoulders and but


^Haha, that's funny! 

Thank you EVERYONE for all of your help!!! I think I have a plan now. Feel free to keep posting if you'd like, but I definitely consider my question answered! THANK YOU!!!


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## Katie x (Aug 24, 2010)

I know the irritated condition you are talking about.. my friends horse got it! it was uncomfortable for the horse... and it IS caused by a build up of dried sweat.... What I do with my horses in winter is..(if they are not clipped) i will hose them down in sweaty areas along girth and between legs especially, then rub vigorously with towel, then turn out with a blanket. if they are clipped i will just sponge the sweaty areas and this will be dry within minutes so i can just throw rug on straight away..


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