# Keeping Them Cool



## DoubleS (Jun 11, 2012)

I bring a big fan along. Keeps the breeze going, and I run the hose on my horse's legs in between classes. It really keeps them cool!


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

I don't do ringy type showing, but I do know how to cool a horse. :wink:

Get a spray bottle with some water and spray their necks, under their necks, and between their back legs. Not too much water; just enough to be damp to the touch. Either stand them in front of a fan or fan them yourself. Your goal is to keep enough air moving over the water so that the wet spots are cool to the touch. This is something you can do between classes when you're waiting in the heat and after classes when your horses are winded and hot.

Keep your girth loose when you're not about to ride. Undo the girth occasionally and lift the saddle a couple inches off their backs and let it back down. So this a couple times. Seems silly, but a little fresh air between the saddle and a horse's back seems to make them a lot more comfortable. 

Of course, offer cool water frequently. Let them drink as much as they want, even if they're still breathing hard. Horses cannot colic off water, no matter what your grandma told you.

If your horses are waiting untacked in a stall, spray them with your spray bottle lightly all over. Keep a fan on them; dead, unmoving air is so much hotter than moving air. 

Something I like to do during long waits is get a big old towel, soak in it in ice water, and tie it around the horse's necks. The neck is one of the best places to cool a horse, especially the bottom of the neck. It's kind of like when you put water on your wrists; a lot of blood runs through there and makes you feel cool all over.

PS: whenever you put water on your horse, make sure the water isn't hot. If a horse is hot enough itself, the water can go from cool to nasty hot in 30 seconds. Get a sweat scraper and remove all hot water. Add new cool water. Letting hot water sit on your horse does more harm then good. Water is an amazing insulator and will sit on your horse like a hot, muggy blanket.


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## countercanter (May 18, 2011)

We have a horse at the barn that has trouble sweating. They hose him off before he gets tacked up to go tot he ring and keep a bucket, sponge, and sweat scraper by the ring for in between classes. It really helps keep him cooled off.

Don't forget to keep yourself cool too! Rags soaked in ice water and tied around your neck are a great way to stay cool. Lots of water and gatorade.


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## DoubleS (Jun 11, 2012)

Brighteyes said:


> I don't do ringy type showing, but I do know how to cool a horse. :wink:
> 
> Get a spray bottle with some water and spray their necks, under their necks, and between their back legs. Not too much water; just enough to be damp to the touch. Either stand them in front of a fan or fan them yourself. Your goal is to keep enough air moving over the water so that the wet spots are cool to the touch. This is something you can do between classes when you're waiting in the heat and after classes when your horses are winded and hot.
> 
> ...


I agree with everything you just said, except the water part...
I wouldn't let them drink _too_ much. Give them lots of water the night before the show, then give them as much as they want after the show. dont' let them drink a whole lot during the show, though. It makes them irritable and sluggish, I've found. Instead, while I'm hosing their legs, I'll let them drink a little hose water (by spraying it just under their nose). My horses like it. Just don't let them gorge themselves. :wink:
Everyone has their opinions, though! That's just how we've always done it.


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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