Cooling down a slightly sweaty horse?

skewbald_girl

New Member
May 27, 2009
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Surrey
The mighty steed isn't clipped, so in this weather, he gets a little sweaty under his saddle and girth. Do I sponge these areas down or just leave them to dry naturally and brush off the sweat?

I know the routine for a very sweaty horse, I was just wondering about a mildly damp one.
 
I sponge off and remove excess water with a sweat scraper. If weather's dry and sunny - she's straight back out. If it's a bit chilly, I'll leave her in the stable for half an hour. I think sweaty skin is like a luncheon invitation to the flies so much nicer to wash it off.
 
You can do either :) If I've got time to wait for the sweat to dry I brush it off, if not I sponge.

Today I just did a quick squirt of the hose over ponios back and girth and scraped with the sweat scraper.

It depends on if I'm in a hurry ;)
 
Wash it off. Sweat attracts flies - I have a predominantly white coloured chap and he loves the hosepipe so it comes out after every ride at the moment. When dry the fly stuff goes on and then out he goes.
 
I agree sponge off or the flies will love him:rolleyes:
We pour a bit of fly spray into the water and sponge with this to keep the little buggers off!
 
I always sponge - as everyone else says, the flies are attracted to sweat.
It's part of their routine & they usually expect to go out immediately after.
 
My physio told me never to hose warm muscles as they tighten up quickly??
)

Dunno about that :confused: could have some truth in it.. I'm too lazy to get a bucket/sponge etc so hose.. never had any problems though.. not sure how hose is different to a soaking sponge though ?
 
Dunno about that :confused: could have some truth in it.. I'm too lazy to get a bucket/sponge etc so hose.. never had any problems though.. not sure how hose is different to a soaking sponge though ?

By sponging off I squeeze the excess water out & then wipe over the saddle area-I think the intense cold water from the hose makes the muscles tighten up quicker than if you were to sponge down.
 
By sponging off I squeeze the excess water out & then wipe over the saddle area-I think the intense cold water from the hose makes the muscles tighten up quicker than if you were to sponge down.

Ahh.. I see what you mean.. I don't squeeze! I rinse sweat off with loaded sponge so was wondering how that was different!

Suppose it could make a difference..
 
My physio told me never to hose warm muscles as they tighten up quickly?

I have always thought the same, back home in Finland we use lukewarm/warm water to wash off horses for that particular reason (most yards have hot/cold taps) and I was at first shocked to see how cold water is used in UK to wash off horses when I came here in 2004. During summer when the weather is really hot I do use cold water from a hose (the water seems to heat up on the skin so fast I don't think it is going to cause any cramps), but if the weather is slightly chillier I tend to heat up some water in a kettle and use warm-ish water in a bucket to wash the sweaty bits. Yes, my horses are extremely pampered.. :eek:
 
My water supply is pumped from a distance and you have to run it for ages to get really cold water - so it tends to be tepid water that I am using. I only jetwash in warm weather:D (well thats a lie - I do his legs in the winter with it but he's not overly keen;))

I wouldnt bung ice cold water over a hot horse.

If I'm using a bucket and sponge I slosh it on good style - particularly between his back legs. That really helps to cool him off.
 
Hose or bucket - sweat scraper - quick rub with old towel to get the blood flowing - carrot - chuck back in field till next day.
 
I wouldnt bung ice cold water over a hot horse.

If I'm using a bucket and sponge I slosh it on good style - particularly between his back legs. That really helps to cool him off.

Ditto this.. Hosepipe water isn't freezing! I think he'd freak out if I did something like that!

I'm like that with bucket/sponge :)

I'm interested in the idea about the muscle contracting too much though.. I've never had a problem hosing them off but obv don't want to cause one! Perhaps I don't hose while they are still hot enough for it to be a problem ?
 
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