Where does your horse tend to sweat most heavily?

[carthorse]

I know under the girth is an obvious one for many of us, but where else? No real reason for asking, just curiosity.

I get comments about Luka sweating up heavily between his back legs, even if the rest of him is barely breaking out he can have lots of white foam there and nearly always needs washing off. Also on his chest, between the two if he's got himself wound up and hot he'll have sweat running down his legs onto his hooves! He doesn't start sweating on the neck of shoulders unless it's hot or he's working hard or getting himself wound up, but much more than a quiet walk out and he needs between his back legs, chest and elbows washing off.

So what about yours?

 

[Kite_Rider]

When she used to work hard enough to get sweaty Belle always got neck and chest first, then saddle/girth area, last of all between her back legs, she never really got foamy though, Oscar on the other hand would foam up between his back legs and neck. I guess like humans some just sweat more than others? Interesting though that the hot horses seem to sweat more, maybe all that fizzy energy?

 

[Jessey]

Jess was always neck, shoulders and chest. Niko gets the between the back legs sweat and I suspect foam will be part of everyday life when he’s working properly. He got sweaty on his neck last week when he was all excitable to lunge.

 

[Bodshi]

Raf barely sweats between his legs, he sweats most on his neck when ridden, and on his shoulders if he is just too warm. His sweat pattern has changed since he developed Cushings though, he barely used to sweat at all and now he seems to get over warm really easily.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Sid is very sweaty, as might be expected from a lively heavy horse! The first place to sweat up is always the sides of his neck, where the reins touch him, then the rest of his neck, chest and girth, and between the back legs and down the outsides of his back legs as well. If he is working hard or it is very hot, the sweat forms creamy curds.

 

[Lollykay]

Mostly neck, shoulders and chest when being ridden BUT-—- Joker (RIP) was my IR horse and would also foam between his legs, when being ridden. Joker was a heavy sweater until I got his insulin under control; he still would sweat a lot but not near as much as when his insulin was out of control.

An observation I have made, over time —- during the hot months, my horses also would sweat, when in the pasture, in the spots where they hurt.

If I see one of my horses sweating in a spot that isn’t typical/normal, I tell the critter chiropractor on her monthly visit. There is always an underlying reason for the odd sweat spot.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

That's very interesting @Lollykay though our weather isn't often hot enough to rely on that diagnostic

 

[Lollykay]

That's very interesting @Lollykay though our weather isn't often hot enough to rely on that diagnostic

I live in the SE U.S. where high heat and humidity prevail during the summer months. We are supposed to hit real temps of 98 - 100 F (36.6 - 37.7C) all of this coming week. That will put the Feels Like in the danger zone for man & beast.

I first noticed what I call “stress sweat” years ago on my Arab. I had rescued Streeter (RIP), as a seven year old, with a body score of a low three and an injured vertebra. He saw the chiropractor as-needed for the 22 years he was with me. One of his indicators of needing the chiropractor was the area around that injured vertebra would sweat during the hot months.

Joker (RIP) was the same way. He had a twice fractured sacrum and would sweat over that area, in the summer, when he needed help from the chiropractor.

Dragging the back toes is another sign help may be needed

 

[carthorse]

I'm not sure I could function in those temperatures, particularly with high humidity.

 

[Lollykay]

I'm not sure I could function in those temperatures, particularly with high humidity.

We don’t, lollol

What outdoor physical work doesn’t get done by 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM at the latest, doesn‘t get done. We will mow or bushog if we have to because both tractors have lids on them. Certainly not as good as cabs with AC but better than the sun beating on our heads. I will also pack myself in ice cubes, if I am forced to mow in that weather.

Even if it doesn’t rain, the grass and weeds will still grow some because of the high dew points, just not quite as fast. The grass is soaking wet every morning and I have seen days with humidity high enough the grass didn’t completely dry until 12:30-1:00 PM

The outside horse waters get changed early afternoon whether I want to be out there or not — thank goodness for ice cubes, wash clothes, and a place to shove them on my person, lol.

Our weather prediction in Fahrenheit for next week, then add the Feels Like to that. Horses will be getting showered down every night.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Holy God, I would simply not be able to cope with that. And Sid would melt like a chocolate bunny.

It's your horses that have the big fans in their shelter, isn't it?

 

[**ziggy]

Interestingly my daughter had a grey horse that had roany patches on each shoulder and this is where he sweated. Even if he wasn’t sweaty the slight colour change meant you could draw the area with a marker pen and be exact

 

[Lollykay]

Holy God, I would simply not be able to cope with that. And Sid would melt like a chocolate bunny.

It's your horses that have the big fans in their shelter, isn't it?

Yes Joker (RIP) was on his own side of the barn. In front of this barrel fan was his favorite place during the day. Rusty also has one, and Duncan is getting to like the fan blowing from a distance. I keep the fans on industrial strength timers. The fans also keep my outside bales of hay from molding in the summer.

We have to power wash the north side of the house every 2-3 years with Tide laundry soap to get the green mold off the siding.

Yes that fan was powerful enough to almost blow Joker into the next county Sid would have to have one of these fans and keep his feathers braided or shaved back in this climate.

 

[carthorse]

Luka and I would be spending a lot of time together because I'd want to be sharing his fan!

 

[chunky monkey]

Neck and between the back legs on both mine.

 

[MrA]

Ale is round his ears first and then his neck

 

[newforest]

Mostly under the bridle headpiece, from all the thinking
Then neck and back legs. Since changing saddle pad, nothing under the saddle.
She's being slightly clipped tomorrow, she will be happier them.
Most of our riding is cooler here with a breeze, the field itself is warmer.

 

[**ziggy]

Mostly under the bridle headpiece, from all the thinking
Then neck and back legs. Since changing saddle pad, nothing under the saddle.
She's being slightly clipped tomorrow, she will be happier them.
Most of our riding is cooler here with a breeze, the field itself is warmer.

What did you change your pad too?

 

[newforest]

What did you change your pad too?

hiither numeed it's thinner than the other one.
Got the saddle last year and didn't think to change the pad.

 

[carthorse]

Went out today without doing any roadwork, a rare thing because I don't like turning him back on himself. Anyway because we were off road and on our own he was allowed to trot on rather than me insisting he stays steady and although he had some decent trots and a good canter he was only very slightly sweaty between his back legs. Clearly being able to pick his own speed and rhythm is easier for him, it's just a shame it's a speed not suited to roadwork or most company.