How Do You Cool Down A Horse After Hard Work?
• Loosen the girth by a hole or two as soon as you dismount. This will allow some air to slowly filter through. • Take off your horse’s saddle when you get back to the stable or trailer/horsebox. You can leave the bridle on, or replace it with a halter. • Remove any protective boots and check for heat. Hose or apply cooling wraps or gels. • Rub his back where the saddle was to get the blood flowing again. • Rub a towel over him to get some of the sweat off and put a cooler (a breathable rug) over him if the weather’s cool. If the weather’s warmer sponge the sweat off with lots of water to refresh the horse. • Walk the horse until he is calm. His heart and breathing should be normal by now. • Give the horse about a third of a bucket of cool, not cold, water. You can give him more later on. If you give the horse too much cold water after a workout, he may get stomach cramps or possibly even colic. Re-check his legs for heat and run your hands over him to check of lumps or bumps. Pick out
