So, what’s the best way to cool down a hot horse? Many riders spend the last ten to fifteen minutes of every ride walking their horse on a loose rein as a cool-down period. Some riders like to dismount, loosen the girth and hand-walk their horses for that same amount of time. Either method should be enough to allow your horse to cool and his breathing to return to normal unless he’s very out of shape or has been working incredibly hard. If that’s the case, continue walking your horse. Here are a few other tips for monitoring your horse’s cool-down process:
- Touch your horse’s neck periodically throughout your walk to monitor whether his temperature is decreasing. If your horse continues to feel warm to your touch, keep hand-walking or hand-grazing until he cools.
Watch your horse’s nostrils or flanks periodically to keep track of his respiratory rate.
- On very hot days, consider finding a shady spot to walk your horse.
Regardless of the weather, offer a cooling horse sips of fresh water to drink throughout the cool-down period. If your horse has been sweating heavily, he’ll need to replenish his body with plenty of water.
- In the summer, untack your horse and use the hose to help cool him down faster. Use a sweat scraper to flick the excess water off afterward, as water that sits on a hot horse’s coat will quickly absorb the heat and become warm.
If your horse has a long hair coat during the winter, you may need to walk your horse for a longer period and use a cooler or towel to cover sweaty spots to avoid giving your horse the chills.
(NOTE: If you notice your horse seems to have trouble regulating his temperature or doesn’t sweat normally, consult your veterinarian. Some horses can suffer from anhidrosis, which means they lack the ability to sweat in response to increased body temperature. These horses need medical attention.)