Re: Re RC: RC: Hosing sweaty horses in cold weather

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

I guess my opinion is that very little of what we ask our horses to do is
"natural", so I would base blanketing or not, washing or not, on the
individual circumstances---no, you won't see mustangs running around with
blankets, but you'd rarely see them covering 100 miles in a day, either.
And remember, not all horses maintain body heat as well as others and can
really use a little help in cold weather.

Anyway, this is what I do personally---I know what you mean about putting up
a clean horse versus a dirty, sweaty one, but I rarely really get my horses
wet in cold weather.  God knows *I* wouldn't want to be dripping wet in that
cold, and the horses seem pretty miserable about it---and that was in
California cold weather, not 20 degrees!  My protocol was to use warm water
and a sponge to scrub off the really grungy parts, especially where salt and
crusties accumulate between the hind legs.  Clean off the nostrils and
mouth, behind the ears and girth area, and the rest comes off with a good
brushing.  At most, I scrub them with a wrung-out towel (removes alot of
dirt), but no hoses except possibly on the lower legs.  I usually have a
polarfleece cooler on them that I can fold back to expose the parts I'm
working on, and keep the rest toasty.  When they're clean as possible, I'll
blanket depending on the individual horse and whether they're body clipped
or not.

Anyway, that's what works for me. YMMV

Susan G

----- Original Message -----
From: Colleen Kirkpatrick <polairs210@hotmail.com>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2000 9:52 AM
Subject: RC: Re RC: RC: Hosing sweaty horses in cold weather


>
> Hello,
> If my horse breaks a sweet when I ride him in the lows here in Nevada I
just
> sponge him down with mild water  then turn him out.
> I never blanket my horses its not natural for them. There winter coat
keeps
> them warm enough. Do you see the wild mustangs wearing blankets.
> You know what they say "different storkes for different folks".
> Colleen K.
>
> >From: "guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>
> >To: "ridecamp@endurance.net" <ridecamp@endurance.net>
> >Subject: RC:  RC: Hosing sweaty horses in cold weather
> >Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 07:46:53 -0700
> >
> >Barb Peck bpeck@together.net
> >Barb Peck
> >bpeck@together.net
> >
> >I live in the NE, and our nights lately have been
> >getting down in the 20's.
> >
> >I always have washed the horse, then blanketed them.
> >(washed, they dry in about 1/4 of the time it takes
> >if you just blanket a sticky (sweaty) horse.)
> >
> >The last few years, I've been pushing the low temperature
> >that I'll hose them down (cold water), and *not* blanket
> >them, just turning them out.  ( Weather conditions, plus
> >temp. of course play a  role.)
> >
> >Last nite I rode just before dark, temp was 42 deg F.
> >Horse just broke a sweat (shoulders, chest, neck, a little
> >under the saddle).
> >I hosed his front half when it was 39 deg & turned him
> >into the pasture (Steam was coming off him).
> >
> >He was totally dry in 30 minutes, and the temp. last nite
> >went down to 25 deg.  (no wind & clear).
> >
> >Who else washes their horse at low temps, and what's
> >your protocol?  (i.e. blanketing, how low is LOW, etc.)
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Barb
> >
> >
> >
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