Wool coolers pull the excess water off the horses hair. After the horse
was walked down it was then rubbed/massaged with alcohol and then its
legs were wrapped in mud. If they didn't get a bath after the race we
bathed them the next day in the heat of the sun before their morning walk.
**Sure makes more sense to wait until the next
day! It's a big gripe of mine, this tendency on horsecamping trips...to see
this rush to get back into camp and get horses hosed down. At Pt.Reyes,
for example, certain times of the year, if you don't wash your horse by 3:00,
and tie them in the sun,they just are not going to dry by night,and it can be
a very cold night. Last time we were there, my daughter and I DID hose
the horses, as it was warm and we thought they would dry in time. Other
folks came in after the sun was gone...hosed their horses at 5:00, and no
doubt they shivered under blankets all night. What is this obsession
with clean horses? I would rahter have some dried sweat and dirt on my
horses than them cold all night. I might hose legs to get sweat and dirt
off, and aid in cooling down the horse, but never on the body of the horse
unless I know I can get them dry by nightfall. They are more happy with
the opportunity for a good scratch and roll on the ground, than the
bath,anyway. I never hose right away either....let them settle down, get
some water and mash, and their body temp drop......then maybe go wash
them....
