Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

RE: [RC] Cooling down - Sisu West Ranch

Where you put the water depends greatly on the air temperature and humidity. I have seen butt cramps when water is put on the butt, but that was at cool/cold rides in MN. (I consider a cool ride < 40 F, and a cold ride <35 F). At late and early season rides in MN it isn't uncommon to see a horse with a blanket on the rump being sponged on the front.

I suspect that humidity also makes a big difference. If it is very dry, like the west, a thin film of water produces great cooling. I would guess that at low humidity (To me low humidity is <20% ) excessive cooling would happen at much higher air temperatures.

The Atlanta Olympics, were conducted at high temp (>80 F) and high humidity (>70%). Under those conditions I would expect that any method of cooling in any manner would not hurt a horse. Under similar conditions, I have taught horses to be bathed by getting them really hot, and turning a garden hose on them. It feels so good that even Sassy, who had a uniformly bad attitide, learned to enjoy a bath with just a couple of lessons.

One October on a yucky day in MN (35 F, mixed rain and snow), I watched some competitors who had come all the way from Texas, Alabama, and other points south for a National Championship Series Ride, cramp their horse's butts by not blanketing the rump at stops.

I also saw a number of competitors not get the pulse down at a very humid (probably >90% and 80 F) here in the west. They were used to just putting a little water on the horse and letting evaporation cool the animal. We put the water on, squeeged it off, and repeated until the water was no longer hot, and had no trouble in cooling.

My bottom line is: The weather (wind speed, temperature, humidity, precipitation) is a big factor in how to cool or keep a horse warm.

Ed
Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser
2994 Mittower Road
Victor, MT 59875

(406) 642-9640

ranch@xxxxxxxxxxx


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=