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RE: [RC] RC:Core Temp - heidi
This is one of those common sense things. If it is humid enough
that you can't get good evaporation on the horse, Truman is right--you just can't use too much cold water. If, on the other hand, there is good evaporation, then of course you can overdo it unless it is really really hot.
My thumb rule is that if I'd like cold water all over me, my horse
would, too. If I don't think I'd like it, then I don't do it to my horse.
Heidi
If I remember correctly what was concluded by the UGA study in '96 for the USOC is cold water poured over the entire body of the horse had no ill effects. If you watched the eventing in Atlanta it was a common practice. I've also seen it at Lexington in the hot summers they can get. I have no problem throwing water on the Jbird if it is hot and he is hot. He pretty much knows that what he doesn't drink he wears. In do try to throw in on the hindquarters since there are not a lot of close surface vessels in the hind quarters - but I'm not careful to keep it off either. I know myself after being out in the FL sun working in 98 degrees and high humidity, a good jump in the pool feels pretty dog gone good. Truman sherman wrote: > > No, for sure you wouldn’t want to use ice water on a horse’s rump, and > it doesn’t take much cold water on that big hot muscle to cause a > cramp, especially if there is any wind. Just last week I sponged a > little bit on the shoulders, neck & had just started the girth area of > the horse I was riding, then noticed he was starting to shiver. Now it > felt warm to me, we were in the sun and I don’t recall any breeze. But > he was just cooling too quickly with the cold water. I stopped right > away & walked him around to keep him warm. Luckily, we were getting > ready to go out again and didn’t have to stand around. Riders use rump > rugs on their horses behinds to keep the muscles from cooling too > quickly. No ice water needed there… > > Kathy > > I've wondered about people using ice water, mostly with regards to the > hindquarters. I don't have any real personal experience endurance wise > as I'm fairly new to the sport. However, back a few years ago, the use > of ice was one of the nasty little tricks in 4H market lamb > competitions. People would ice the hindquarters of the lambs to > tighten up the muscles and make them feel more massive/compact/etc for > when the judges manuely assessed the lambs. The practice has mostly > been suspended and any lambs that feel cold are disqualified. I'd > assume that you'd have to have pretty darn cold water with tons of ice > to cause a real problem but it still make me a bit nervous. > -- “Since when have we Americans been expected to bow submissively to authority and speak with awe and reverence to those who represent us?” Justice William O. Douglas =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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