ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: [endurance] Lathering Vs. Sweating

Re: [endurance] Lathering Vs. Sweating

Karen Steenhof (ksteenho@eagle.idbsu.edu)
07 Mar 1996 08:17:14 -0700

In <Pine.SUN.3.91.960306182415.4740B-100000@kelly.teleport.com>, MARISA---,'-@ wrote:
>
>Hi All!
>
>I have a question, I hope you guys can answer. I remember reading or
>hearing something about it being bad when a horse lathers as opposed to
>sweating. I not talking about bad lathering. Just mild lathering,
>between the back thighs, under the breast collar. I've never noticed
>Special lathering before. But last weekend I took her out on our first
>"fast" ride since I've had her layed off to gain weight, and she was
>mildly lathered under her breast collar. My older mare lathers between
>her hind thighs. Does it have something to do with protein???

An excellent question, Marissa. I always wondered why my horse
lathered after an extended lay off due to minor lameness, flu,
whatever. I used to think it might be the medications working their
way out <g>. Then I read an article in Trail Blazer about detergent
cells in the sweat glands. Purpose of the cells is to
cleanse. Apparently they need about a week to 10 days to "re-charge."
When we ride our horses more than once a week, the sweat glands are
always low on detergent. When we give our horses a break for whatever
reason, they've built up and start working again. So I've stopped
worrying about lather if it happens after a layoff period. However,
I'd be interested in hearing a vet's comments on this. This weekend
at AERC, Jeannie Waldron made a comment to the effect that lather was
indeed a warning sign. I wanted to ask her about it, but didn't get a
chance.

Karen Steenhof
Boise, Idaho