Hairy sweaty horses and cool off question

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Daisy2

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My horses live out, no stable and are unrugged and not clipped. So in the winter they sweat up easy after a hack. How do you go about allowing them to cool down without getting chills. In the past they have had a roll and got on with it without any problems but I just wondered whether or not I should be leaving them out with a sweat rug for an hour or so.. your thoughts please
 
As a child we had to ALWAYS bring our ponies back dry and calm. We would walk a good 20 minutes or more to make sure otherwise we were not allowed to get off them and return them to their paddocks. If you are tight for time, I see now reason why you cannot bib clip them and they will still be fine outside unrugged etc as I would assume they have very thick coats. Really depends on what you do with your horses and work your management in around that :)
 
I would clip them.

I agree though. there is a lot to be said for cooling down properly. That and sponging sweaty horses off after exercise - it is not good for them to stay covered in sweat as it can cause all sorts of issues.
 
Aces_High said:
As a child we had to ALWAYS bring our ponies back dry and calm. We would walk a good 20 minutes or more to make sure otherwise we were not allowed to get off them and return them to their paddocks. If you are tight for time, I see now reason why you cannot bib clip them and they will still be fine outside unrugged etc as I would assume they have very thick coats. Really depends on what you do with your horses and work your management in around that :)
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this is what I have done with native.
 
I posted something very similar earlier.

I have the same problem. Only hack at weekends due to the light so dont want to clip and have to rug for my sake.

I always sponge him off with warm water and chuck a cooler on him while I have a coffee. He then goes back out and rolls in the mud! I think as long as you walk the last bit home if hacking and let them really cool down, their own heat will evaporate a lot of the sweat off and a fleece cooler will draw out the rest.

I am considering a bib clip and leaving him out unrugged as he has LOTS of coat and fat bits... xx
 
I normally let him have a roll and graze for 20mins or so and then brush of the mud and rug or leave depending on weather. that is if it is not raining ofcourse. if it is raining i can put him in stable for half hour or so with cooler and then brush, rug and turnout. I wouldnt really want to jus leave him sweaty tbh.
 
Personally I would do a little clip and pop a LW rug on if they needed it! Loss of condition, rubs etc and itchy scurf can be just some of the problems with horses being left sweaty! Not to mention catching a chill if not dry!

I ride 4/5 times a week and mon-fri I have to ride about 7pm and ride for between 30 and 40 minutes and if we have a harder session he still sweats but as he is fully clipped he is dry before I even get off!
 
Ok thanks all, by the way we always walk the last mile or two home, I think sweat rug then brush off is the best bet for us then. I have never clipped, would not know how or how the horses would react anyway buts its a thought if I ever am able to become a lady of leisure and be able to ride more often during the shorter days.:D
 
Depends on how sweaty they are really.

My boy gets a bit sweaty after a lunge session (not being ridden atm) but I just pop a fleece on for 10 mins while I tidy up my gear and he's fine to T/O after that.

If they were getting really hot and bothered and took forever to dry off I'd be considering clipping.
 
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