Hosing down after exercise

[DonskiWA]

Down here is Australia, we religiously hose down our horses after every ride to remove any sweat. In cold weather we just hose or sponge the sweaty bits, in warm weather, the whole horse.
I’ve heard that you guys don’t do that. Or do you? How do you get rid of the sweat? what is your post-exercise grooming routine please?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Mostly just brush the dried sweat off, or sponge the sweat away. It's too cold in winter here to be hosing off. Some yards do have a wash box with a hot shower but not very many.

 

[Steerpike]

I use bucket and sponge just do saddle and head area during the winter, in summer I rinse the whole horse with the hose

 

[milliepops]

I use bucket and sponge just do saddle and head area during the winter, in summer I rinse the whole horse with the hose

this

 

[be positive]

I use bucket and sponge just do saddle and head area during the winter, in summer I rinse the whole horse with the hose

This, unless we have a hosepipe ban.

 

[Goldenstar]

I hose down if the horse is hot

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

If its a nice sunny day and horse is very sweaty, then yes I would hose down.

However, here in the UK in the winter-time, that just isn't fair IMO! Or practical. So IF their legs were mucky then I'd hose them off and I'd then put horse in a fleece/cooler and let them stand-in gently for an hour or two if they were very hot with a small haynet and some tepid water.

 

[oldie48]

Much the same as others have said, in winter I'd rather rug up and turn out than wash down and brush the sweat out the next day before I tack up. Summer is completely different, will hose down and turn out naked to roll and dry.

 

[Leo Walker]

Down here is Australia, we religiously hose down our horses after every ride to remove any sweat. In cold weather we just hose or sponge the sweaty bits, in warm weather, the whole horse.
I’ve heard that you guys don’t do that. Or do you? How do you get rid of the sweat? what is your post-exercise grooming routine please?

I do the same as you. Slosh wash in a bucket and just the sweaty bits in winter, and hose pipe in summer, usually doing the harness while its on the pony

 

[ycbm]

Hose in summer. Let it dry and brush it off before the tack goes on next time in winter.

 

[Red-1]

Hose off in summer. In winter I just sponge ears and girth area if they are sweaty, as I tend not to get them too hot in winter nowadays.

In the past I have washed them in warm water in winter, after a team chase or similar, just quicker to get it off them while they are still wet, then squeegee, towel, rug and walk round a while, then by the time we travelled home in the box they had dried off. Having said that, when I was doing this (when I was a lot younger!) they were also always fully clipped so did not take a lot of washing or drying as they only had velour rather than a full coat.