Sweaty horse

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Halfstep

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My gelding is fit and not overweight. He's working advanced dressage and is schooled 5 times a week, hacked the rest.

The thing is that he sweats buckets. After 30 minutes if it is a bit warm outside he will be lathered. But he isn't breathing hard or panting at all - just sweating. Yes the work is fairly hard but he doesn't seem tired or struggling, just sweaty! I suppose it is better this way than not sweating at all. But does anyone else have a sweaty animal? I feed electrolytes and cool him down carefully, but what is strange is that he's not puffed even after very hard work but can look very hot indeed.
 
LOL!! I wish I had some! Seriously though, he gets white and foamy and I worry that people think I'm over working him. I have to wash saddlecloths after two sessions.
 
My coblet is a very sweaty lady, like your's, it's not related to fitness as she recovers her heartrate/breathing quickly and is usually raring to go again very quickly after. She does sweat up a lot and after fast work we have lots of white foam, yuck! I think it's just the cob in her coming out!
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I tend to have to hose off after hacks/fast work and sponge off after schooling.

I feed her a small amount of electrolytes in her feed over the summer when she sweats most (due to competing more and the weather being warmer) but have never done so over the winter. I use Equne America's Applelytes which smell amazing!
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Yes, my boy is the same.
I have found that if i do blasts of work then a fair bit of walk i can stop him from looking flogged, did this at the regionals & it worked a treat he was still shinny going into the arena.

It's annoying though as like your horse he's fit & isnt feeling the work he just sweats at nothing, sometimes i have to keep working him & not do the walk stuff, especially if he's in a devil mood. Then the judges think ive been flogging him until he spins in the arena lol.

ETA - I can't feed Electrolytes due to horse having Ulcers, however he recovers really well always has.
 
My new one is like this, part of it is new place and having to do some work, but I think the rest is just him, like some people sweat more. Have to admit unless he has worked really hard, like his 1st lesson, I am not feeding him electrolytes as he is a pocket rocket and his work rate will get higher with time so reserve them for then.
 
So glad other horses have this problem tbh. I think lots of walk breaks is the answer. I hate entering the arena having lost all the effects of grooming/polishing to sweat and foam!
 
Both my boy and the newly ex racehorse that I ride are very fit, and both sweat according to stress levels rather than being 'puffed'. When working on the gallops or jumping (which he enjoys) Jack will rarely get too sweaty, but do 20 mins dressage schooling and you can get white foam - it's just soooo stressful to trot circles don't you know? Don (the ex racer) will work away lovely on the flat but gets a bit stressed jumping and sweats up pretty badly. Neither of them puff particularly badly though - it's a bit weird! Jack also makes very offended grunting noises when something stresses him out - horses...
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Hannah is a really sweaty horse... Even in the stable on a warm night she has been known to start sweating
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Last year I clipped her out in the summer, but just not got around to it this year!
 
Some horses just sweat lots! One particular horse I used to exercise (who is actually on the long list for the Europeans) when I worked as a groom would come back white after just an hours roadwork in January - just walk with a bit of trot. Sometimes it can be down to stress but some just sweat a lot.

I wouldn't worry if your horse seems well in every other way.
 
Have you added any new supplements to his diet? Horses can sweat more if they get too much of anything that is water soluble - my horse started sweating loads when I put him on Nupa Feed calmer.
 
thanks for idea/reassurance. He doesn't have a thick summer coat, really there is nothing there to clip! He isn't nervous or tense at all in his work. And no new supplements. So I think he's just a sweaty boy! Luckily he doesn't have BO with it
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Ah, finally someone else! I am so glad. My boy is super fit and looking really well, not a hint of tubbyiness, but he sweats a lot too. I'm glad I am not alone!

Halfstep - I'm glad your horse doesn't get BO but when mine sweats, all the poo smells that he's rolled/led in come out and then we get flies- yuk!!!!
 
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