What's your post-xc cooldown routine?

KM-R

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Just interested to see what everyone else does after finishing the XC phase! I'm coming back into eventing after a ten-year break from competitive riding, and want to be getting things spot-on right for my gelding, who hasn't done this before. We're not doing serious tracks: yesterday was his first little ODE, but I want to get the process right for him from the start.

So yesterday we whipped tack off, flung a few buckets of water over his back, one friend scraped while I got his boots off, and another friend did a visual check for cuts/lumps/bumps. Then cold water leg boots and a light cooler on, and lots of walking ASAP. Then as he cooled took the cooler off in stages (opened first at the front, then turned back a bit and a bit more etc) and removed the cooling boots and replaced with leg cooling gel, and a bit more walking and some hand grazing before heading for home, where he turned out just fine.

Obvious disclaimers about having the horse and rider fit and ready to go beforehand making the post-xc process much easier apply - but what do others do?
 

Michen

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Well the one thing I don't do is stay on my horse whilst he walks back to the trailer (unless it's very close to XC finish). Can't stand seeing people hacking back their overly tired horses to the lorry, get off and loosen its girth! I am referring to those horses that finish XC absolutely shattered.

Mine always finishes still full of running but I get off as soon as, loosen the girth and walk him back. Take off tack, sponge him down, cooler on, check legs, studs out and arnica gel applied. Walk him round then let him chill out and graze. Nothing particularly special.
 

Nicnac

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Pretty much what you do but don't scrape until horse is fully cooled down. Depends on weather as to whether I put rug on - often just walk off without.

One thing I do always insist on (owner not rider at BE) is after coming through the finish, slowing the canter, trotting around for a good minute or so then bringing back to walk so dispel as much lactic acid as possible. Rider jumps off and loosens girth whilst walking back to lorry.

HATE seeing people finishing XC, pulling up immediately, standing around chatting how their round went whilst still mounted and poor horse is blowing like a pair of bellows. Then they amble off still chatting.
 

Michen

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That's a good idea re the trotting round I really hadn't thought of that thank you. Completely agree as per my comment above, people hacking their clearly shattered horses back to the lorry. Urgh!

Pretty much what you do but don't scrape until horse is fully cooled down. Depends on weather as to whether I put rug on - often just walk off without.

One thing I do always insist on (owner not rider at BE) is after coming through the finish, slowing the canter, trotting around for a good minute or so then bringing back to walk so dispel as much lactic acid as possible. Rider jumps off and loosens girth whilst walking back to lorry.

HATE seeing people finishing XC, pulling up immediately, standing around chatting how their round went whilst still mounted and poor horse is blowing like a pair of bellows. Then they amble off still chatting.
 

ihatework

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At bog standard one days they get walked off under saddle until they stop puffing, which is usually just until they get back to wagon. Tack off, washed off then walked in hand for 10 mins. No big deal but then ours are always more than fit enough for what they are being asked to do.
3 days a bit more thought goes into it!
 

ihatework

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That's a good idea re the trotting round I really hadn't thought of that thank you. Completely agree as per my comment above, people hacking their clearly shattered horses back to the lorry. Urgh!

I'd be more 'Urgh' that someone runs a horse that is unfit enough to be shattered at the end of a ODE
 

milliepops

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I'd be more 'Urgh' that someone runs a horse that is unfit enough to be shattered at the end of a ODE

yes and tbh I found it preferable to hack quietly back to the lorry than try and lead a horse that was still pumped with adrenalin - it's horses for courses and I wouldn't judge a person either way :)

OP you might find your leg cooling gel to be a waste of time, many just make the skin 'feel' cool to the person rather than having any cooling effect.
 

KM-R

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Really appreciate these replies. Totally agree with all of the fitness things: I'd never run a horse that wasn't fit enough, but will definitely include some trotting before the walking around part next time!

I'm undecided about the merits of the cooling gel to be honest - I inherited it from a friend and thought that it certainly wouldn't hurt - but I'm also not totally convinced!
 

be positive

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I don't see much point in chucking water out of a bucket over them it will only get on part of the body, will barely make contact and most probably goes directly onto the ground, I sponge everywhere that is sweaty until the water runs off cool and clear, then scrape, walk for a few minutes and then pop on cool boots take out studs so they can go off and pick at some grass, rugged if appropriate.

I would expect them to stop blowing by the time they have walked back to the box or very soon afterwards.
 

Michen

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I'd be more 'Urgh' that someone runs a horse that is unfit enough to be shattered at the end of a ODE

Well obviously, as I said my horse always finishes full of running and if he didn't I would be concerned. But you often see horses finishing Badminton etc clearly very tired and exhausted, and finishing racing the same so I didn't bother mentioning it as thought I'd be jumped on, though we were obviously talking about very different levels here ;)
 

ihatework

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Well obviously, as I said my horse always finishes full of running and if he didn't I would be concerned. But you often see horses finishing Badminton etc clearly very tired and exhausted, and finishing racing the same so I didn't bother mentioning it as thought I'd be jumped on, though we were obviously talking about very different levels here ;)

Eh? Different ends of the scale lol! And trust me after a 4 star they don't just get hacked back to their box!!
 

Michen

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yes and tbh I found it preferable to hack quietly back to the lorry than try and lead a horse that was still pumped with adrenalin - it's horses for courses and I wouldn't judge a person either way :)

OP you might find your leg cooling gel to be a waste of time, many just make the skin 'feel' cool to the person rather than having any cooling effect.

That's true! I did regret jumping off at Ascott as my legs were like jelly and pony thought he hadn't finished, I almost thought about trying to get back on ;)
 

milliepops

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That's true! I did regret jumping off at Ascott as my legs were like jelly and pony thought he hadn't finished, I almost thought about trying to get back on ;)

Way I think of it is, if I was going to the gallops I wouldn't walk home afterwards (they are in hacking distance from my yard)
Plus the horse hasn't worked to the point of exhaustion so it's really not a hardship to hack a few hundred metres back, in a way that I can be in control properly :)

Racing etc is not really comparable - for one thing the jockey probably wouldn't be hanging around to wash the horse off at the end of the race so it makes sense to hand over to the grooms asap ;)
 

Michen

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My point (which I've been especially rubbish at putting into words as always) is that I think it's a shame when you see very tired horses being hacked a good distance back to their box when a quick hop off and a loose girth would probably be beneficial for them if they are especially tired. Of course the main problem is that the horse shouldn't be that tired in the first place, but you do see a lot of horses at the lower levels who clearly aren't fit enough to be doing what is asked. Maybe the rider misjudged how fit the horse was etc, or an exceptionally hilly course took more out of them than expected. Whatever the reason I just think it is good practice to, if possible, jump off and loosen off a very tired horse ASAP especially if the lorry park is a good distance away which it often can be (Ascott and Aston spring to mind).

I only get off B because I prefer to- not because he needs me too. That's just personal preference.

Way I think of it is, if I was going to the gallops I wouldn't walk home afterwards (they are in hacking distance from my yard)
Plus the horse hasn't worked to the point of exhaustion so it's really not a hardship to hack a few hundred metres back, in a way that I can be in control properly :)

Racing etc is not really comparable - for one thing the jockey probably wouldn't be hanging around to wash the horse off at the end of the race so it makes sense to hand over to the grooms asap ;)
 

be positive

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I agree with michen you do see horses at the lower levels that are exhausted, I remember seeing a horse pulled up by the fence judges before the finish a few years ago at one event, BE 90 or 100, it went past me a few fences earlier while I was walking the course sounding distressed, it then refused, popped over and the rider still continued until being stopped after the next refusal, quite rightly in my view as it was nowhere near fit enough and had reached the end of it's tether, if a horse is that tired the stewards must step forward and tell the rider.
Even at the local hunter trial yesterday many looked far from fit enough, some were borderline obese and at that level there is rarely anyone stewarding who has the authority to say anything.
 

MagicMelon

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I personally jump off after I've come through the finish (coming back to a steady canter, trot a little then off). I loosen girth, run stirrups up and walk back to trailer. Everything off, wash down (I dont throw water over, I prefer to sponge it off), scrape off (generally sponge and scrape twice if its a warm day), they have a bucket of water hooked onto trailer so they can help themselves to as much as they want (unless their breathing isnt back down, in which case I'll just give a bit - depends how far the trailer walk was!). Then I'll take out studs and put on cold boots and a cooler, walk about for 10 mins. Then they are free to have water and a haynet.

Re: fitness. It depends on the horse though. The horses I've had have always been at the same fitness, yet I had a Welsh D (a slim one so it wasnt a weight thing) who could trot all day long but ask him to do a hilly XC course on a hot day and he would be tired by the end. Yet my Luso x TB could keep himself fit and gallop flat out round XC on a boiling day fresh as a daisy! Build of the horse and the weather have a big bearing IMO.
 
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ihatework

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I agree with michen you do see horses at the lower levels that are exhausted, I remember seeing a horse pulled up by the fence judges before the finish a few years ago at one event, BE 90 or 100, it went past me a few fences earlier while I was walking the course sounding distressed, it then refused, popped over and the rider still continued until being stopped after the next refusal, quite rightly in my view as it was nowhere near fit enough and had reached the end of it's tether, if a horse is that tired the stewards must step forward and tell the rider.
Even at the local hunter trial yesterday many looked far from fit enough, some were borderline obese and at that level there is rarely anyone stewarding who has the authority to say anything.

Of course you do. It's a problem! But their cool down routine is probably the least of their issues!!

Let's assume horse is fit enough for the job in hand.
Let's assume we are discussing national (rather than FEI) level ODEs,

There is no problem in riding horse back to the Lorry.
If you want to hop off fine, but I'd rather a horse got back to the Lorry quicker to get untacked and washed off.
 

Michen

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I never said there was, I referred to people riding shattered horses back to the lorry. I don't ride mine back but that's personal preference and I see no issue with those that do except the mentioned circumstances.

Of course you do. It's a problem! But their cool down routine is probably the least of their issues!!

Let's assume horse is fit enough for the job in hand.
Let's assume we are discussing national (rather than FEI) level ODEs,

There is no problem in riding horse back to the Lorry.
If you want to hop off fine, but I'd rather a horse got back to the Lorry quicker to get untacked and washed off.
 

LouisCat

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I tend to ride back to the box.
I jump off and loosen the girth and undo noseband. I then take off the tack and boots. Wash down with a sponge but applying water very liberally and then scrape off. Studs out and holes re packed.
If they need sluicing off again at this stage then I will.
If it is warm enough I then like to keep them walking around for 5 mins with no rug (or rug up if it's cool) and then let them have a haynet and just chill out.

It's all horses for courses though. We had an old pony who was so excited after jumping you had to stay on him for about 20 minutes afterwards otherwise he was impossible to hold onto!
Also, I groom for a horse who can kick around a bit with his back legs so we always leave his back boots on whilst unstudding to limit the chance of catching himself
 

sportsmansB

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Mine always finishes so full of running that I have to canter and trot a few big circles just to calm her down..
I ride back to the box with girth loosened a bit (if she's calm enough to let me!) - she's 17h & fit as a fiddle & I'm under 10st so I don't think it does any harm
Pull tack off, if have help start washing while removing boots. Use very wet sponge not throwing whole buckets
Scrape off & walk for at least 10 mins with a few drink breaks
I'm Irish so we don't use cold boots or whatnot mostly until we are at higher levels (!). Cooler on if it's chilly but otherwise naked.
Studs out bit of a graze if poss & ready for home ;-)
Not too much really but again maybe that's Ireland a bit too!!
 

millitiger

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Jump off, stirrups crossed and girth down a hole or 2.
By the time they're back at the box they've stopped any blowing and are starting to dry off so tack comes off (boots left on).
Quick wash down and studs out then boots off and legs washed.
Offer a drink.
Walked in hand for a pick of grass for 10-15 mins by my mum if they aren't feral while I get changed and pack the horse box up.
Back to box and ice boots on while left with a haynet while I go to get dressage sheet etc.
Offered a drink.
Ice boots off, checked over for any cuts or scrapes and then off we trundle home.
 

glamourpuss

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At the lower levels people prefer to stay on the horse to walk back to the lorry, some prefer to jump off & walk back. Neither is wrong IMO.
At the higher levels particularly 3 day, there is often water/cooling stations at the finish so riders will jump off so grooms can get started on getting the core temperature down after galloping hard for over 10 mins.
I sometimes stay on, sometimes walk back....depends on how I feel & the weather.
I would say that if a horse is so shattered it is unable to walk back comfortably to the Horsebox with a rider on its back, it has no place being at an event
 

PorkChop

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We lead back to the trailer!

Get off, run up stirrups and loosen girth, and walk back to trailer.

If you have a horse that is a bit buzzy then always take the studs out before taking off their boots.

Wash and sponge with cold water, plenty on the legs. Then just rug according to conditions, I do use gel on the legs. Deal with any cuts or rubs and give them a check over. I let them have a pick at some grass before offering water.

I tend to bandage for travelling, but I would only do so just before the journey.
 

AandK

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My lad is well behaved walking back, so I always get off him once I have come back gradually from canter. He will have recovered his breathing by the time we get back to the lorry, so I then strip off his tack and boots, then offer him some water. I sponge and scrape until cool, and then take him for a bimble round the lorry park, usually 10mins, including the odd pic of grass. I'd only rug if it is beginning or end of season (i.e. he is fully clipped and it is cold). Don't really do anything to his legs other than get his boots of ASAP when back at the lorry, I used to use cooling gel until it transpired it does nothing more than cool the skin.
 

Lyle

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Wow! Isn't there a post XC vet check? In Aus, after finishing you enter immediately a XC cool down/vet check area. You must dismount immediately and a steward ticks you off and notes the time and a vet takes a preliminary heart rate. Depending on the level, ie for an 80 it's tack off and hand walk for five minutes until the vet checks the HR again. If its come down you're sent on your way back to car park, and you cannot remount. Higher levels it's rapid cooling whilst walking, so water sponged and scraped. Temperatures are also taken by the vets when they take the HR and it too must come down before you can leave, or you are sent round and round walking and sponging and scraping. Never leave water on a hot horse, it acts like an insulating blanket! And never let a hot horse stand, they will start to cook. Once back at the truck, the horse will have already had a significant walk and coolout. So it's a quick scrub of legs then ice boots on for 20 minutes front, then back then front again. And lots of hand walking.
 

LittleRooketRider

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I have always got off after finishing xc & lead horse , for several reasons 1) My horse has just put in a lot of effort for me, even if perfectly fit & i only way 6 & half stone, but Im perfectly capable of walking 2) The saddle puts pressure on the back & sudden release of pressure i.e.. rider hops off then whips saddle of instantly can led to the muscles swelling a little, whereas as walking back on foot then removing saddle graduates the release of pressure
I don't think its about the level of fitness for me its about respect

ETA- re washing down, unless very overheated sponging is sufficient, 7 also scare all water off immediately as the water warms on the horse & acts as an insulating layer
 

be positive

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Wow! Isn't there a post XC vet check? In Aus, after finishing you enter immediately a XC cool down/vet check area. You must dismount immediately and a steward ticks you off and notes the time and a vet takes a preliminary heart rate. Depending on the level, ie for an 80 it's tack off and hand walk for five minutes until the vet checks the HR again. If its come down you're sent on your way back to car park, and you cannot remount. Higher levels it's rapid cooling whilst walking, so water sponged and scraped. Temperatures are also taken by the vets when they take the HR and it too must come down before you can leave, or you are sent round and round walking and sponging and scraping. Never leave water on a hot horse, it acts like an insulating blanket! And never let a hot horse stand, they will start to cook. Once back at the truck, the horse will have already had a significant walk and coolout. So it's a quick scrub of legs then ice boots on for 20 minutes front, then back then front again. And lots of hand walking.

Not at one day events, they would need too many vets to be viable with the amount of runners and events on every weekend, we also don't have the high temperatures you do in Aus, or not often, so unless a horse appears to be distressed it is down to the rider/ owner/ grooms to sort them out, most horses at the lower levels should be fit enough to almost fully recover on the walk back to the lorry park and require very little in the way of rapid cooling even on a hot day for us.
 
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