Put the scraper down: The best way to cool your horse

Cooling Down a Hot Horse 

A horse suffering from heat stress is something no equestrian owner wants to experience. A heat-stressed horse will often have a very high temperature and respiratory rate, may be agitated and distressed and, in extreme cases, may collapse. Hence it is essential that we effectively cool down a hot horse to avoid heat stress. So, let's look at some steps that you can take to ensure that your horse is appropriately cooled down to remain happy and healthy! 

There are two main ways a horse can be cooled down, the conduction or the evaporation method. The conduction method is often used for horses that have high body temperatures, so over 38.5C, and need to be cooled down quickly. It involves continually hosing your horse with cold water and/or iced water all over its body until its body temperature comes down. This method is needed when the horse is exhibiting signs of heat stress. The continual application of water will allow for the heat from the horse's body to transfer to the water, thereby reducing the temperature of the horse. This is an effective method, and new research suggests that we do not need to apply water and ice to the main arteries; instead, water needs to be continually applied all over the body. 

The evaporation method is the one we probably all use daily during summer. It involves applying cold water to the horse's body and then allowing it to evaporate. Once again, the heat is transferred from the horse's body to the water, and as it evaporates, it cools the horse. This method isn't as fast at cooling horses as the conduction method, so it shouldn't be used to cool your horse quickly. 

Typically a lot of horse owners will also scrape the water off of their horse after a hose down. It was once thought this was the best way to cool a horse down. However, this myth has now been busted by recent research, so it's time to put the scraper down! Allowing your horse to dry by evaporation will actually keep them cooler for longer.

As we are now in the middle of summer, it is essential to help your horse remain cool. Just remember, a wet horse will be cooler than a dry one! As always, we are here to help; please visit us in store or online for any of your horsey needs!