Best way to cool a horse off/keep a horse cool?

Question

so, i do the night check/last feed/barn closing tonight, and i wanted to go through and cool all the horses down before i left since its 93* and 58% humidity and they are stuck in their stalls until tomorow... its pretty gross..

so, since i'm just going to go in with a bucket of cool water and a sponge, what are the best places to sponge to get them cool/keep them cool?

I ususally just do where the girth goes and the chest in between the front legs.. but any where else to do?

(whole body isn't an option)

-btw, i know all the horses and work with them often so theres no danger in me doing this..

thanks!

Answer 1

Water their chest girthline where the saddle goes then put them infront of an open window where air can get to them or infront of a fan

Answer 2

You can just use a regular hose to spray them.

Answer 3

Chest, behind their ears, underbelly and between their backlegs.

Is there no ventilation in your barn?  If there is open both front and back of the breezeway to stimulate air movement.

Answer 4

Sponge in the mane, where the two back legs connect type thing, on their girth and chest area, and also under the mane on their neck.

ASk your stable about getting some of the following rugs

Anti-sweat rugs are very good rugs to keep a horse cool. These type of rugs are breathable rugs used to prevent chills on sweating horses as they cool down after exercise.

The size of mesh on Anti-Sweat Rugs can very, and those with very fine mesh can also help to prevent irritation from flies.

Also you could try fly rugs. The Fly Combo rug is constructed using a tight weave mesh.

It has been tested in intense sunlight and offers head to tail protection from the suns harmful rays.

It also offers protection from flies and other biting insects

The fabric of this rug protects the horses coat from bleaching in the sun and also is a great stable rug for hot nights if locked in a stable.

here is a website with different rugs for summer and all that.

http://www.countrysupplies.com/list.asp?...

Answer 5

Try to sponge them between their front and hind legs, the girth and saddle area, the neck, and a bit of the chest. That will help them a lot. Keep the windows and doors open as much as possible. Good luck! :) The horses will be ok, even in this weather. ♥

Answer 6

You could walk them around, you should get them wet under there tail and mane and the insides of there back legs (the sweat runs down there)along with the spots you mentioned, and after a work out get there legs for a min on each leg. ALso could you put a fan in there stall? or in the barn?

Answer 7

Is it permissible to have misters installed?  They are very simple to install, virtually no costs to operate, (just keep the filtering system clean and the mist will stay fine)...it doesn't take much breeze to lower the temp in the stall/barn when there are misters going...

Answer 8

Put water on their polls

Answer 9

try giving each horse a fan (they aren't to expensive) and bungy cord them to the stalls.

I wash my horse dwon with linement and it cools him down SUPER quick :) it also helps there muscles and joints :)

Fan we use: http://www.nationalbridle.com/v/vspfiles...

Linement: http://www.westgates.ca/Grooming%20Suppl...

use the GEL after working the horses...use the liquid for anyhting else :)

We have the same problem in my area except imagine 95 degrees and 95% - 100% humidity

THANK YOU ALABAMA lol xDDDDDDDDDD

Answer 10

legs chest base of ears and flanks

Answer 11

The most important thing I've learned over my years is that fly control can considerably effect on how cool your horse is going to be.

Keeping fly spray on your horse daily and using fly blankets and masks will make your horse feel cooler. Just think how you act when a fly or something is nagging you. You get increasingly annoyed and it can sometimes feel like your blood is boiling and you will feel flushed. Horses are prone to the same. Just think how they are constantly stomping, swatting and shaking the flys off. It's annoying and could make anyone feel hotter. And being in stalls it's bound to be worse.

Keep them sprayed down and use a fly mask so they aren't constantly moving about trying to find relief from barn flies. Trust me, they feel the difference too.

Answer 12

Sponge lots of cold water into their mane. If you can loosley braid it, that helps tons to keep the water in. Endurance riders loosley braid their horses mane's and put lots of water in.

Answer 13

the chest is a very good place but feel it before you put water on it to see exactly how hot it is.The mane if you can because that will stay wet and keep them very cool.you could also try to do along withers and under belly if they let you most horses dont mind too much on a hot day.

Answer 14

Spray the horse with a hoes all over

Answer 15

I walk them after I ride them. I walk them with me on there and then if they need more and they don't seem to be cooling down fast I un-tack and then walk them around by lead. Feel inbetween their front legs (chest) to see if they are cool.