# Washing off after exercise



## Orangehorse (6 July 2016)

Is it only me that was told in the Pony Club not to wash the saddle area when washing down a horse after work?  Something to do with softening the skin?  I have a feeling it was something from the army instructors we had then.

The hotest part of the horse is under the saddle - but I still hesitate to do this, recalling the fierce lady instructor.

What do others do?


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## AdorableAlice (6 July 2016)

I wash from top to toe if the horse is boiled, or just a sponge down if just warm.  If the tack fits it won't rub.


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## Hoof_Prints (6 July 2016)

That makes little sense to me ! All of mine get a full hose down after working on a hot day and they love it . No adverse affects to report! Sometimes the hair can get a bit sweaty and gunky where the saddle pad is and I've known it to cause rubs by not being cleaned, as it dries and pulls the hair off.


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## be positive (6 July 2016)

I always wash any sweaty parts, leaving the sweat to dry makes no sense to me, I have never had an issue with washed off horses but have seen sores and rubs caused by dry sweat marks, the salt can dry out the skin and do more damage than water will.


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## Crackerz (7 July 2016)

Another one that washes off from top to toe 

No idea what PC advice is, as i get asked to leave because my pony was less than cooperative


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## chestnut cob (7 July 2016)

I always wash off. Imagine how horrible you'd feel if you'd been running or to the gym, worked really hard and got really sweaty, then someone wouldn't let you have a proper shower after, just told you to wash your face.
I sponge off if horse is just sweaty around girth and sheath, or hose if he's sweaty/ warm all over.


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## BORODIN (7 July 2016)

I usually wash the sweaty bits (sponge or hose) which tends to be where the tack has been and all has been fine so far - that's one ive never heard before either


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## 9tails (7 July 2016)

The saddle area is the first bit that gets a wash down.


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## applecart14 (7 July 2016)

Isn't it something to do with being careful not to chill the loins on a very sweaty and hot horse by applying cold water as it can cause cramping of the muscles?


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## Red-1 (7 July 2016)

applecart14 said:



			Isn't it something to do with being careful not to chill the loins on a very sweaty and hot horse by applying cold water as it can cause cramping of the muscles?
		
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This was indeed the old fashioned Pony Club advice. It was all changed when the top bods did research for the Athens Olympics, where our horses were expected to overheat. The new research says to pour on cold water as much as possible and as fast as possible when overheated.

I only know as when I did my first events requiring the steeple chase and roads and tracks there was a vets panel there, Aldon 2004. Many of us were reluctant to use cold water, and to wet the loins. We had rider briefings, and a vet at the finish all superintending that we swooshed cold and plentifully! 

So, Old Pony club advice as been superseded by vet boffins advice to cools as quickly as possible, then walk, then cool some more! The legs were also rapidly cooled. 

Since then as soon as we have walked back to the box after XC my boy has a cold shower. Never sore, no issues.


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## Shay (7 July 2016)

It is actually still the advice for the B Test.  The text says you should leave the horse to dry naturally and then groom.  I think they just haven't updated it.  I teach our candidates that this is the pony club answer to the question  - but that the same response has no place in real life, or indeed in the BHS stages!  There are several things like this.


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## Casey76 (7 July 2016)

At the moment it isn't taking much to make my ponies sweat, as it's still 25°C+ at 8pm (and I do try to leave it as late as possible to ride), so they get hosed off top to toe, especially over the haunch. 

I'd feel really bad if they got a sweat rash because I hadn't cleaned them off properly after exercise.


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## Enfys (7 July 2016)

I have a very sweaty horse, she gets hosed off every time we ride, apart from her head every inch gets done, because every inch sweats. The thing to remember is to scrape afterwards as hosed on water holds the heat. It is far worse not to wash down and leave the sweat on, than to wash and scrape down, then let them have a jolly good roll,  in my opinion. 

I would wash down in winter too as she sweats just as much, but in -25 that would be a bit dumb   So I was in warm water and dry her off. 

I had Army Instructors too and all of them said (even 25 years ago) what a load of tosh (well, boll***s actually) not washing a sweaty horse down was. 

I like Shays response, this is what the answer is, but in actual fact ...


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## Enfys (7 July 2016)

applecart14 said:



			Isn't it something to do with being careful not to chill the loins on a very sweaty and hot horse by applying cold water as it can cause cramping of the muscles?
		
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That could in winter time if the horse was not scraped and rubbed down then rugged/thatched/walked appropriately, in winter washing should be with chilled water only (now there is a good old fashioned/BHS term  for you : Chilled = water with the chill taken off it )


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## Crackerz (8 July 2016)

Enfys said:



			I have a very sweaty horse, she gets hosed off every time we ride, apart from her head every inch gets done, because every inch sweats. The thing to remember is to scrape afterwards as hosed on water holds the heat. It is far worse not to wash down and leave the sweat on, than to wash and scrape down, then let them have a jolly good roll,  in my opinion. 

I would wash down in winter too as she sweats just as much, but in -25 that would be a bit dumb   So I was in warm water and dry her off. 

I had Army Instructors too and all of them said (even 25 years ago) what a load of tosh (well, boll***s actually) not washing a sweaty horse down was. 

I like Shays response, this is what the answer is, but in actual fact ...  

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I am so glad i am not the only person with a horse that sweats so much! It's very annoying and no amount of increasing fitness helps


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## Exploding Chestnuts (8 July 2016)

Crackerz said:



			Another one that washes off from top to toe 

No idea what PC advice is, as i get asked to leave because my pony was less than cooperative 

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Funny that, I had a bit of a loopy, and I had to school him with my whip vertically, so he could see it!............. the instructor told me to "stop that", and true to form, he took off at the next opportunity  he was safe in one way as he would always stop at a gate, he was not bolting, just taking charge.
I used a mix of Gallop sensitive skin and Lavender as it does not need rinsing, works well and smells nice. Never heard of leaving sweaty bits,, very strange advice.


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## Bilbo_Baggins (8 July 2016)

Same as all above really.  Wash off if he is sweaty and ifs its cold, I just warmed water...not hot, just not really cold either!  I usually put lavender wash in it or a citronella wash at this time of year for the midges  always use no rinse stuff.  If he is really really sweaty then I will hose him down and shampoo and hose him off to finish. If he is getting that wet I might as well bathe him as well!


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## Orangehorse (8 July 2016)

Thank you Shay and Red.  I can remembering cowering in the stable as the Major's wife was, very nicely, having a go at everyone for washing their ponies' saddle patch.

I can now slosh water all over the horse, including the saddle and girth area without that lingering feeling of doing the wrong thing.


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## Orangehorse (8 July 2016)

I also remember reading that in Germany it is a sackable offence for a groom to wash a horse in cold water - presumably in the winter.


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## silv (9 July 2016)

If you get the chance to go to any big events it is really interesting watching the professionals cooling off their horses after the xcountry phase. Like an earlier poster said there was a great deal of research done before the Atlanta Olympics with this in mind.  I don't know how I would manage in a NZ summer without being able to wash my horse down.  I would also imagine she would be very uncomfortable.  If it is cold then use warm water and rug accordingly.  Common sense does come into it!


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## VioletStripe (9 July 2016)

Nope, I was always taught to wash around the saddle - in fact to do it in particular, as they get so sweaty around there, and it's far more efficient to wash it off than to wait for it to dry and then brush off!

However, I would never ever use very cold water on a very hot horse. We always did this after a proper cool down, and when possible used tepid water, as opposed to super cold. 

I would also start at the neck and work downwards - makes more sense, as you get run off of dirty water from down the neck. It also means you're gradually introducing the temperature of the water, instead of dumping it on their back and risk shocking them or making the muscles cramp!


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## Nudibranch (9 July 2016)

Another who washes - all the sweaty bits including under the saddle, but I use warm water because I'm a softy.


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## PerfectCoffee (10 July 2016)

I've always washed saddle patches off and never had a problem.


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## NZJenny (10 July 2016)

LOL - endurance horses get cold water all over, especially when they are hot.


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## ihatework (10 July 2016)

We deliberately ice the water to cool down the eventers after completing CCI XC, and they get liberally doused in it non stop!


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## ester (11 July 2016)

VioletStripe said:



			Nope, I was always taught to wash around the saddle - in fact to do it in particular, as they get so sweaty around there, and it's far more efficient to wash it off than to wait for it to dry and then brush off!

However, I would never ever use very cold water on a very hot horse. We always did this after a proper cool down, and when possible used tepid water, as opposed to super cold. 

I would also start at the neck and work downwards - makes more sense, as you get run off of dirty water from down the neck. It also means you're gradually introducing the temperature of the water, instead of dumping it on their back and risk shocking them or making the muscles cramp!
		
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The tepid water thing is another myth (related to closing capillaries, and slowing down cooling) which doesn't actually happen. Iced cold water is recommended approx 5C.


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## VioletStripe (11 July 2016)

ester said:



			The tepid water thing is another myth (related to closing capillaries, and slowing down cooling) which doesn't actually happen. Iced cold water is recommended approx 5C.
		
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Ah cool, the more you know! Shan't spend so long trying to perfect the temperature then


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## Exploding Chestnuts (11 July 2016)

If the horse is very hot and he needs to be cooled down, obviously the water needs to be cold, and applied to the neck first. but the layer of water soon warms up so needs to be scraped off and replaced. This is used for competition horses mainly, as others should be cooled down by walking.
If the purpose is to wash off sweat then the temperature should be appropriate to the weather.


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## ester (11 July 2016)

Also a myth, no need to scrape off  the time is better spent sloshing more water on


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## Tiddlypom (11 July 2016)

ester said:



			Also a myth, no need to scrape off  the time is better spent sloshing more water on 

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I always slosh and scrape, slosh and scrape. Is that outmoded, then? Thought it was meant to cool the horse off more quickly?


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## ester (11 July 2016)

pretty much, it was popular in the 90s it doesn't produce an insulating layer and will continue to evaporate and therefore cool so long as you don't have 100% humidity. So I think it is thought now that rather than take time to scrape you are better to chuck more cold water on.


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## OldNag (11 July 2016)

We wash off anywhere that got sweaty... especially in summer as it just attracts flies. 

If feeling generous I use no rinse lavender wash - otherwise just water.


My kids are in Pony Club and have never been told otherwise - but they are a long way from B level.


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## Christmas Crumpet (12 July 2016)

I always wash off saddle patch, girth area, bum and ears when I've ridden in the summer. I found that the collagen lumps (or whatever they are) on his back actually went completely when I washed his back every time I'd ridden with malaseb and warm water. 

In the winter i only ever wash his saddle patch if we've been hunting but I do the same with warm water and malaseb again. In the winter I only use cold water for legs and tummy if its completely covered in mud!! I wouldn't want a full body cold shower in the depths of winter - I imagine my horse doesn't either.


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