06/03/2026
It is already hot, hot, hot outside and hopefully everyone is making extra sure that their horses are not getting over heated. Here's some quick tips for showering your horse to make sure they're staying cool and comfortable after every ride!
1) Cool water should be continuously ran over the horse UNTIL THEY ARE COOL. This can take between 5-20 minutes depending on how hot they got. This is not a 30 second wetting.
2) The most important locations are the neck, back, haunches and between the hind legs. This doesn't mean we neglect their the other parts, but these 4 areas need the most concentration. (I do not spray faces. Most horses don't like it, and I don't blame them. Faces I will wipe with a clean, wet rag.)
3) Periodically check the temperature of the water on the horse. If touch your horse and the water feels warm, keep going. If the water is cool to the touch, the horse is cool.
4) I like to scrape my horses after they are cool to encourage quicker evaporation. It's humid here in East Texas, and the air doesn't evaporate sweat/water as well as drier climates, so the less water left on the horse, the quicker it will evaporate.
5) Heavy, labored breathing is a sign your horse got very hot. In these case the horse may need to be hosed longer. You should hose them until they are breathing normally and cool to the touch. A fan circulating air will help them cool faster. Keep a better eye on their workload next time.
