Whether in the dry heat of the desert or the humid conditions of the east coast, it is especially important during the summer months to be able to cool down your horse quickly and effectively. Dr. Jennifer Miller, who has been a practicing veterinarian in Cave Creek, Arizona for 25 years, explained the importance of cool down. “Training and competing and living day-to-day in super-hot conditions, you have to be very careful when you’re increasing the heat load, either with trot sets or gallop sets or jumping or cross-country schooling – they can all be very demanding on the horse,” she said. “Horses are different – Thoroughbreds usually cool pretty easily, as do the horses that have a better surface area to body mass ratio. Warmbloods tend to be more difficult to cool and to train in hot conditions.”
To help you cool your horse out after a tough workout in hot conditions, Dr. Miller shared her top tips for bringing a horse’s temperature down.
Dr. Miller's Top 10 Tips for Cooling Your Horse
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Check out the USEA’s Weekend Quick Links for links to information including the prize list, ride times, live scores, and more for all the events running this weekend.
Let the countdown to the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event officially begin! Entries for both the CCI5*-L and CCI4*-L went live today and showcase some of the world’s best horses and riders. In total, 47 pairs are entered in the five-star competition with the bulk of the entries being made up U.S. competitors with 30 entries in the field.
Eventing is on an upswing in Area IX with the addition of Mile High Horse Ranch Horse Trials in Parker, Colorado. The inaugural event will run from July 6-7 this summer. Started and organized by Mile High Horse Ranch owner Vanda Werner, the event will feature Starter through Training levels.
John Lennon famously said that life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. Rebecca Barber Tyler probably would agree.