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
My name is Tayah Fuller and I’m 14 years old. “On course” to me is a phrase that makes my heart pump fast and my excitement go wild. There is no better feeling than galloping through a field or flying over cross-country jumps with my heart thrumming along, especially when it is with my best friend. You see, I was born with a congenital heart murmur. While it has never really affected my athletic abilities, the one time that I notice it is when I am riding through a cross-country course with my horse.
Please always remain vigilant when it comes to sending any personal communications via email or text. Every year we receive reports of members and leaders of our sport receiving phishing attempts both online and by phone. These are often communications disguised as being sent from USEA staff or other leaders. As the years go on, the phishing attempts appear to be more directed and tailored.
Tack cleaning is one of those barn chores that might not be our favorite but is certainly necessary for keeping our equipment in top shape. Aside from caring for your tack so it lasts for years to come, regular tack maintenance is important for safety. The last thing you want is the potential for a stitch, zipper, or buckle breaking while you're out on course.
Following feedback from our membership to the rule change proposal for the USEF Rules For Eventing: Appendix 3 – Participation In Horse Trials, the United States Eventing Association (USEA) Board of Governors voted to modify the rule change proposal, but still to recommend the establishment of rider licenses and increase Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs) to the regulating authority of the sport US Equestrian (USEF).