Bathing with Cold Water

[Louise]

Here we are in the middle of the worst heat wave in years, and the barn’s hot water heater has broken down. Since most of the heating and cooling guys around here are placing a priority on installing and repairing air conditioning, it is going to be several days before we have a new heater.

When I have given showers in the past, I have always done a cool shower - tempering the cold water with enough hot so that it isn’t such a shock to the body. Now that I can’t do that, I am worried about the effect of that cold water on my hot horses. Should I skip the shower and sponge bathe, or can I go ahead and use cold water to try and give them some relief? Is it better to start on the feet and legs, and get them somewhat accustomed to the cold, before I move to the body (what I usually do anyway)?

[lilblackhorse]

we have well water that comes out at 46 degrees in the summer Hot water? A water heater? You gotta be kidding…not at our barn. I have never washed my horse with warm or hot water-I just start on the legs unless he’s really hot, and then I just have at it…he loves it-Just like I do on a hot day jumping into the pool! RefreshingG. We live in the high desert, so I just am mindful of what they say the temps will go down to…most nights in summer they avg in the 40’s, so you have to be careful if you are rinsing in the evening!Eat your heart out you southerners who are baking…and we have no humidity either

[Louise]

Here we are in the middle of the worst heat wave in years, and the barn’s hot water heater has broken down. Since most of the heating and cooling guys around here are placing a priority on installing and repairing air conditioning, it is going to be several days before we have a new heater.

When I have given showers in the past, I have always done a cool shower - tempering the cold water with enough hot so that it isn’t such a shock to the body. Now that I can’t do that, I am worried about the effect of that cold water on my hot horses. Should I skip the shower and sponge bathe, or can I go ahead and use cold water to try and give them some relief? Is it better to start on the feet and legs, and get them somewhat accustomed to the cold, before I move to the body (what I usually do anyway)?

[JB]

Cold is absolutely fine - in fact, in this weather, it’s better than tempering it. The colder it is, the more body heat it can absorb, thereby cooling the horse off faster. It’s an old wives tale that cold water could shock the body - it’s been proven now that that’s not the case (hyperthermia not withstanding!).

[Flash44]

Set out 2 buckets of water before you ride, by the time you are finished, the chill will have worn off.

[marta]

horse interactive has some articles this week on beating the heat (including cold showers)

www.thehorse.com

[Portia]

You can use the cold water, we do it all the time. Start with the legs and let them get used to it. They’ll love it!

[Deb413]

I too have been doing the daily showers. Thank goodness Casey, being a dark bay, is on night turnout now with the weather. Used to complain not riding in the cold winter…now it is to hot! It must be hot as Casey is standing to have her face misted.

Deb

[OlmosHeaven]

If you go to a hot weather event or horse trials these days, you’ll see the sweating horses (and some of their riders) being sponged off from buckets of ice water as soon as they come in from cross-country. It’s not going to cramp their muscles. Don’t worry about the cold water.

[DMK]

Back in the old days we used to slowly cold hose the legs, and gradually moved up to the body with really cold water, for fear of “shocking the system”

Then they actually started studying this stuff for the 1996 olympics, and lo and behold, there were no ill effects to be found to blasting away with cold water on a hot horse… In fact, it was much better for quickly and safely lowering the body tempature. Another myth that was (thankfully) dispelled was the “hot horses shouldn’t drink water” myth.

Black Beauty aside, I could never figure out why I was allowed to go chug-a-lug after riding, but my horse was not!

Here is a good article on heat stress and cooling. I noted that water cooled to 35 degrees F was considered fine for cooling.

http://www.thehorse.com/0107/sports_medicine.html

[OnceAThief]

My guys always get squirted off with cold water - both barns have well water, and no hot taps outside. They both love their baths (although, the youngster will only stand for it if I’m in front of him, not next to him. Weird.) and will dunk their faces into the cold water no problems. I usually squirt their feet off first, then let them get their faces wet, then do the rest of the body - the only part that I get some objectionable faces with is when I squirt off between their legs. The first few times, they did that “Ooooh!” move where they hunch up, but now they’re expecting it and like it.

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Swift’s Injuries: 4 Major, 18 Minor, 9 XRays. Injuries to rider: 6.
Rather embarassing accidents caught on video: 2.

[Cactuskate]

What I would give about now for out of the tap cold water. Even the well water is about 70 or 80 degrees. God love the desert.

If you start by hosing the legs and areas with the veins near the surface of the skin, you will cool the circulation system first from there. Then hit the muscle masses. This is from one who spends the whole summer with the hose in hand at the barn.

Does anyone else agree all horses over 16 hands should be required to keep their heads down below owner’s armpits at all times??? Who needs deodorant, mine get flushed daily.

“The older I get, the better I used to be.”

[Louise]

I gave my two their very cold water showers tonight. They both loved it. Promise liked hers so well she didn’t even try to get her head down to eat grass, just stood there and enjoyed. Stormy is a different individual. He liked his bath too, didn’t wiggle at all, but, there was grass underfoot and he was doggone not going to let it go to waste!

Thanks so much for the advice!