Horse being put away wet

[ratchet]

My mare is at a place near to me, and I’ve been very happy with the care she gets. I’m familiar with the trainers, understudies and grooms as I’ve been riding at this barn for a tad over a year (but she has only been here for 3 months). I’ve been a stranger the past few weeks due to foot surgery and not being able to drive myself, although I get out there once a week to refill her supplements and say hi. This evening she was damp with warm sweat in her stall. I know she had been turned out today, as well as worked (she is ridden 5 days a week by my trainer) – but not sure when, although I saw a girth mark. It’s not the first time I’ve seen this.

It’s down to 30f tonight so not freezing but still chilly. 20’s and lower (like 10f) in the next few days, and back to the 30’s soon for a day time high. Seeing her warm and sweaty, even in her stall, bothered me but I wrote it off as me overreacting. I’ve always been taught to make sure they are dry and curried before putting them up, at least in the winter.

So…am I overreacting for feeling a bit frustrated that she wasn’t at least curried off after her ride today? I know no barn is perfect, and help and time is short here, so maybe this is one of those “things” and she will be fine. Just wondering if I should bring it up and come across as nitpicky for no reason. I did not have time to brush her myself today (my driver was tired and wanted to go home), or else I would’ve. Feeling a little guilty but also potentially silly, and fighting with my innate desire to not make a fuss over something that seems small.

WWYD?

[CHT]

Was it riding sweat? Over blanketed in turn out sweat? Colicking sweat?

I don’t love sweaty horses in stalls in case they try to roll and get cast, but sometimes it happens. Usually I go back once they dry and groom them then. My barn is quite warm, but when I was in a cooler/drafty barn I would put a cooler on for the interim.

If you are worried, it would be easy/safe to feign concern “Dobbin was sweaty in her stall, was she just ridden or should I be worried she is ill?”

[red_mares]

If the barn isn’t drafty, it wouldn’t bother me.

Horses get towel dried to some extent in my barn if they are really wet but don’t always get put away looking pristine. As a matter of fact, we generally let them roll to dry themselves off. Horses haven’t gotten caste in this particular barn in a number of years. It could happen, but it’s not likely.

I was brought up that horses should be fully brushed and spit polish clean after being work. That is how it was done in the 50’s and 60’s (when my father was in the business). Then reality hit and I’m keeping a horse in an older barn with a young trainer who has a couple people to help with stalls and no regular grooms. What I might want, what I can afford and what is available are different stories.

Horse boarding is an exercise in compromise. If you are financially able to put your horse someplace with more help, make a fuss. If you aren’t, learn to deal with it.

[StormyDay]

I was taught to clean your horse if it was sweaty after a ride with a bath (or a damp towel if it’s very cold) always, even in the winter, to prevent skin issues. Then put the horse into a Irish knit and put their regular blanket over the top so they can dry without getting cold. You can also do a regular cooler and then switch to the blanket after a few hours, but that’s a lot more work for a trainer.

I would be a little miffed if my horse was sweaty in a stall with no drying items on to help with that. Anyone who has worked out outside knows that when you stop moving and you are sweaty, you loose heat fast. It’s rule 101 of hiking in the snow; don’t get sweaty or wet.

Do you own an Irish knit? I’d just buy one and ask that it be put on whenever your horse is sweaty and it’s below 50 degrees or so.

[Justice]

Echoing everyone else here. If the horse is uncomfortable, I’d be upset. If not, I could care less. We always put ours back in their stalls at shows to drink and pee after they are walked out to give them a break before bathing, and they like the downtime. But that’s different than a horse that could get a chill or is still breathing hard.

[Scribbler]

It’s always worth parting the hair to see what’s going on next to the skin. Very often they are already dry at the skin and just wicking moisture outwards.

[S1969]

@ratchet

This evening she was damp with warm sweat in her stall. I know she had been turned out today, as well as worked (she is ridden 5 days a week by my trainer) – but not sure when, although I saw a girth mark. It’s not the first time I’ve seen this.

So ask the trainer.

“Hey Trainer, so glad I can make it out. I see my mare is still sweaty - did she just get ridden? How did it go? (Or, darn, I wish I could have been here to watch.)”

I agree with others, assuming it’s not drafty I wouldn’t have a problem letting a sweaty horse dry in their stall. Is she blanketed? If so, I would rather she was dry before blanketed.

[trubandloki]

@ratchet

My mare is at a place near to me, and I’ve been very happy with the care she gets. I’m familiar with the trainers, understudies and grooms as I’ve been riding at this barn for a tad over a year (but she has only been here for 3 months). I’ve been a stranger the past few weeks due to foot surgery and not being able to drive myself, although I get out there once a week to refill her supplements and say hi. This evening she was damp with warm sweat in her stall. I know she had been turned out today, as well as worked (she is ridden 5 days a week by my trainer) – but not sure when, although I saw a girth mark. It’s not the first time I’ve seen this.

It’s down to 30f tonight so not freezing but still chilly. 20’s and lower (like 10f) in the next few days, and back to the 30’s soon for a day time high. Seeing her warm and sweaty, even in her stall, bothered me but I wrote it off as me overreacting. I’ve always been taught to make sure they are dry and curried before putting them up, at least in the winter.

So…am I overreacting for feeling a bit frustrated that she wasn’t at least curried off after her ride today? I know no barn is perfect, and help and time is short here, so maybe this is one of those “things” and she will be fine. Just wondering if I should bring it up and come across as nitpicky for no reason. I did not have time to brush her myself today (my driver was tired and wanted to go home), or else I would’ve. Feeling a little guilty but also potentially silly, and fighting with my innate desire to not make a fuss over something that seems small.

WWYD?

What would I do? I would communicate with my trainer (though I would not be too worried about this situation).

“Hey trainer, I stopped out on Tuesday and Dobbin was in her stall with sweat marks. Did she have an extra hard work-out that day? Do we need to discuss clipping her so she cools out better? Do I need to provide you with a cooler or something? She seemed fine in her stall, not uncomfortable, but wondering if I am needing to make things easier for both her and you.”

Was no one that works there anymore? Maybe they still planned to go back and groom some more after she dried more. Maybe someone simply forgot to go back and groom some more, we all make mistakes.

As long as the horse was not uncomfortable, this is not something I personally would lose lots of sleep over.

[Weezer]

I would not be overly fussed if the horse seems comfortable. If a horse is just slightly damp on the outer layer of fur, but dry at the skin, I wouldn’t be concerned unless it was quite cold in the barn. You could provide a cooler or stable blanket to be used in those situations. I might bring up the sweaty horse to try to determine the circumstances. It’s possible the horse is being over-blanketed and I can understand barn managers being reluctant to start that conversation - some horse owners have pretty strong feelings about blanketing that are not based on observation.

[BayMoose]

Yes, overreacting.

[Libby2563]

Generally speaking, finding my horse warm and sweaty in the winter after a trainer ride would make me suspect the horse was not getting an adequate cool-down.

Context matters though. If your horse is unclipped and temps were in the 50s or above that day (you mention low of 30 that night but not what the high was), she might take a long time to dry and should be fine uncovered in the meantime. If it was in the 40s or below I’d want her to have a cooler or Irish knit on while she dries. It’s not reasonable to expect a trainer or groom to walk and towel an unclipped horse for hours until it dries. Also no matter how much they towel or curry, sweat marks might still be visible on a long coat.

If she’s clipped and still got that sweaty, she needs a better cool-down. Cooling down a clipped horse in winter does not take much time and putting one away warm and sweaty indicates an inadequate cool-down and poor horsemanship IMO.

If she hadn’t been worked relatively recently and was just standing in the stall sweating, I’d suspect she’s overblanketed, underclipped for the climate, or having a medical issue.

[ratchet]

Thanks everyone for alleviating my worries.

It’s probably just one of those things I’ll need to compromise on. It was sodden wet sweat, like your hand would be damp after touching it. She is not clipped but does not have a fluffy winter coat (CA born and raised tb), barely grew anything this year but even a small increase in the depth of hair can retain moisture. It was 50f yesterday but is back to the 40s/30s now, and has been in the low 40’s earlier this week.

It looked like workout sweat. Everyone had left for the day, I did text one of the understudies who tends to help put horses away after rides, asking if she knew why my horse was so wet (was she romping in turnout? etc) and not accusing anyone of anything. No answer, but IMO no one is obligated to respond ASAP to anything unless an emergency.

Like some of you, I was brought up having it drilled into me that putting up a horse wet after a ride was poor horsemanship so when I saw this, I was ehhh…however it could be that when hands and time are in short supply some corners are cut, and I don’t think she’s gonna get a cold from it. I’ll ask my trainer if I could provide a cooler and do anything else, such as a clipping party, that might make this easier on everyone involved.

[S1969]

@ratchet

did text one of the understudies who tends to help put horses away after rides, asking if she knew why my horse was so wet (was she romping in turnout? etc)

Does the “understudy” actually work at the barn? I would just be sure you are addressing the issue with the right person, rather than the person who is easiest to talk to or most available. You are paying the barn owner and trainer. I would be talking to them directly.

[Lusoluv]

Based on how wet you described your horse was, I would NOT be happy. I also would not have left without toweling and currying her to make sure she wouldn’t get chilled.

[ratchet]

Yep, she is there all day five days a week exercising, grooming, giving lessons and is the only other person who works with my horse (on the ground).

@Lusoluv My hands were tied. My driver was already walking to the car at this point. Looking forward to having this cast off in a week for sure. At least the barn is enclosed from the elements.

[AllTheCarrots]

Leftover sweat/looking a mess by itself wouldn’t bother me, provided the horse was dry at the skin. Coats can take forever to dry completely in the winter, and you can’t really get them looking their best again while they’re still wet.

But the “warm and sweaty” you describe would send me (politely) through the roof. That would seem to be an indication the horse wasn’t cooled out properly, and that’s a cardinal sin in my book. They’ve failed Horsemanship 101.

I would address this with whomever is doing the training rides, emphasizing that it’s a health and comfort issue, not simply a cosmetic one.

[punchy]

If your horse is on a 5-day a week training ride schedule and is regularly getting sweaty after a ride and put away wet, then she probably needs to be clipped, CA tb or not.

[frisky]

I generally take pretty good care of my horse, but in this case, I would probably fail. my horse has a long winter coat and last week was a bit warm, mid-50s- low 60’s. You could definitely see the saddle markings after I rode. I do not towel dry my horse. ever. On the other hand, my horse wasn’t actually warm as we mostly did a trail ride with some hills at walk and a little trot. Maybe your horse worked a little harder, but sweated and cooled off before going to the stall. It’s tough to look beautiful in the winter. Every now and again, a horse runs a bit in turnout and goes to the stall sweaty. It’s unfortunate and I hope they cool off beforehand and I hope it’s the exception, but it’s not something I would lose sleep over. Unless it happens more often.

long coat with sweat marks in winter- I wouldn’t worry too much. Horse going to the stall warm and sweaty- a different situation. At least you know your horse is being worked by the indication of the sweat marks.

[Angela_Freda]

I assume you are paying for these rides?
I would not consider finding my horse in that condition acceptable, particularly from a professional.

[scislandsprite]

I think you mentioned that your horse doesn’t grow too much of a coat so maybe something like Coat Defense powder in her grooming kit would help? Then when they’re brushing her after training, they can throw it on & it helps dry them out much faster.