How do you help your horse recover after schooling/show/trailering?

[leighbo009]

I was just curious what your routine is to help you horse recover after a big day?

I just went to an XC schooling, but it was a 2 hour drive away, so 4 hours in the trailer in addition to XC schooling.

I hacked my guy the next day, and he felt a little fatigued (I was too), but was wondering what everyone else does to help recovery. Just wondering if I could do something to help him out more.

[punchy]

I give an OTC JUG, it’s a paste. I can’t figure out how to link to it, but it’s made by Farnum. It helps rehydrate; there are other similar products in the market. But if it’s body stiffness from strenuous work and 2 hours in a trailer afterwards, I would expect some general body soreness that a few days rest/light aerobic work will fix. Hydrating helps that to, though, so…

[2DogsFarm]

I haul my mini 3h to the Ntl Drive every Fall.
Usually I’m too tired after getting him settled & trailer unpacked to drive.
But occasionally I’ll take a short - ~1h - W/T drive to let him loosen up.

The day we go home (after 3-4 days of daily drives of varying length) I generally have the trailer packed except for cart, harness & mini.
I do a last drive with friends, sometimes the 12mi RT to the POW Chapel.

Last year I left right after a 1h private session with a clinician.

When we get home, he gets unloaded first, gets the once-over from my other horses & no further care.
He gets the next day off, again, because I’m toast.

Same care when we go for drives with my Club. Generally short hauls of 1h or less.
Mini turns 8 in May & this has been our routine since he was 3.

[pony_grandma]

Cold hose. Turn out. They need light movement. Then a close look and feel for heat or swelling, puffs, the next day.

[Highflyer1]

I don’t do much. Ulcerguard or Nexium for the day of and every day while away. Electrolytes if it’s hot or they don’t drink well. Ar home my horses live out, so they just go out and I would probably give a day off after something like that unless there was a pressing reason to ride in which case I would just tack walk. Sometimes I ice or do liniment or poultice and wrap or pack feet, depending on the horse/level/ ground. If they are in a lot or away at a show, lots of handwalking/grazing or an easy walk under saddle.

[leighbo009]

Another reason why I am asking:
Last year I took this same guy to one of the closest recognized venues for a schooling, but still 4 hours away. At schooling shows, we usually will XC school the same day we trailer and then show the following day. I am thinking that we may have the same issues after the longer trailer ride and then we will have to compete and not just be able to give him the day off. I’m not sure since the trailering will be complete prior to the schooling, but similar amounts of time in the trailer.

Thanks for all the information! Just trying to set us up for success and not be surprised and make sure we are well prepared.

[Highflyer1]

Is he a young horse that’s mentally tired? An older horse that’s stiff/sore? Just a little on the lazy/grumpy side? I would definitely do significantly less in a school the day before an event than I would in a standalone school. Like probably some light flatwork and then maybe 4-5 warmup fences plus a splash through the water/ drop down the bank/ pop the ditch kind of school. An older horse might benefit from a gram of bute or robaxin especially if it’s not used to being kept in.

[leighbo009]

Younger, and I think more mentally than anything. I want to be sure I’m making it a positive experience, sense he is still learning. But shows/open schooling is more mentally exahusting for him, with everything else going on - we honestly didn’t jump any bigger than starter/BN when we are schooling BN/novice at home. But so many other horses around and new jumps, just trying to build confidence. So I think it is probably mentally exhausted.

[Highflyer1]

Being a little tired might not be the worst thing then. He also might not seem as tired in a new place with a show going on as he does at home. I would just try to give him lots of downtime hanging out and watching and eating.

[quietann]

I didn’t get to event with my mare, but did take her to multi day clinics, schooling shows etc. She could get pretty wound up, and it took me too long to realize she is prone to ulcers. My list included:

1. Ulcergard starting a day or two before, then during abd a day or two after the event.
2. In general I’d give her as much hay as she wanted - especially at night. She’s an easy keeper, so 24/7 hay wasn’t something she usually got. I found that the more days we were at a clinic, the less anxious she was to eat hay. But it was never like she was eating twice as much as normal! Hay in a small hole net usually, and soaked if it was hot or if I was worried she wasn’t drinking enough water.
3. At clinic: lots of hand walking, hand grazing etc. Especially if she was stalled.
4. When home: turn out immediately unless it was dark, unpack the trailer while she was turned out, bring her in when she wanted in. Usually she would be out for 30 to 60 minutes.
5. Whatever hay was left in the trailer, she got when she was put away, along with her usual 1 or 2 flakes. The extra was typically 1 flake and a bit.
6. Usually no work the day after, just let her chill.

[CindyCRNA]

My guy gets turnout only for 2 -3 days after then back to work. I do daily electrolytes when the weather heats up here.

[RAyers]

2 hour (one-way) with school and 2 hour return? Turn them out give them hay. That is pretty much a normal day for XC schooling around here, so no reason for special consideration. The next day is definitely an easy hack out to stretch sore and tired muscles.

[FLeventer]

That’s usually my routine too. I hack the next day or have a chill easy stretching ride. After a horse show I hack the next day and then give them a day off.

[NeedsAdvil]

I give MagnaGard before trailering. It lasts around 12 hours, so the only post care is grooming or whatever is necessary and then he gets turned out for the day/night.

[FitToBeTied]

I do the same thing whether it is schooling or foxhunting. Bring them home, turn them out for a few hours, feed dinner and then turn them out for their normal night turn-out. Usually the next day is a day off.

Let them wander and graze.