Post cross country care at the lower levels

[GutsNGlory]

Add me to the less is more group. I will cold hose the body and legs - adding some soft soap or similar to the legs in order to fight any funk that might be left over from a nasty water jump or mud (learned my lesson at one T3D when I just hosed legs after our steeplechase school and cellulitis set in overnight). I have iced at more strenuous events like T3D and Prelim, but not for lower levels. I also do not wrap unless needed - my current horse doesn’t stock up or anything so there is no need. I just take him on walks/hand grazes if we are stabled overnight at an event and then when he gets home he goes out in the field. Next day he might get fully off and I’ll just check him over when I feed, or I might take him out for a bareback hack to get the blood flowing (and he just loves hacking out).

ETA: I will pack feet with sore no more poultice after a xc school, run, or trot/gallop set on really hard ground in the summer when conditioning for Training +.

[leheath]

I used to poultice and wrap after jumping at any kind of show (hunters before eventing). Now I’m more of the “less is more” camp. If the horse is stabled overnight after a significant XC school (like a clinic, not just a regular lesson on the XC course) or show, I use BOT wraps overnight. I’ve found the legs come out tighter after BOT wraps that the old school poultice and regular wraps. If we are trailering home right away, I just turn them out. When my horses didn’t live out 24/7, I’d BOT wrap before we left the show and leave those on stabled overnight. I’ve never gotten into the icing as I’ve never been convinced of it’s value (and I do not find it helpful at all for me personally after a hard day of yard work or similar) and I only “cold hose” in the sense that I hose the whole horse off (if available) if it’s hot after whatever kind of workout we’ve done. I also try to always at least rinse off the legs if we’ve been through water of any kind. However, I’ve never competed above Training, so there’s that!

[meghanathtf]

exactly! As a runner and athlete I have learned this for myself. Ice is for injury only. I would let the horse’s natural healing process and blood flow work on recovery. A recovery ride and turnout is best!

[Rnichols]

I will either liniment and wrap or poultice and wrap, even at the BN level. I’m probably over doing it, but it makes me feel better lol.

Part of the reason I wrap after xc schooling is because all the schooling venues are at least a 2 hour drive from me. At a show (in the box stall) I do find it helps with stocking up, at least on my mare.

[Misty_Creek]

What is BOT?

[refresh]

Back on Track products, the claim is ceramic fibers in the fabric warm muscles. They make wraps, sheets, saddle pads etc