Re: pulses and gut sounds

[Linda Flemmer <bluewolfranch@yahoo.com>]

--- Sue Brown <sbrown@wamedes.com> wrote:

> He's got enough muscle to haul my afore
> mentioned size butt up those
> hills on top of being built like a tank...all that
> muscle making heat.  So
> I played target practice with the puddles at the
> last ride just to see if
> it would make a difference.  

Sue,

My husband's retired QH is black and heavily muscled
(although not bad for a QH - more TB type). He did 50
mile endurance rides for many years as a middle of the
pack finisher on tough eastern rides.  Even when in
excellent condition, he was always slow to cool.  When
he was hot, he would pant (often inverted
respirations) and his pulse would hang between 66 and
74.

We would aggressively cool him on the trail.  At vet
checks, we would fill a muck bucket with water and
20-30 lbs of ice.  We'd sponge him over his entire
body, with special attention to his jugulars, legs,
and underbelly.  As soo as we put the water on, we
scraped the hot water off to prevent it acting as an
insulator.

It helped tremendously.  Although traditionalists
cringe at the thought of icing their horse, it works
well and we have never had a cramp from it in hot
weather here in the humid East.  I remember that the
Atlanta Olympics looked at ice water for horses and
saw no issues with cramping in the eventers - this is
what prompted us to even try this.

We also tried adding rubbing alcohol to the water to
promote evaporation.  A friend had sworn that this
worked.  It didn't seem to make a difference, but the
alcohol DID irritate any scratch or owie Major had on
him.  He got VERY irritated with us.  We won't try
that again.  Picture big black horse with his ears
back making threatening jestures at the alcohol-laden
sponge!

Good luck with your big gelding.  Big and dark horses
can be a special challenge to cool, but it can be
done.

Linda Flemmer
Blue Wolf Ranch
Bruceton Mills, WV


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