Heat and Humidity

[Roberta Jo Lieberman <fineprint@erols.com>]

Great post on cooling, Angie.

In the hot and humid Northeast, many endurance riders keep the cold 
water principally on the large veins on the insides of the forelegs and 
the jugulars running along the bottom side of the neck. This cools 
venous blood returning the to the heart. Dumping cold water over the 
large muscles of the back and hindquarters of most horses is asking for 
big trouble. In fact, if there is a coolish breeze, I avoid sponging 
even the shoulders, as they can also cramp up. It's not unusual to keep 
a rump rug over the hindquarters while simultaneously sponging the 
forelegs. 

Of course, there are exceptions: when I crewed for Jeanne Waldron and 
Rambo in 95-degree heat at Gladstone last summer, she had me put water 
all over him. But his surface temperature was so hot that it warmed the 
water on impact.

Bobbie and Fine Print in Maryland (cool so far this spring)