Re: cooling horses

[BMcCrary27 <BMcCrary27@aol.com>]

In a message dated 98-05-06 14:54:08 EDT, you write:

<< The current issue (May, 1998) of John Lyon's "Perfect Horse" has an
 excellent article in it about cooling horses. The article states that the
 muscle cramping attributed to the application of cold water is actually an
old
 myth and that there is no reason why a hot horse cannot be cooled with cold
 water. Check it out.
 Beverly
  >>


Decades ago we used to think that giving a horse water to drink when he was
hot was a sure recipe for founder, too.  I remember the earliest piece of
advice given me in 1969 by an experienced endurance rider: You are in far
greater danger of losing a horse to dehydration by not giving them water, than
you are of causing founder by letting them water when they are hot. Twenty-
nine years later  - haven't had even a hint of founder, but have run some very
close calls when there wasn't enough water on the trail! Just another old myth
laid to rest.

BMc