Standardbreds, dark colored horses & cooling out

[Linda Flemmer <bluewolfranch@yahoo.com>]

My husband has retired his geriatric endurance horse,
Major and he's starting to look for a replacement.  He
is currently looking at an 8 year old trotting
Standardbred off the track.  Vetted sound, fit, not
underweight, just starting under saddle.  He is
near-black in color and a lean body type..

Mike is wondering if anyone has experience in how well
a SB cools out?  His last horse was a lean body type,
black TB/QH cross.  They were only able to really
compete at cooler rides in the spring & fall because
of cooling issues.  Major would come into a check
panting and literally needed 2 or 3 muck buckets of
ice water to cool out enough to come to parameters. 
(The horse was not over-worked, just got that hot at
walk/light trot).  He doesn't want to face that again.

Any words of wisdom or advice from folks competing on
standardbreds, especially dark colored ones?

Thanks!

Linda Flemmer
Blue Wolf Ranch
Bruceton Mills, WV

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