Re: RC: Standardbreds, dark colored horses & cooling out

["Truman Prevatt, PhD" <tprevatt@mindspring.com>]

I rode a tall black TWH for years. Dark horses - independent of breed -
are at a disadvantage since the abosrbe more heat than a lighter colored
horse.  After a few years a miles the mare became pretty good at cooling
out. I think a big heart (low resting heart rate) helps here. The biggest
change I noticed in her ability to cool came when I changed my training
protocol. I started to train once a week in the FL sand hills - hills
with deep sand footing. Galloping up the hills in deep sand - pushing the
heart rate up heart rate (180 to 200 bpm) for sretches of a mile or so
really seemed to have a positive impact on her ability to cool.

Truman

Linda Flemmer wrote:

> 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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