By Suzie Middlebrook, BSc | Cavalor Nutrition Specialist
It used to be that when you noticed heat or swelling on your horse’s leg, you immediately reached for the hose and would sit there for some arbitrary amount of time hosing the affected leg. This process was always referred to as “cold hosing” regardless of the actual temperature of the water. While this method is easy and convenient, cold hosing is not necessarily effective in reducing pain and heat at the injury site.
As equestrian sports continue to change and the challenges become more formative, so must our aftercare regimes. We have moved beyond the “cold hose when injured” scenario to regularly using a combination of cooling therapies, compression, movement, and nutrition to help keep our horses as sound and healthy as possible. To further bolster our knowledge, we are pulling from the experience of Katie Coleman, barn manager and overall super wife for Cavalor® sponsored rider Will Coleman. Will was recently named the second highest placing American at the 2015 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event where he finished 6th overall. Before teaming up with Will full-time, Katie was a professional groom to some of the top event riders in the nation including Michael Pollard and Lynn Symansky and was designated the USEA’s Groom of the Year in 2012. Will Coleman’s mount OBOS O’Reilly was also awarded the Fitness Award at Rolex Kentucky which is further testament to the care and attention given to the equine athlete leading up to and at America’s only CCI4* event.
After any heavy exertion, such as a few gallop sets or a full cross country test, the first priority is to decrease the horse’s core body temperature. This includes stripping tack from the horse, walking, and applying cold water on the entire horse, paying particular attention to the abdomen and the legs. While at home this is easily with a hose, your options are often limited to sponges and buckets at events.
Once the horse is reasonably recovered, excess water is removed from the horse - paying particular attention to the legs - and then a scrim sheet or cooler is placed on the horse to prevent chills. At this point, the horse is then taken for another 10-15 minute walk. Katie says to use ice boots on the horse while the horse is walking to help cool down the leg while still allowing the horse to move freely. After this first walk, the horse is then sprayed down a second time followed by another 10-15 minute walk. These walks are critical to the recovery process since they help remove any metabolites that have built up in the muscles. If a horse is not permitted to move, this can lead to muscle soreness and stiffness, thereby prolonging the recovery process.
Once the horse is completely cooled down, he is given a proper bath, and then stood in a bucket of ice and water for 25 minutes. This process cools down the legs, improves blood flow, and quickly removes any heat or swelling in the legs due to microtears in the soft tissues. Despite all the various icing systems and devices on the market, the ice bucket is still one of the most common methods for icing the legs after heavy work because it is cheap, readily available, and works. As long as you have a patient and tolerant horse, this is the chosen method amongst many top riders and grooms.
After icing the legs, compression is the next step. Compression helps reduce muscle soreness and prevents filling of the soft tissues which can often happen after hard efforts. In the equestrian world, this is most often done by using standing wraps over cotton- or foam-filled stable bandages. Applied properly, this should provide even compression throughout the leg to aid in circulation and support stressed and strained soft tissues. The combination of these effects can reduce muscle fatigue and soreness, meaning faster recovery so your horse can perform their best. While the benefits of standing wraps can be tremendous, be sure to wrap your horse properly since a poorly done wrap with uneven or too much tension can result in a bandage bow in the tendon, leading to lameness and an extended recovery time.
Before wrapping, a common practice is to place some kind of topical on the legs to help soothe tired, sore legs. The typical choice amongst riders is a clay-based formula commonly called poultice. This poultice is believed to help draw heat out of the leg. Using gloves, you would smear the poultice on the lower limb starting just below the knee or hock down to pastern. Usually blue shop towels or recycled paper is placed over the poultice and wrapped around the leg once. You would then use standing wraps and bandages over the paper and wrap as normal.
The issue with poultice is that you have to be very careful when applying it since the clay can cause the lower legs to swell if the clay contacts any small nicks or scratches. According to Katie, poultice is no longer the best choice since she has seen too many legs “blow up” after seemingly correct application. Instead, she uses Cavalor® Muscooler directly under the wraps. This simplifies the process and eliminates the risk of the lower legs swelling due to a reaction to the poultice.
Once your horse is cooled out, iced, and wrapped, a small grain meal will help your horse recover. The high carbohydrate content of the grain will begin the process of replenishing energy stores within the muscles while the high quality proteins will help repair and rebuild any damaged soft tissues, such as muscles and tendons. Because of the various electrolytes and vitamins used during hard work, it is important to add a source of high quality electrolytes and a muscle support supplement to your horse’s program. Katie has it spot on for OBOS O’Reilly. Once he is cool enough to eat after around 45-60 minutes after his work-out, “Oboe” gets electrolytes, Cavalor® FiberForce, Cavalor® Perfomix, and Cavalor® Muscle Fit. While feed won’t make your horse fit, it will allow your horse to recover quickly and gain the maximum benefits from his conditioning program.
Photo by Samantha Clark & Courtesy of PRO
As you progress up the levels, it is also important to make sure your horsemanship skills are on par with your riding skills. As riders, it is our responsibility to support our horses to make sure that they get the care they need to stay fit and sound. While you don’t need the latest fancy equipment, you do need the patience and diligence to take proper care of your horse after every ride. By ensuring your horse is properly cooled out, iced, and wrapped and on the appropriate conditioning and nutrition plans for their level of competition, you can take comfort that you are doing your best to safeguard against untimely injuries and support your horse in a long, successful career.
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