working my horse in the cold at night

[charliejonny]

Hi just a bit of advice pls about working my horse at night and in the cold.
I finish work at 7pm and at this time of the year its dark at 4pm,at the yard we have a flood lit menage which is ideal but i just wanted to make sure we are doing the correct thing with grace,we work her everyday except sunday and monday whatever the weather,we warm her up before we do any work with her but as its gettind really cold in the evenings now are there any other tips or advice you could give me,we rug her up as soon as we have finished working with her so she dont get a chill.
Any advice would be helpfull.:p
Thanks :D

[jovi_y2k2]

i ride star in the evenings and until he's fully warmed up he wear a fleece exercise sheet just to keep the initial chill off him. then i take it off during the full workout and then put it back on as he's cooling down again so he's ready for his rugs. i have one of the wrap around design exercise sheets so can take it off and put it on whilst still mounted, and its great for wrapping round my legs too!!!:D

[Nookster]

As long as your warm up and cool down are sufficient then you will be fine.

I also use a fleece exercise sheet, if its raining i use his waterproof fleece lined exercise sheet. Rain is always so bitter of a winter :(

[Jessey]

I just do a thorough warm up and cool out, if they are really sweaty I normally put a fleece rug on to wick the moisture away from the skin before putting stable rugs on, I just don't like them to stand in a damp rug all night :p

J x

[Trewsers]

Yes, I put a fleece to wick the sweat off Storm if she's worked hard (which isn't very often at the moment!) but then before I tuck her up for the night I put her stable rug on and take the fleece off - don't want her sleeping in a damp nightie!!!

[Jessey]

I normally put a fleece rug on to wick the moisture away from the skin before putting stable rugs on
then before I tuck her up for the night I put her stable rug on and take the fleece off - don't want her sleeping in a damp nightie!!!

Did that sound like I leave the fleece on :o I did mean I swap them :p

[Trewsers]

Did that sound like I leave the fleece on :o I did mean I swap them :p

No no!:D I think my reply looks like I thought that but of course it didn't (gosh that sounds complicated doesn't it!!!!!!):D :D

[Alfies-slave]

Sounds like you are taking care to warm up and cool down well, which is something one should do all year round, not just in the cold! There is not much else you can do. Investing in one of those Thermatex (?) super wicking rugs might be good.

Horses are hardier creatures than we give them credit for. The optimum operating temperature for a horse is minus 5C to 5C. You can achieve a lot in the cooler weather because the horse isn't grumping because its feeling too warm.

My horses live out so once they have finished cooling down they go out again. I think this is warmer for them because they can move about, not stand imobilised in a chilly stable.