29/02/2024
Some great tips during the hot days!
Oh - and always be careful of the water temp from a hose left in the hot sun! Hoses in hot sun hose out horribly hot H2O! So be sure to let the water run until it’s cool!
🐴 Why scraping water off your horse is an ineffective way of cooling them down....
Dr. David Marlin shared some eye-opening research on why scraping is no longer recommended👇
💦 Contrary to common practice, scraping water off a horse's body after cooling is not beneficial. Thermal imaging shows that scraping increases the horse's surface temperature, hindering the cooling process.
💦 The application of cold water (between 15-25°C) over the horse's body is highly effective in rapidly cooling them down. This is due to the direct transfer of heat from the horse's body to the water through the process of conduction.
💦 For best results, continuously run cool water over your horse’s body. This method is more efficient than relying on evaporation alone, although if you can’t run continuous water over your horse, it is still better to let it sit on their body rather than scraping it off.
💦 As a rule, water is a better conductor of heat than air. Therefore, a wet horse cools faster than a dry one. This remains true even in conditions of 100% humidity.
💦 Myth Buster: Rapid cooling with cold water does not increase the risk of colic, muscle damage, kidney damage, or laminitis. These are misconceptions that have been clarified through scientific study.
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