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Julie
Member
Username: Julieh
Post Number: 56
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2006 - 1:11 pm: |   |
With this sudden blast of warm weather, I was able to bathe a horse or two this weekend. The couple that I didn't get to really need it! I know this is probably a common sense question but I would rather be safe than sorry. What should the outside temperature be before you bathe your horse? |
Shirley A. Johnson
Member
Username: Shirl
Post Number: 329
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2006 - 1:24 pm: | |
Julie,
I think it has a lot to do with the water temperature, whether there is a breeze or not, but I've been told 65 degrees is okay. I'd definitely try to bath in the sun if possible. Then again, some horses hate anything that resembles cold water (like mine), others it don't bother. Just make certain they are dry before putting away, or throw on a light weight cover.
Shirl |
Julie
Member
Username: Julieh
Post Number: 57
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2006 - 1:54 pm: | |
I should have added, I have hot water, so I am able to bathe in warm water. I was just curious about the breeze and being cold after the bath. The main reason I ask is, I am selling one of my horses and she is a light colored palomino and she is extremely dirty. I have someone coming to look at her, and I would love for her to be clean! |
Sara Wolff
Member
Username: Mrose
Post Number: 1220
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2006 - 2:15 pm: | |
Do you have a cooler to put on her after the bath? I wash when it's fairly cool out (55 degrees) but in the sun, out of the wind, and put a wool cooler on them right afterwards and tie them in the sun to dry. They seem to dry even faster with one of those cotton wide mesh "Irish" sheets on under the cooler.
My big determining factor is if I can stand the water running down my arm! |
Corinne Meadows
Member
Username: Corinne
Post Number: 240
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2006 - 3:00 pm: | |
Julie,
Using warm water, out of the elements should be okay if there is warm streak.
If you are still not sure.....you can always put a cooler on like everyone recommended then wash one uncovered part at time in quarters then cover it back up. This way the only part that is uncovered is the small area you are washing....and by the time you finish washing the entire body, most of it will be dry because you will be covering it back up as you wash. Grooming in quarters (if you don't want to bathe) also benefits blanketed horses who don't have any winter coats during the colder months.
If you don't have a cooler I have seen some folks use big fleece blankets making sure the horse isn't left unattended while it's draped over them.
Good luck with your potential sale!
Take care,
Corinne |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 15056
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2006 - 9:32 pm: | |
65 degrees, the breeze, the sun? Do none of your horses get rained on in the winter? My horses regularly get wet when the temperature has dropped into the upper 30's sometimes with a blowing wind though we bring them in when weather is this adverse. Well we try to get them in when things are this adverse but middle 40s certainly does not seem to bother them in the rain. You can bathe them at any temperature they seem comfortable at while it is raining. Of course you will be more comfortable at 65 and above.
DrO |
Shirley A. Johnson
Member
Username: Shirl
Post Number: 330
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2006 - 9:58 pm: | |
Dr. O.
Rain?? Surely you jest!! Until Sat. night we have not had a drop of rain since Oct!! UGH.
Good ole Arizona drought!
Smiles,
Shirl |
Corinne Meadows
Member
Username: Corinne
Post Number: 241
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2006 - 11:24 pm: | |
Ahh...Dr O...the voice of reason.
How easy it is to forget that what we would think of as uncomfortable is quite normal to animals who primarily live outside!
I wanna be where it's 65 degrees.
Enjoy the start of spring fellow HA members if you have the luxery of such it snows here until the last week in May.
Shirley good to hear you got some rain! |
Julie
Member
Username: Julieh
Post Number: 58
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 - 10:05 am: | |
Too funny! This is exactly what my husband has been telling me for months! Everytime I say something about them being too cool to bathe them, he always brings up the rain! I won't give him the satisfaction that I have been told that yet again! Thanks Dr. O! |
Mariss
Member
Username: Mariss
Post Number: 13
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 - 12:34 pm: | |
I have the luxury of an indoor heated hot water wash stall and I still worry about wet horses in the cold. It depends upon the horse,however. Most of the time I've bathed them they shiver in the winter. I've learned to reduce the shiver time by doing what was said above. Don't wet the whole horse to start. Do it in sections. Washing the legs first, even though that seems backwards, shortens the length of time the entire body is standing there wet. Then I do the neck and chest. By then I'm still ahead of the shivering game. Then I quickly do the rest. I dry with towels as best as possible. I use fleece blankets. It's true that wool and fleece wick away the water the fastest. It's like magic. The water is on the outside and underneath they are warm and dry. I make sure they have hay in the stalls during the drying process. Eating away keeps them busy from rolling and heats them up. It seems the shivers only last a few minutes this way. You got to do what you got to do if you are presenting a horse for a sale or a show. |
cp
Member
Username: Cpacer
Post Number: 132
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 - 7:37 pm: | |
I was wondering the same thing at the beginning of winter and started a post too. I found an article or post on here somewhere that talked about using steaming hot water in a bucket with some rubber gloves and a towel. Dip the towel, wring it out really well, and steam clean your horse. I haven't tried it but it sounds cool if it's really cold out.
I personally have trouble comparing the rain to a bath. When my horse gets rained on the water doesn't seem to sink into the skin like a bath does. Maybe he just hasn't been rained on long enough (that I've seen), but it seems the water just sits on the surface. |
Angie
Member
Username: Ajudson1
Post Number: 377
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, Mar 15, 2006 - 7:54 am: | |
cp,
I agree with you 100%. If the temperature isn't warm enough for me to want to stand in the rain and get soaked to the skin, I don't think my horses want to be soaked to the skin either. And they do shed the rain as long as the wind isn't blowing enough to lift the hair up.
Something that I've been wondering following this post is if it's O.K. to give our horses a bath when it's fairly cool, why would it matter if we rode them and let them work up a sweat, and just let them dry? Is the reason we need to cool them so carefully just because they are also hot inside and wet outside? A wet horse, cool weather has always been a no-no in my life time.
I give my horses a bath the same days I give my dogs a bath: Very hot days only! |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 15073
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Wednesday, Mar 15, 2006 - 10:59 pm: | |
I have never seen, read, nor heard of any disease a healthy horse got because he was bathed when it was cold. You should do what makes you feel comfortable but other than a short shower there is no difference in the amount of wetting of the skin that a horse gets being washed and being rained on. These are not ducks.
DrO |
Corinne Meadows
Member
Username: Corinne
Post Number: 250
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, Mar 16, 2006 - 10:49 am: | |
Dr O. I guess it's like the old wives tale that your mamma used to tell you..."Don't got out in the cold without a coat or you will catch pneumonia!" |
Julie
Member
Username: Julieh
Post Number: 59
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, Mar 16, 2006 - 3:44 pm: | |
I guess we tend to think horses are hot and cold when we are. Somewhere I read, and it may be on this site that optimal temps for horses is 15 degrees to 60 degrees. I am not even comfortable until it reaches 60. I can't imagine being comfortable at 20 degrees. Does anyone know if I am correct with this? |
Donna
New Member
Username: Djws
Post Number: 1
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 - 4:05 pm: | |
I live in Ohio and winters are cold here (below zero days are not unusual). Every weekend I go the the racetrack barns where my friend's Standardbred is stabled. When they are finished training him, he is hot and sweaty. After they remove his harness and bike, off he goes to the bath stall. YES, they DO have hot water. They remove as much water as possible with a sweat scraper when they are finished. The horse is covered with a clean, dry blanket and returned to his stall. He seems to enjoy his "shower" and has never been sick. There are approximately 150 race horses on this track and I see them all going through the same procedure. If common sense is used, I believe the horses tolerate it well. The barns are NOT heated and I have never witnessed a horse being bathed below 15 degrees. I am only sharing my observations. I recently purchased my first horse at age 52! I have SO much (everything) to learn (if I'm not too old to do so-LOL)! I LOVE THIS SITE-I find more info here than in any book or magazine. I do not have anyone nearby to learn from or to ride with so...I depend on all of you! (Thanks in advance)! |
Ann Schrichte
Member
Username: Annes
Post Number: 140
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 - 6:26 pm: | |
Donna - Welcome! I know exactly how you feel because I don't have anyone to ride with or learn from either so this site is great. No matter if you are just starting out or had horses for years there are always things to learn so you are not alone. Have fun with your new horse and don't hesitate to ask if you have a question. - Ann |
