Equiflexsleeve fans Lynn and Max bundled up at a late fall show in 2014! Brr!

Winter presents a challenge for horse owners, particularly those of us who continue to pack up the horse trailer and travel to indoor shows when the weather turns cold.  Showing in winter requires more thorough grooming due to thick coats, or more thorough blanketing due to clipped coats.  Regardless of your horse’s hair, there are a few winter horse show tips things to keep in mind that will make your winter show days much easier.

Winter Horse Show Tips

• Always carry a cooler, and an anti-sweat sheet
  While bringing two layers might seem like a bit much, it’s hard to predict the weather and in many show venues are in big, open fields.  Not only will a wool or fleece cooler help keep your horse warm while he dries, but layering it over top of an anti-sweat sheet will help speed up the process and ensure your horse does not get a chill.
• Bring extra hay
  Have extra hay ready to keep your hay bags filled.  Digesting hay constantly will keep your horse warm and happy while they stand in their stalls or on the trainer, even in the chilliest weather.
• Bring extra layers of clothes for you, too.  
  There’s nothing worse than standing around at a show with numb toes, wishing you had brought an extra pair of socks, or warmer boots to change into when your divisions were done for the day.
• Pack hand/toe warmers
  Toe warmers and hand warmers are not just useful for keeping yourself warm in cold weather, but they also make fantastic bit warmers, too!
• Water is important
  Make sure your horse is drinking water – oftentimes in colder weather, horses don’t want to drink as much.  It is very important to keep encouraging them to drink.  Sometimes warmer water will help, so if your horse does like warm water, you can bring an electric kettle or find hot water in the show barn to mix in.
• Support your horse’s legs
  Make sure to pack something to support your horse’s legs when trailering, after the show, and especially if you have long breaks between classes. While traditional standing wraps can work, we love our Equiflexsleeves (of course!) as a quick and easy way to add and remove support in a flash.
• Enjoy company of family and friends
  Thank your trainer, and if you have friends and family there, be sure to thank them, too!  It’s one thing to stand around all day at a typical “hurry up and wait” show during pleasant weather, but to stick it out through frostbitten cheeks and frozen fingers is a sure way to see how much these people care about you and your horses’ success!

Good luck this winter, and don’t get too discouraged – spring and 60-70 degree days will be here before you know it!

Stretches and warm ups should be an important part of your athlete’s daily routine!

Last week, we posted an article about horse leg care after a jump school.  Today, we’re taking the time to discuss what you should be doing before your ride – stretches and warm ups to make sure that your horse is loose, supple, and ready to begin working.

Any athlete knows that stretching prior to a workout is a good way to get your blood flowing, start to warm up your tendons and ligaments for more rigorous exercise, and to notice any stiff or sore muscles that may indicate a need to change or adjust your routine.  The same goes for your horses, and if you add some simple stretches to your grooming and tacking up routine, you’ll be able to help your horse perform better, help keep him safe from tendon or ligament injuries as well as notice any stiffness or soreness that may require further attention.

Many equestrians work “carrot stretches” into their grooming routine.  It’s easy to get a horse to bend their neck to their side to follow a treat.  We prefer doing several on each side of the horse – one by their shoulder, one at the girth, one by the hip, and have the horse hold the stretch for 10-15 seconds.

One area of the horse that tends to get tight and block movement is the long muscle in front of their shoulder.  You can stretch this muscle by lifting your horses’ hoof as if you were to pick it, and then bending their neck to the opposite side.  At first, it might take an assistant to help you teach your horse, but once they understand how good the stretch feels, it will become easier to put them into this stretch.

Once your carrot and shoulder stretches are done, leg stretches are next up.  First, pick up the leg and stretch it out in front of your horse.  It’s easy if you cradle the fetlock in one hand and hold the hoof in the other.  Then, just lean back a little and stretch the entire leg straight out.  Be careful not to lift the leg too high, you just want it to be slightly bigger than a normal, engaged step would be.  Hold this for up to 15 seconds before slowly releasing and setting the hoof down, and then repeat on the other side.

You can repeat a similar stretch with hind legs, and add a small circling of the leg to loosen the stifle, gaskin and hip joint.  Not a big circle – just around a little bit – and be careful if your horse has any hind end issues.

Be sure to stretch yourself out, too, with some basic leg, back and arm stretches before you begin your ride.

Taking care of your horse’s legs is important every day, but it’s particularly important to have a good equine leg support routine to follow after jumping.  Your horse works hard to get you over those fences and nail those distances, and the best way to ensure he remains sound to continue that hard work is to pay attention to his whole body, and in particular, his legs.

A typical jump school for Equiflexsleeve rider Elisa Wallace

Make it a part of your every day grooming routine to run your hands down your horse’s legs and notice any changes – heat, swelling, and puffiness can be a sign that something isn’t right.  Otherwise, if all is normal, continue on your grooming and tacking routine, and have a great ride.

It’s good to begin your post-ride care before you’re out of the saddle.  Just like a good warmup is important to loosen up the horse’s muscles, a good cool down is essential to feeling how your horse is going to recover.  While walking the last ten minutes of your ride, try to notice how your horse feels.  Is he tighter than when he started?  Are his footfalls even?  Is he tired and struggling, or does he have a good amount of energy left?  You want to make sure your horse isn’t working too hard in his schooling sessions, because overworking a horse can leave him more susceptible to fatigue injuries.

If all feels right to you, untack and groom your horse as you would normally.  Be sure to pick your horse’s feet, and again, feel his legs for any abnormalities.

Cold hosing, or icing legs after a jump workout can help tighten up the legs and cool down any heat left over from working hard.  After icing or hosing, apply an alcohol based linimint to help alleviate soreness and promote circulation to your horse’s lower legs.

Way better than standing wraps!

Finally, spend the next two hours wrestling with pillow wraps and standing bandages, only to find that your wrap is uneven and you really should start again – just kidding!  Make your post-ride routine more efficient, quicker, and safer with a set of Equiflexsleeves – the revolutionary new replacement for cumbersome and frustrating standing wraps! Just slide them on over the hoof and set them on the leg.   You don’t have to worry about leaving them on too long – unlike traditional standing wraps which immobilize the fetlock joint, and trap heat, Equiflexsleeves allow for normal movement, they dissipate heat, and they allow the leg to breathe.  Way more comfortable for your horse, and way more peace of mind for you!