4 minute read
CHAMPION COOL-DOWNS
MASTERING THE ART OF THE COOL-DOWN
The cool down period is vital to ensure your pony returns to his stable or paddock in the best mental and physical state possible. Here’s what you need to think about at the end of your ride:
COOL-DOWN
Like warming up, the amount of time you spend cooling your horse down will depend on several things, such as his age, his fitness level, his breed, how challenging the session was and the weather conditions. However, on average, most of us should aim to spend around 10-15 minutes cooling our pony down after a schooling session..
DID YOU KNOW?
As soon as you stop exercising your pony, his oxygen levels will rise and his carbon dioxide levels will fall.
FOLLOW OUR GUIDELINES HERE TO MAKE SURE YOU COOL YOUR PONY DOWN PROPERLY:
1. Aim to finish your schooling session on a good note when your pony has tried particularly hard or has understood a new exercise or challenging movement.
2. In rising trot, begin to ride some large circles, serpentines and figures of eight, gradually encouraging your pony to stretch down into a longer and lower frame. Do this steadily to avoid him collapsing on the forehand or hollowing over his back.
3. After about five minutes of stretched trot work, bring your pony forward to walk and repeat the exercise mentioned in point two, allowing your pony to stretch down for around five minutes or until he’s no longer blowing or sweating. Keep the walk active and in a clear four-beat rhythm.
4. A nice way to finish your session is to dismount, loosen the girth by a couple of holes and lead your pony in-hand for a minute or two. You can do this around the arena or, even better, provide a change of scenery by walking him around the property.
5. If your pony is still hot and sweaty, wash him off and remove the excess water with a sweat scraper.
DID YOU KNOW?
A fit pony will recover quicker from exercise than an unfit or overweight pony. Timing how long it takes for your pony’s breathing to return to normal each time you ride will allow you to get some indication of how his fitness levels are changing over time.
DOS AND DON’TS
DO
Know your pony’s resting pulse and respiration rates. This way, you will know when these levels have returned to normal, and he has fully recovered from the workout.
Allow your pony to stretch gradually. Let your pony find his own way into a longer and lower frame as this gives his muscles time to adjust to the new position, without any sudden or forced movements.
DON'T
Skip the cool-down period. If you don’t cool your pony down properly, you run the risk of injury, sore muscles and even tying up. All of these can have serious consequences. If you don’t have much time for your riding session, simply shorten the schooling part to allow for some cool-down; skipping the cool-down part in favour of more schooling is NOT a good idea.
Stand around chatting with your friends. Doing this might cause your pony to get stiff and cramp up. Focus on getting him cooled down and back in his stable or paddock before chatting with your mates.
IN WINTER
While winter may feel a long way away, it is worth noting that your cool-down routine over this period may need to alter slightly. You will want to ensure your pony doesn’t get cold, so you might consider placing a cooler rug over his hindquarters while walking him. If you do decide to use a cooler rug, it is then important that you don’t remove it until your pony is fully dry, as taking it off when he is still hot and sweaty will increase the risk of chill.
AFTER SHOWS
It goes without saying that after every class at a show, your pony will require a cool down. At competitions, our ponies really work hard, so their bodies need even more support than usual to cool down safely. Whilst it can be challenging to do a full cool-down at a show with prize-giving, busy warm-up arenas etc., you should still spend as much time as possible cooling down your pony in the warm-up arena before hand-walking him or doing some carrot stretches.
REMEMBER
Lots of riders say that their ponies ‘cannot stretch’. Yet, while many ponies might struggle to stretch and hold themselves without running on the forehand, all ponies CAN stretch. Any pony who can eat grass, drink water and generally put their nose near the floor can stretch; it just takes training to help them to build the strength to do it well.