TheHorse.com logo
Sign In or Create a Login
for access to 15,300+ articles
News and veterinarian-approved articles on
equine health care from The Horse magazine.



Go to Article #:
 
Adoptable Horse
Sponsored By Exclusively Equine


Get a DVM
Article Library

Please Note: We have put articles into topic categories only when they are focused on those topics, not just if they mention the topic once. If you are having trouble finding something, please use the search box above.

Skip Navigation LinksAll Horse Topics > Sports Medicine > Warmup/Cool Down


Articles ( * = TheHorse.com members only )Date Posted
Controversial Dressage Training Method Under FEI Investigation
Responding to public outcry following the Internet posting of a video showing an international-level dressage competitor warming up a horse using a method some call inhumane, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has launched an investigation. The so-called "blue tongue video" shows Swedish Olympian Patrik Kittel ... Read full story
 11/3/2009
Training Alters Stride in Racehorses  *
Training mature racehorses produces a decrease in the protraction (extension) time of the forelimb and might reduce the risk of training-induced injuries, said Marta Ferrari, DrMedVet, PhD, MRCVS, of Park Veterinary Centre in Watford, U.K, and colleagues at London's Royal Veterinary College in a new study. The researchers aimed to investigate the ... Read full story
 9/19/2009
Tevis Veterinarians Add New Post-Ride Check  *
Head Tevis Cup veterinarian Greg Fellers, DVM, will implement a new post-ride vet check this year. His check will be conducted within two hours after horses complete the 100-mile ride from Lake Tahoe to Auburn, Calif. "What I am looking for in this new check is a continually falling heart rate. This check should find heart rates in the 44, 46, 48 ... Read full story
 7/30/2009
Researchers Examine Effects of Rider Stability  *
Austrian researchers have reported that the stability of a rider’s seat affects the forces acting on a horse’s back. Using an electronic pressure mat placed under a dressage saddle, scientists with the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna’s Movement Science Group measured the forces created when an experienced rider rode 10 different sound horses ... Read full story
 5/22/2009
Patience and Long, Slow Distance Important for Conditioning Competition Horses  *
Horses on vacation since October or November, when the owner stopped riding, can't be expected to perform the way they did in the fall. It's important to get their cardiovascular systems as well as their bones, muscles and tendons back in shape before pushing them to their maximums. Vacations are great for relaxing and recharging, but in just a little ... Read full story
 3/21/2009
Shipping and Showing  *
Monitor and optimize your horse's training, diet, general health, and shipping experience in order to help him perform his best. For some, nothing compares to the excitement of a horse show. The anticipation of months of hard work finally paying off with the faultless jump, the perfect pirouette, or the impeccable sliding stop, and the chance of winning ... Read full story
 10/1/2008
Book Excerpt from Olympic Equestrian: Too Hot to Handle?   *
With the exception of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, which began in September to allow for the southern hemisphere's "reversed" order of seasons--winter in Australia is summer in North America--the summer Olympic Games generally are held in just that: the good old summertime. Add to the usual July-August time frame the fact that most cities that host ... Read full story
 4/1/2008
Coping With the Heat  *
During hot weather, heat dissipation is primarily dependent on evaporation of sweat on the skin surface. Horses are capable of producing large quantities of sweat--sweating rates of 10-15 liters/hour1,2 have been reported during exercise in hot conditions. Sweat evaporates efficiently in hot, dry conditions, but not in hot, humid climates that are ... Read full story
 8/1/2007
Warming Up to the Idea  *
Riders understand the importance of warming up as a way to ready the horse's mind and body for the challenges ahead, but there is more to a warm-up than simple preparation. Correctly done, prior exercise substantially benefits physical performance and helps prevent injuries. Oxygen Availability "There are many different things that happen when ... Read full story
 2/1/2007
Eventing's Short and Long Formats Compared  *
Three-Day event horses performing the short format endurance portion of an event and horses completing the conventional long format experience a similar amount of stress, according to a recent study. The public has speculated on whether or not horses were adversely or positively affected by the short format since it was introduced to events in 2004 ... Read full story
 6/1/2005
It's Not Greek to Them   *
When the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad begin with characteristic fanfare Aug. 13 in Athens--the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games--approximately 10,500 of the world's greatest athletes will convene to match skills and wits in 28 sports. Leaving nothing to chance, competitors will be accompanied by coaches, trainers, medical doctors, psychologists, ... Read full story
 7/1/2004
Heat Stress in Horses  *
Beneath your helmet, your head feels hot and sweat drips off your face as you ride. Your horse's neck is soaked, and your reins are slippery and lathered. The more you call for an effort from your horse, the more sluggish he seems. Despite moving across firm ground, it's as if his legs suddenly are mired in deep footing, with the ground holding him ... Read full story
 7/1/2003
Stretching Out the Kinks  *
There's nothing like a good stretch--when you wake up in the morning, during breaks at work, or before and after your workout. In human physiology, we know about stretching and its benefits for the athlete. Many practitioners and physical therapists recommend stretching for their equine clients. Are the techniques really helpful, and if so, why? Or ... Read full story
 12/1/2002
Recharge Your Horse's Batteries   *
For horses engaged in regular conditioning and competition, an important consideration for overall health and fitness is the speed of recovery following hard workouts and competition exercise. A bout of exercise burns body fuel, results in loss of water and electrolytes, and strains supporting structures such as bones, tendons, and ligaments. It stands ... Read full story
 6/1/2002
Getting Your Horse in Shape  *
As spring approaches, visions of green grass, budding trees, and active wildlife might seem just around the corner for some. But for many of us, spring is but a dream, for we must endure a few more weeks of cold, snow, and ice-covered terrain. Still, regardless of geographic location, we all look forward to the stirrings of spring and a new season ... Read full story
 2/1/2002
Physical Therapy  *
Physical therapy long has been a mainstay for human athletes. Competitors in sports ranging from football to gymnastics have utilized a variety of approaches to help maintain physical fitness and to assist in the recovery process when injury occurs to a joint, muscle, ligament, or tendon. Today, physical therapy also is a part of the racing and sport ... Read full story
 10/10/2001
Chilling Out After Exercise  *
The mid-summer heat brings added challenges in managing the athletic horse. Regardless of whether your horse is competing in a show, trail ride, or high-level three-day event, hot weather places additional demands on his body. You need to be aware of these demands and take steps to ensure that he does not overheat. The focus of this article is prevention ... Read full story
 7/1/2001
Warming Up to the Task  *
In human athletics, undertaking some type of preliminary exercise or warm-up before vigorous exercise generally is regarded as being a beneficial and important part of the overall preparation for training and competition. Although there is often considerable debate regarding the best type of warm-up protocol for different activities, it is widely held ... Read full story
 4/1/2001
Effects of Warm-Up On Performance  *
From Equine Disease Quarterly, a publication funded by Underwriters At Lloyd's of London, Brokers, And Their Kentucky Agents Warm-up exercise enhances blood flow to the active muscles and increases muscle temperature. Benefits include better oxygen delivery to exercising muscles, improved enzyme function, and increased range of motion. Until recently, ... Read full story
 1/5/2001
Rehydration Research  *
As you untack from your lengthy trail ride, which consisted of several gallops, your mare stretches longingly toward the nearby water trough. You notice she is still hot and breathing hard. Do you let her take a sip, or are you putting her health at risk? A research group at Michigan State University has been investigating rehydration methods of ... Read full story
 9/1/2000
Cool Aid: Beating the Heat With Working Horses  *
Anyone who has worked or played in high heat knows how exhausting it can be. High, fluid-sapping desert heat can drain you in no time as you sweat away volumes of fluids and electrolytes. Then there’s the suppressive, sweaty, heat-and-humidity combination where the air is so heavy you practically swim through it. Given how lethargic, uncomfortable, ... Read full story
 7/1/1999
Stretching for the Horse  *
Editor's Note: The following is part of a series to help horse owners understand certain modalities and their purported uses. Horse owners always should seek the advice of their veterinarian before starting any treatments. PHOTO COURTESY MIMI PORTER When supporting the foreleg, keep your knees bent and your back straight. Gently pull ... Read full story
 8/1/1998
Cooling Overheated Horses
With summer upon us, I am concerned about exercising my horse in hot weather. What can I do to make sure my horse is properly cooled out? Are there steps I can take before, during, and after exercise? There are many variables involved in this question. The answer depends on how much exercise your horse will undertake and how strenuous the exercise ... Read full story
 7/1/1998
Hands-On Therapies for the Horse  *
Perhaps no other modality of equine therapy has grown as rapidly as the "hands on" therapies have in the past five years. This growth is patterned after human physical therapy, where the use of the hands to relieve soft tissue discomfort and joint movement restrictions has expanded over the last 20 years. The many techniques of massage, acupressure, ... Read full story
 5/1/1998
Warming Up In Winter  *
Before the summer Olympic Games were held in Atlanta, Ga., considerable research effort went into studying how the horse is affected by heat and humidity. As a result of this research, veterinarians at the Olympics were well prepared to help the competing horses cope with heat stress. As I searched the research literature in preparation to write this ... Read full story
 2/1/1998
Olympic Soundness: For Peak Performance  *
Olympic champions excel due to talent and durability. Only a few earn the coveted medals, but horses of international quality prove they are true equine athletes. Like a classic race, the Olympics are a goal. A horse's owner and rider might determine the aim years in advance, then target the animal's training, competition, and conditioning toward the ... Read full story
 7/1/1996




AAEP Media Partner AAEVT Partner WEVA
Seek the advice of a qualified veterinarian before proceeding with any diagnosis, treatment, or therapy.

Facebook | Twitter | RSS | Site Map | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2009 BLOOD-HORSE PUBLICATIONS. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without written permission of BLOOD-HORSE PUBLICATIONS is prohibited. THE HORSE, THE HORSE logo, THEHORSE.COM and THEHORSE.COM logo are trademarks of BLOOD-HORSE PUBLICATIONS.