Do you ice your horses legs after a tough training day?

[HafDressage]

As the tubby haflinger's work load is increasing, I've been debating whether I should be doing some preventative icing after my rides. Knock on all of the wood, he's never had a problem, but I do wonder if I shouldn't just ice a little as a preventative measure.

Today for instance, we schooled canter-walks, flying changes, trot lengthenings/flailing arounds, and a little trot half-pass. So, that seems like a pretty hard day at the office, which got me wondering if I should ice afterwards. I don't know about horses, but most of the research I've seen on human athletes has always stressed the benefits of icing.

Do you guys ice after you ride? Do you think all of the top GP horses ice after every ride?

[myleetlepony]

I usually don't ice, but I have been known to rub down with liniment after a tougher ride, or you could poultice with standing wraps overnight.

[tlkidding]

I do ice the fronts in the summer (right now I'm still icing the RF for an injury in the dead of winter).

I use the Ice Horse boots and packs. I have an Ice Man machine for people that I'd like to try but I can't get it to work.

I read an abstract of a study that indicated the interior temperature of tendons heats up during work and can remain hot for hours after exercise - leading to degeneration of the tissues. After exercise, you'd want to cool the tendons quickly to prevent the lingering heat.

[piedmontfields]

HafDressage, I am no expert. But I wonder if tubby Haflinger aka Fabio is talking you in to thinking that this is hard work? It sounds like pretty normal work to me for a 3rdish level horse who is in regular work.

In fact, it is similar to work I do with my mare. I probably work longer in summer (with a few more and longer walk breaks) than I do in winter. I'm assuming that all of this work was accomplished in 30-60 minutes--not over hours!

That said, I doubt icing would hurt.

p.s. You must be down under to be thinking of icing?

[Chisamba]

I quite like cold hosing after work, but do not tale the extra trouble to ice unless there is a specific reason. I never iced myself, as an athlete, although it seems to be popular here in the USA.

[HafDressage]

HafDressage, I am no expert. But I wonder if tubby Haflinger aka Fabio is talking you in to thinking that this is hard work? It sounds like pretty normal work to me for a 3rdish level horse who is in regular work.

In fact, it is similar to work I do with my mare. I probably work longer in summer (with a few more and longer walk breaks) than I do in winter. I'm assuming that all of this work was accomplished in 30-60 minutes--not over hours!
That said, I doubt icing would hurt.
p.s. You must be down under to be thinking of icing?

LOL. Yes, I'm sure he does talk me into thinking its harder work than it really is. Of course, he views anything other than eating and chasing mares around as hard work. You're right though, I should probably change my mindset a bit.

I live in the deep south, so while it's not summer, it's also not crazy cold.

I quite like cold hosing after work, but do not tale the extra trouble to ice unless there is a specific reason. I never iced myself, as an athlete, although it seems to be popular here in the USA.

Yeah, in the summers I will cold hose a little if I see any little thing or feel concerned about it, but in the winter it seems like ice boots might be a better option and I just always try to think about what the top riders are doing for long term soundness.

I never iced as an athlete either and in retrospect I really wish I had. I think my poor knees could have really benefited form it.

[piedmontfields]

Like Chisamba, I'll often cold hose in summer after a hard work out. But in winter, I only ice if I have a specific concern . I am in the mid-south and it is cold right now! My mare is not a great fan of icing or highly cold tolerant, so I pick and choose (she is a Florida girl).

[ElaPe]

I do 3rd level work with my mare and do not ice, nor put any liniments. I do hose with cold water on a hot summer day. I do not put any bandages or anything either - this, in my opinion, might contribute to overheating of tendons. I do pay thorough attention to proper warm up with lots of walk in te beginning. Our training sessions last around an hour.

[Kyra's Mom]

I don't ice either. Do a good gradual warm-up and appropriate cool down then turn her loose...as in she is out and has movement available 24/7. I think this really helps to avoid many, many orthopedic issues. I hose her legs and massage them with the water stream on a really hot day when I hose her off but I try to avoid that too much too. Water is kind of a precious commodity around here and I try not to waste it.

Susan

[tlkidding]

"Studies have shown that core temperatures in the flexor tendons of horses can increase to up to 45 degrees C (normal temperature 38 degrees C) after high-speed galloping. Laboratory studies with cultures of cells obtained from horses have shown that tendon cells are remarkably resistant to this abnormally high temperature in comparison with skin cells (where this temperature causes rapid cell death).

However it is considered that repeated bouts of temperature elevations in tendons may eventually contribute to tendon breakdown."

Actual studies:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9202452

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17099288

[Bats79]

Never have iced legs unless there was an injury and that included horses competing up to 2* eventing and doing road work and Grand Prix dressage horses.

Dressage work shouldn't be putting strain on a horse (more than momentary as part of a strengthening program) that causes injury - separate from a slip or fall.

[klark_kent07]

I ice as preventative maintenance. I put ice boots on as soon as he is in the wash bay and I have taken off his boots/bandages and then they just stay on for the 20 mins or so it takes to hose him off, put my tack away and re-rug.
Doesn't add any extra time and I figure it can't hurt!