Neck sweating

[uwharrie]

OK just started sweating one of the gelding's necks this past week. Used a fleece lined neoprene that is maybe 10in wide. Topped with a full neck neoprene.

I just took both off and noticed some crustiness and hair loss on one spot on his neck. We had lots of rain over the last two days and my assumption is it got ( and stayed) damp under there.

NO doubt I need to sweat his neck down. How should I proceed from here? I know I should wash and dry his neck well before putting clean sweats back on. What other things should I be doing. watching for ect?

 

[Riverrose28]

I only sweat their necks at night when they are in their stalls and when they are worked in the round pen. I take it off during the time they are turned out and rolling in the dirt. they can get all sorts of stuff under there that can irritate the skin. then clean the neck befor putting back on, and i wash every day, and put on a clean one. That means at least two per horse. Some horses can actually get a sore that looks like a hot spot under the sweat if it is not clean. I only use the neck sweat lotion two weeks before a show and then it needs to be put on a very clean neck and washed off daily. It is a lot of work. Good luck.

 

[uwharrie]

Thanks!

I only sweat their necks at night when they are in their stalls and when they are worked in the round pen. I take it off during the time they are turned out and rolling in the dirt. they can get all sorts of stuff under there that can irritate the skin. then clean the neck befor putting back on, and i wash every day, and put on a clean one. That means at least two per horse. Some horses can actually get a sore that looks like a hot spot under the sweat if it is not clean. I only use the neck sweat lotion two weeks before a show and then it needs to be put on a very clean neck and washed off daily. It is a lot of work. Good luck.

 

[supaspot]

does sweating really make a difference ? is it possible to see before and after pics ? and what does the lotion do ?

thanks

 

[ruffian]

IMO sweating can trim a neck, but not make a thick neck look like a pencil. I like to keep a jowl wrap on my guys all the tine, and the full sweats at night and working.

The neck sweat lotion builds up heat - think of something like Absorbine or Theragesic. It will make the sweat run right off the horse. But it can also burn the skin and make the hair fall out if used incorrectly. I like to rely on just good old fabric.

 

[midnight star stables]

Not sure if you did or not, but I find it helpful to clip the area that I'm sweating.

 

[TPs flat rock acres]

New at all of this why do you put something on them to make their necks sweet? Does this give this look of their necks looking smaller up by the head and looking longer?

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I refuse to buy a horse who needs to be sweated because frankly, I'm just too lazy!

As RiverRose said, it is a lot of work to do it humanely and it MUST be done consistently in order to make any difference. And then any offspring the horse produces will also most likely need to be sweated...no thank you. I'd rather buy a naturally fine neck.

My neighbor sweats her champion horses however and she's told me that washing is of paramount importance. I don't have the facilities to do that here, which is one of the reasons I don't sweat mine. She does clip that area of the neck first and then the horse wears double-layered sweats like you describe and is washed daily. I don't believe she uses any lotion. Her horses are quite nice, she just uses it to make them look even nicer.

Leia

P.S.- Please be careful to put them on securely. I rescue so many show horses from sweats down over their eyes at midnight!

They are usually frantic by the time I hear them pawing.

 

[midnight star stables]

I just wanted to ad, that I don't sweat regularly, and the horses that I do sweat are driving horses as I hope to make it easier for the horse to collect. In my case, with my horses, it isn't necessary and because of that I rarely do sweat. However is does help many horses out there