Throat Wrap vs Throat sweat? Is there a difference?

[jandjmc]

I want to get several of my horses in shape for the show ring this year. It seems that most competitive horses have their throat latch and/ or neck sweated. I've never really used one. Is there a difference between a wrap and a sweat and how they are used? I've also seen that you can get lotions to increase the sweat. What are the safest methods and methods that reduce discomfort for the horse?

 

[JAX]

Ok I know that I am not the best person to answer this but no one has said anything yet so if I get it wrong then maybe others will jump in and correct me lol.

So here is what I think. When you say wrap I think of a throat latch wrap. I think these are the ones that usually have felt or something soft on the inside and it goes on throatlatch area. These are safe to keep on all the time(?) as long as you take off sometimes and let neck air out awhile. My understanding of these is that with constant pressure their throat latch will thin down ( I always think of how bra straps make indentions in my shoulders lol).

Now my take on neck sweats. Usually neoprene or some type of plastic up against their skin to help make em sweat. They get put on when horse is getting ready to be worked, after work the horse is tied for about an hour with the sweat still left on them during this cool down time. The sweating helps get extra water out of their neck and makes it look slimmer...

OK so there is my take and hopefully now others will jump in here and tell you all that I got wrong

Now I get to learn more about this as well. Good Luck!!

 

[amysue]

If I understand your question correctly, a neoprene throat sweat is meant to be worn while working and for short periods of time. Many people put them on before show time to get a refined look. The wool or fleece jowel wraps are meant to be worn all of the time sort of like a gurdle and is thought to support the throat to create a refined line. They used to be VERY popular in english show barns. The jowel wraps really can't hurt as long as they're not too tight. Care needs to be taken with a neoprene sweat to not blister the horse. The look ur going for cant really be achieved in a long coat as the sweaty fur looks worse. So I would use a wrap for now, come spring when you clip your horses you can "sweat" their throat latches before show time, as the look u want is achieved by sweating out excess fluid, and is a temporary thing. You can affix the jowel wrap after to maintain the neck. Schneider saddlery sells ultra sweating lotions. My clients swear by it.

 

[targetsmom]

Here is another take on the question/answer. I use a (I think) 3" throat latch sweat that goes on first. It has fleece against the neck with a neoprene section on the outside. I wrap that in the direction the mane grows. Then over that I put a neck WRAP (6" or longer depending on neck length). You roll it up like a leg bandage and start putting it on with the fleece part over the throat latch sweat and keep wrapping til you get to the velcro, which you attach. It has to be pretty tight, which means you have to be careful that the horse's head is not up too high or down too low when you wrap. You should be able to slip part of your hand under it. You should take them off once a day and wash them often and check to make sure the neck isn't getting burned. I have seen burn marks from using plastic as one of the layers, but I have never had one burn. Most common problem I have is that in turnout they take each others wraps off and always on a rainy/muddy day!!!

The gels seem to work well, but I think best results with those are right before the show on a horse that has been wearing sweats all along.

The WRAPS or any of them with fleece against the skin should be able to be left on overnight. You should see wetness on the inside of the neoprene layer (well away from the skin) when you remove the wrap. I can see this even on our "non-sweating" mare! The plain neoprene is what you would use with the gels JUST FOR A WORKOUT and rinse everything off afterwards (horse, neoprene, and plastic if used).

 

[Marty]

One teen-age summer my friends and I decided to wear them around our waists. That's when we all had one. These things felt awful and were very nasty to wear. We sweated in them alright! Personally i hate the darn things. Wouldn't put one on my horse anymore after that.

 

[jandjmc]

Thank you for the feedback. It sounds like the wraps can be left on (for periods of time) and have absorbent material on them. The sweats are for using when you are working the horse and once the horse has cooled a bit, then taking off.

I must admit I'm in a bit of a quandary. I'm not thrilled about using either of them. From what I've seen, it seems like they do work and if you serious about showing, halter in particular, you almost have to use them. But…I don't like to do anything that makes the horse uncomfortable. It also seems like using a throat latch sweat may give you more flex which could improve the way a horse works during driving.

?

 

[targetsmom]

I hear you... I don't like to do anything that seems "un-natural" or risky. But I feel that neck sweats may be a bit uncomfortable, but I don't see our minis really complaining too much. I feel that it is a bit like wearing a bra or pantyhose! Not that comfy but you really can get used to the feeling and it shouldn't hurt. You can certainly use just the throat latch sweat which is a lot easier and for a driving horse may be all you need. The only one of ours that wears a sweat most of the time is our cresty-necked insulin resistant show mare and we really don't want her crest to fall over. The minis that the 4-Hers show will not be wearing them. We "might" get to either A or R Regionals this year and if so, 2 year old Bunny and yearling Jake will need neck sweats to be competitive.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

One teen-age summer my friends and I decided to wear them around our waists. That's when we all had one. These things felt awful and were very nasty to wear. We sweated in them alright! Personally i hate the darn things. Wouldn't put one on my horse anymore after that.

This is why I refuse to sweat my horse. I manage my horse's cresty neck (long story short his idiot former owners pretty much only fed him grain for 6 years, so yes, he had one heck of a crest and suspected insulin resistance) with proper diet and nutrition with exercise. Works better than masking it.

I just think about that nasty gross yucky feeling you get on a hot day when wearing jeans, and that has to be what my horse is feeling to sweat up like that under a sweat. And for what? A ribbon? Some points? I show rated shows, have my whole life, I get that you need to do what you need to do sometime, but still not worth it in my book. Its not really that dramatic results either.

 

[HGFarm]

Another good question here would be how long a person should work on sweating a neck prior to a show? This way folks are not sweating a horse to death, lol, for months before a show. Perhaps someone can give expectations of when they should see the desired results so people will know when to begin preparing for their show?

 

[JAX]

Yes that is a good question that I would also enjoy hearing the responses!

 

[HGFarm]

Anybody??

 

[amysue]

I dont use them personally. But I've been asking my boarders for their preference and routine. Most of them that do sweat only use a full sweat for a week or two before the show but keep fleece jowel wraps on all of the time (except for work). Sorry I cant be of more help. I dont show enough to warrant going thru all the extra work to sweat my horses. Good luck.

 

[jandjmc]

I'll start another post and ask how long to use sweats for. Have a good one.