Neck Sweating

Anyone have any advice on neck sweating that they'de like to share? I haven't had a lot of experience with it, I've had a lot of good product reccomendations made. I'm working on a yearling stud colt with a thick neck.

On a young'un, I'll start them out slow. With a grown one, I'll just go full-fledged into it.

But with a young'un,

First oh, two or three days, I'll get one neck sweat; put the neck sweat on, work 'em, let them stand tied for about 45 minutes to an hour, take it off, rinse with WARM WATER, and then that's it for the day.

Fourth or fifth day, two choices, either two neck sweats, or a trash bag and one sweat, work 'em, stand tied for about an hour.

The second week, I'll usually put the trash bag on first, depending on how the neck's looking at this point, and either one or two sweats. And if they need a throatlatch, that goes on. I just watch mine, see how they're taking everything. And I don't let these little ones stand tied for more than an hour and a half at any point.

By oh, the third week or so, if I'm not seeing enough change, I'll get some plastic wrap, wrap it around their neck first, then the trash bag, then a neck sweat. Stand them tied, for about an hour in that case... then keep doing that for oh, three or four days and see if there's any change.

ok quick question not being a halter person here- what is the objective of sweating the neck and what does one hope to achieve I would think that there is only so much you can achieve by sweating a neck- the subcutaneous water could be sweated out but the underlying structure is going to stay the same you have what God gave you... how much difference can you expect to see? I have never done this so just asking not trying to upset anyone just trying to learn...

Yes, that's correct, and it also tightens everything up. TripleJ could probably explain it better, but for a stallion, it's for sure a must. I've even heard of using rolling pins on their crest - I kid you not. Now, I tried that, but my arms gave out! HA!

I've also had acupuncture done, as well, but it's a timing thing with each horse, and it can get very time consuming and expensive - did that oh, I don't know 2 or 3 years back.

With some of them, you'll notice that they'll sweat but not foam. Foam is the fat coming off, sweat is just water.

I can't tell you much about the physical properties of how much of a difference sweating can make, but I do know the benefits. A lot of horses, stallions especially, tend to get that really thick, fatty neck. The problem is that it isn't muscle, it's just fat, the fat can be sweated away. The reason why people who strive for a thin neck isn't just for the apperance. And, a quick tid bit, I know of ropers that sweat their horses necks, reiners, barrel racers, halter people, just about every discipline I've seen it done. The reason in fact is that a really thick neck can make them heavy on the front end, which not only looks bad and makes it hard for a horse to be truly balanced, but it puts a lot of stress on the bones in their legs, especially the knees, because you have all that extra weight pushing down. You're right about being able to sweat the water out, the underlying structure will always be the same, but if you put your hand on the underside of their neck and you get "the jiggles" you can sweat that off. It makes it easier on the horse, looks better, and overall creates a better balanced horse. I assure you though, it's not a strictly halter thing, most western pleasure horses are sweated too, because in that ring, you strive for a super balanced horse, the sweating helps that. If you have any more questions about it, feel free to shoot me an email at WLJQuarterHorses@aol.com Hope that helped you out a little.

It was said (most western pleasure horses are sweated too, because in that ring, you strive for a super balanced horse, the sweating helps that. )

If a pleasure horse has alot of weight sitting on its shoulder then it is harder for the shoulder to lift. Which is so important it the pleasure horse of today. Some sweats are only for the shoulder. Not of the neck. OR both. Gosh, you would not believe what parts of the halter horse is sweated. Not just he neck. It's something else..

Oh I don't think Peppy would care for that

Lynn, I can tell ya Kid sure doesn't like it... but he doesn't have to worry about that anymore... he just gets to be a stud now.

I have found that a horse with a regular routine of neck sweating looks forward to it.. It really can be a rest time for them.

We had some weanlings at a horse show who were fussy. Tied them up and put all the sweats on.. They stood with a foot cocked and closed their eyes.. Then when all was done and the grooming and covers put back on, down they went and took a nice nap...

This was the daily routine the trainer had them on and they really did like it..

Triple J, what the heck else do they sweat? LOL, that doesn't sound to fun from the way it seemed, lol.

Fat on top of the rump. Some halter horses get a fat deposit right above the tail. Like a couple of Chunky bumps, They are sweated. There are Ways of sweating certain parts of the horse to give them more lines as well. Just some tricks I picked up while working with a AQHA Judge. It was unreal.

I think it's safe to say this now. Sort of a general consensus here...so anyone won't go astray or mess up (like a friend of mine did... HA!)

On your neoprene jowl sweats, you can use those ON TOP of your other sweats while you're working a horse or letting them sweat in the stall. However, DO NOT keep those things on your horse! If you do, there will actually be a hump there on the bottom of the neck, and it takes weeks to get that back.

If you want a jowl wrap that you keep on continuously, use your fleece one. And they do work!

OK ,you all I have a question, I have friends that show Halter and their horses stay in a stall for the most part. Could I fit a horse up but still leave it in a pasture. Maybe bring it in at night but turn out during the day. Would eating the grass in the pasture screw up the fitting program? I just think mine would go nuts sitting in a stall all the time. So Advice is needed. Thanks

Tell you a little secret about the pasture deal... something my vet told me. And what I'll do with the young'uns, or if I see one of 'em needs some time off/out.

My vet said all a horse needs is about 4 hours of turn-out, where they romp, graze, whatever, which also will increase their appetite. With halter horses, you do it by the type of work-out you do, i.e., golf-cart, round pen, whatever. One reason also why I'll push my a little longer than the average 10 minutes. Because you need all that bulk, fat, etc. on 'em.

Because of your haircoat, you'll need to reconsider the out during the day... because of the sun and bleaching the haircoat. Sometimes what I'll do is feed at like oh, 5:00, 5:30, especially in teh summer, let them out at about oh, 6:30 till about 8:30 or 9:00, before the sun starts getting too hot, or say at around 6:00 p.m. to say, about 9:00 p.m.

Yes, you can do halter like that, but it really depends on what your competition is in the show ring. Make sure that when they do come up, they have alfalfa. Make sure your worming, feeding program is top notch. Your exercising program should determine the amount of feed you feed, but increase/decrease slowly.

But to build muscle, you're going to have to work 'em. Truthfully, I can't stand having mine up in the stalls like that, I hate that part about halter. So I kind of do a deal of both. I want my horse to still get to be a horse, even though we're trying to accomplish something.

If that made any sense whatsoever... HA!

7c

a question for you.What if your horse dosent like alfa.We can only get alfa haylage but she not keen on that.So i try to get it in pellet form and all she does is spit them out or work her way round them and leave them in bottom of feed bucket

how about cubes they come in a 50 lb bag and I know alot of people who use them ,I haven't but not to say I wouldn't my horses are hay hogs thats there favorite time of the day ....real simple bulk hay regular first cut etc and second cut if fed to much puts a belly on and does not have the protein that alfalfa does ...

I think Bluejay needs to pop in here and so does OLF... I need Anita for this, too...

When you say alfalfa haylage, explain to me exactly what you're talking about? Are you talking about the short-stemmed, kind of like in a bag deal or?

And whatever you guys do/say/think... please DO NOT under any circumstances think that I'm the gosh-darned halter guru, because I'm far from it... jeesh... don't even want to get that hooplah started again...

Let me e-mail Bluejay and tell her to get on here.... I don't have OLF's e-mail, so not sure how to get ahold of her... wish we had SS back on here!

Were not halter professionals by a long shot but I think through the years we have kept out ears open and our minds and maybe we have learned a few things maybe we should say please try at yourown risk I sent you a message on pm could you check ?

Loveto, got your message and e-mailed ya... look for the subject line that says, Hey, It's 7Cedars or something like that.... want me to send it again?

Thank you for the help. So no turn out in the heat of the day. I have a four wheeler so I could jog them behind that. Is it hard to get them to do that? I know I'll have to have someone ride on the back to hold them. This could be very interesting. Again Thanks, I'm sure I'll have a ton more questions.

Yep, on the 4-wheeler deal, the only thing that would scare me if IS YOU DIDN'T have somebody on the back to hold 'em... the thought of trying to swing my leg over and catching a horse from running harem scarem through the pasture kind of scares the beegeebies otu of me. With a golfcart, usually I just sort of stand up and bail... I'm getting too old, I can't move as quick as I used to...the heck with where the golfcart goes.

My didn't take very long to train on the golfcart, just a couple of days. Shouldn't be a biggy. Just take your time... walk first, a lot of walking, talkie, talkie, then move up to a slow jog... this can get kind of interesting - to actually get them in the jog, might have to go down a hill to get them in it - that's what I had to do with Scamp...takes anywhere from 2 to 4 days to do it... just be careful!

Ever since I took the top off my golfcart, when I worked Kid last year, I was like, oh, crap, he's awfully big beside here, so I squesh a litlte more towards the middle of the seat... with Jazz, which we're fixing to have to work on... gosh dang, that heifer will just run me and the golfcart over, so I've got to work more on that with her... I think she's messing with me acting like she's afriad of the cart, yeah, okay, whatever... mom's got a trick up her sleeve on that deal, uh-huh... stupid fillies! HA!

Ok jumping in.. I have used alfalfa pelletes many times. This puts the weight up over the back and does a good job. Also, you have no waste.. Also, it is not hot. Then some good har or alfalfa to nibble on.

Right now my stallion is on Timothy cubes and orchard grass.. He is not working and has no tummy (or barrel I like to call it). Most of you have seen him and can see that this is true..

Some of the winning halter people on the west coast only feed alfalfa cubes. I have used those before as well. Same thing.. Puts the weight up over the back and no waste.. Also, is not hot.. These products are controled and much more consitent then buying a bale of it..

As far as halter horse getting out in the pasture I am a firm believer in that.. This does wonders for their legs, feet and mind. I would keep them out on short grass and light weight sheet so they do not bleach their coats.. And, of course do not forget that clean fresh air they will be breathing..

They also need a pal out there with them. I would not leave them out all day and still feed these other products. Back in under lights and halter routine for the rest of the day.. Make sure you are worming at least once a month.. A happier healthy horse puts a glow on them that the one standing in a stall all day does not have..

I am no expert and I think there is no such thing.. Winning is not always about the best horse. In the end, you want to have a healthy you can ride. This standing around all their life will not give you this...

7C. Now you know FILLIES RULE ...

Bluejay, you just couldn't resist it, could ya!