Recovery after training is at least as important as preparation before training. There are many phases on the way to peak performance. Many athletes are familiar with the importance of a good warm-up, but you should not forget the cooling-down either. Recovery develops in two phases: The Golden Hour and the period after that, which can last up to seventy-two hours.
The Golden Hour is the first hour after an intense effort. It is essential in that hour to allow your horse to recover as well as possible from the effort. The body is then particularly receptive to recovery, while the period afterwards is crucial for full regeneration and muscle building. Taking the right steps in both phases is crucial to ensure that your horse recovers optimally and is ready for the next challenge.
The clock is ticking: The Golden Hour
Begin with cold water and walking
After a workout, you must take immediate action: rinse your horse with cold water and let him walk. Horses warm up five times faster than humans. With their larger muscle mass and relatively smaller skin surface area, horses can suffer from heat stress within minutes. Their body temperature can reach as high as 42 degrees, leading to hot muscles and decreased muscle performance. Heat stress reduces blood flow to and from the muscles and causes oxidative stress. Overheating leads to a lot of sweating, which causes dehydration. This results in reduced blood flow, less heat dissipation and fewer nutrients to the muscles, ultimately leading to reduced muscle function.
Active cooling for optimal recovery
Always cool your horse down as soon as possible. Active cooling with water and walking is very effective. Focus mainly on places where there is a lot of blood flow to make the cooling process faster. That’s at the bottom of the neck, for example. The blood brings the coolness from the muscles to the skin’s surface. Use cooling shampoos to speed up the evaporation process and help your horse cool down faster.
Re-hydrating is crucial
Encourage your horse to drink, as a good fluid balance is critical for heat regulation. Sweating is healthy and helps a horse cool down quickly. But sweat is not just moisture; it also contains minerals, also known as electrolytes. These electrolytes are necessary for proper hydration and contribute to optimal muscle function. They are indispensable in the recovery process.
An adult, inactive horse needs at least 5 litres of water per 100 kg of body weight every day. For a horse weighing 500 kg, this means 21–29 litres of water per day. Lactation and sweat loss increase the requirement by 50%–200%. So, make sure there is always plenty of fresh water available. Does your horse only get dry hay? Then the water intake almost doubles.
A 500 kg horse exercising for 1 hour in a hot environment will need more than 72 litres of water to replace sweat and evaporation loss. Lactating mares need 12–14 litres per 100 kg of body weight to stay healthy and produce milk.
A practical tip: horses drink about 25–30 litres of water a day in temperate climates, but in hot climates they should drink double that (60 litres). Do you want to be sure of the amount of water your horse drinks? Then use buckets to monitor the intake.
Optimise electrolyte replenishment
Ensure optimal replenishment of electrolytes and fluids to promote recovery. The best time to give electrolytes is shortly after sweating. However, for very intense efforts, it may be useful to administer several servings of electrolytes shortly before exertion and for 72 hours afterwards.
Lack of electrolytes and fluids can lead to decreased performance or muscle soreness. Use electrolytes in liquid form, powders, and specialized feeds to ensure they are replenished. Ensure that in addition to electrolytes, the horse should always have free access to good quality drinking water. If a horse only consumes electrolytes without water, the situation worsens instead of improving.
Energy for performance and recovery
Energy is essential, always. Your horse needs energy to perform optimally, but also to recover. Did you know that it is necessary for muscle recovery, for example, and also for things such as electrolyte absorption. Although the exercise is over, your horse’s body continues to work hard. Make sure your horse has enough energy to recover and prepare for the next exercise.
Replenish for optimal recovery
When your horse has been exercising, he needs to recover well. Optimal recovery ensures that your horse is fit and rested for the next performance. Did you know that nutrition is an important part of recovery? Feed your horse the equivalent of a protein shake within 30 minutes of exercise.
Muscle recovery and protein
During exercise, small tears occur in the muscles. This is normal and part of muscle building. During the recovery process, muscles need building blocks, and proteins play a key role here. Proteins are the building blocks of muscles. It is not only about the quantity, but especially about the quality of the proteins.
Maintain a healthy balance
The recovery process after exercise is essential. By consciously choosing high-quality protein, replenishing fluids and electrolytes and giving a new dose of energy, you give your horse the tools needed to perform even better.
Rest is essential
Rest is essential for recovery and optimal training. Replenishing energy and repairing tissue play an important role in this.
Make sure every training plan has plenty of rest days built in for optimal recovery. This improves performance. Horses need up to 72 hours to fully recover from an intense training session. For horses in multi-day competitions, the Golden Hour and recovery in general are very important. Repeat if necessary.
Movement during rest
Rest is good for your horse, but make sure he keeps moving. Light exertion after intense workouts is ideal. Cool your horse down quickly immediately after training by washing and walking him. Re-hydrate with sufficient fluids and electrolytes. Supplement with high-quality protein in a mash. Complete the above steps in the 72 hours after the training.
Optimal recovery after exercise: The most important messages
- Cool your horse down quickly in the Golden Hour – wash and walk
- Re-hydrate – hydration and electrolytes
- Support muscle recovery – high-quality protein in a mash
- Rest and recover but keep moving
- Continue to give your horse the above treatments for 72 hours after intensive exercise
Tips from the Cavalor experts
After reading this article, you’ll know how important recovery after a workout is. The right steps during the Golden Hour and the following 72 hours are crucial for optimal recovery. Provide rapid cooling, adequate hydration, high-quality protein, sufficient energy and rest, but keep your horse moving.
Choose the right products for recovery
Want to know which products contribute to optimal recovery? The experts at Cavalor will be happy to give you a detailed explanation.
Cavalor Sportmash Recup: Cavalor Sportmash Recup is a protein-rich mash for recovery after exercise, containing high-quality protein that are highly digestible. In addition, the specific amino acid profile contributes optimally to muscle recovery after training or competitions. Soaking the mash ensures additional fluid absorption and contains electrolytes (sodium, potassium and chlorine) to replenish fluid loss through sweating.
Cavalor Muscle Cooler: Cavalor Muscle Cooler is a cooling gel that promotes the recovery of joints, tendons and muscles through active ingredients that support cooling and the recovery process. The combination of essential oils creates a synergistic effect that cools, relaxes and fights pain. Optimal cool-down with Cavalor Muscle Cooler promotes faster recovery and helps prevent injuries.
Cavalor Electroliq/Electrolyte Balance: Cavalor Electroliq/Electrolyte Balance provides the necessary electrolytes for optimal recovery after heavy sweating, stress, intensive exercise, hot summer days or transport. Replenishing electrolytes is essential because horses cannot store reserves. These products prevent dehydration, help horses recover faster and better withstand longer periods of intense training, competition and transport.
Cavalor CoolSens: Cavalor CoolSens is a concentrated liniment with essential oils to wash, refresh and cool the body, muscles and legs of horses. It prolongs and increases the cooling effect of cold or lukewarm water, ideal for preventing stiff muscles and permanent damage. Use Cavalor CoolSens after intense exertion or on hot summer days for quick recovery and a brilliant shine.
