Post-Competition Recovery Tips
As the end of the competition season nears, chances are that your horse is tired, which can make it harder for him to recover well after a barrel race, event or horse show. With only another month or two of competitions to go, you can help your horse to recover faster and more completely by putting the following strategies to use.
Monitor Hydration
A horse that gets dehydrated during a competition will have a hard time regulating his body temperature, and his post-competition recovery will be affected as well. To aid in your horse’s recovery, look for dry manure, attitude changes and reduced urination, all of which can indicate that your horse is becoming dehydrated.
To encourage your horse to drink, try bringing water with you from home or adding in some apple juice to make the water more temping. You can soak your horse’s hay and feed him his grain as a soupy mash, too. Adding electrolytes to his feed can also prompt him to drink more.
Wrap and Poultice Legs
Once your horse is done competing, wrap and poultice his legs to help draw out heat. This is also the perfect time to inspect for inflamed tendons or other potential issues. If you do find inflammation, cold hose or use ice boots to help bring the inflammation down.
Keep Your Horse Moving
Once you get your horse home, make sure he spends plenty of time outdoors in the days following the competition. The more your horse can move around, the better his body will be able to recover. The movement can help to prevent stocking up in the legs, and is also ideal for relieving sore muscles and any residual muscle tension.
Use Massage Therapy and Stretching
A post-competition massage and/or stretching session may be just what your horse needs. Massage can help to relax and soothe muscle tension and sore muscles, and gentle stretching can help to avoid some of the post-competition stiffness that can set in after heavy exertion. You may want to hire an equine massage therapist to do some post-competition work on your horse or learn some basic massage strokes so that you can do the work yourself.
Feed Un-Lock
To further support your horse’s muscle function and recovery, feed Un-Lock. This advanced muscle formula contains valuable ingredients such as muscle-supporting amino acids, electrolytes and essential vitamins. These nutrients have been proven to improve performance, prevent cramping and tying up, and aid in muscle recovery. You can expect to see an improvement in both your horse’s performance and recovery with the first use of Un-Lock.
Designed for the competition horse, Un-Lock is completely free of banned substances and will not test. We’re so confident in our product formulations that we offer a 90-day money-back guarantee. If you aren’t fully satisfied with Un-Lock, just return it for a full refund.
Order Un-Lock today and see how it can help your horse’s performance and post-competition recovery.
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