Optimal Recovery after Exercise? Here's What Cavalor Says

After a workout, it’s crucial to take immediate action...

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 72 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, it’s crucial to take immediate action: rinse your horse with cold water and let him walk. Horses warm up five times faster than humans, and due to their larger muscle mass and relatively smaller skin surface area, they can suffer from heat stress within minutes. A horse’s body temperature can reach up to 42 degrees Celsius, leading to hot muscles and decreased muscle performance. Heat stress reduces blood flow to and from the muscles and causes oxidative stress. Overheating results in excessive sweating, leading to dehydration. This, in turn, reduces blood flow, decreases heat dissipation, and limits the supply of nutrients to the muscles, ultimately impairing muscle function.

To prevent these issues, always cool your horse down as quickly as possible. Active cooling with water and walking is highly effective. Focus on areas with significant blood flow, such as the lower part of the neck, where cooling will be faster. The blood helps transfer the coolness from the skin’s surface to the muscles. Using cooling shampoos can also speed up the evaporation process, helping your horse cool down more efficiently.

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 improves.

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.