Does sweating tell you if your horse is not properly working.
Like yesterday I rode Buzz and he was sweating heaps on his front end but not as much on the back end.
Does that mean he isnt using his hindquartes as well as he could or is that just how horses sweat from the front back?
Most horses sweat more in the front than the back. This is because there are more prominent blood vessels on the shoulder/chest/neck area than the hind quarter, although the big vessels under the hind legs can get quite sweaty as well.
The only way to see if a horse is working by sweat really is by comparing the amount, keeping the temperature of the day in mind. My horse, for example, will sweat more if we focus on canter work than on a day we focus on trot work, because that is more difficult for him.
They do sweat front to back, but you don't want them absolutely dripping in front, and dry as a bone on the back. I've seen that before!! You certainly want to see some sweat on the hindquarters if you're getting sweat on the forehand, if your horse is working from behind.
I always watch sweat patterns. I can also say that I have seen plenty of horses, including my own, that when working on correct work will sweat back to front. These patterns carry through to the pasture when the horse is being worked regularly and the hind end is used to working fluently and carrying the weight. Even with no rider, the horse sweat primarily on its back, flank, abdominal, and hind end, I have one pony that will come in almost completely dry in front and drenched everywhere else.
When the horse is out of work for a while, or with a different rider, the sweat patterns will start to fall forward again as the horse is using the front end more.
Jerry sweats more in the front, but if we're doing vigorous work (transitions, hill work, lots of circles) his hindquarters will get sweaty guarenteed.
He is sweating on the backend but just not as much as the front end.
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