Manage Recovery. Impact Performance.
How you manage your horse's recovery after training or competing has a massive impact on future performance—especially during multi-day events or same-day heats.
Effectively managing the cool-down helps your horse mentally cope with the stress of competition and shortens the time until they are ready to compete again. A prolonged or uncomfortable recovery can lead to a long-term decline in a horse's willingness to train or perform.
Phase 1: Cool-Down
Timing: Immediate.
Bringing body temperature, breathing, and heart rate back to normal before returning to the stable.
Phase 2: Rest
Timing: Next 24 Hours.
A slow period that helps the horse’s body heal after heavy exertion.
Phase 3: Recovery
Timing: Days to Weeks.
The period until the horse is fully back to their pre-competition baseline.
FLAIR® Strips provide their most significant benefits during Phase 1: The Cool-Down.
To Learn More about Recovery After Exercise in Horses →The Risks of Improper Cool-Down
If a hot horse does not properly cool down, oxygen and blood circulation are restricted, trapping heat in the muscles. In severe cases, this leads to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, neurological deficits, and a significantly higher risk of pulled muscles.
Understanding "Blowing"
During a gallop, breathing and stride are locked 1:1. When the horse breaks from the gallop, breathing becomes dissociated—becoming slower and deeper (60-80 breaths per minute). This is commonly called "blowing."
It isn't just about oxygen. While many think blowing is caused by low blood oxygen, it is primarily controlled by body temperature. Oxygen levels return to normal quickly after stopping, but body temperature stays high. Blowing persists to help the horse dissipate that heat through the evaporation of moisture in exhaled breath.
The FLAIR® Advantage in Recovery
Moving massive amounts of air while "blowing" consumes a significant amount of energy. During this phase, the soft tissue over the nasal passages is often sucked inward, narrowing the airway and increasing airflow resistance.
FLAIR Strips provide a spring-like support that prevents this collapse. By keeping the nasal passages open during the cool-down:
- Airflow resistance is reduced.
- Breathing requires less physical effort.
- Heat is dissipated more efficiently.
- The horse conserves energy for the next round or the next day.
