AT THE SAME TIME

Encourage the horse to drink. As you’re wetting down your horse, offer him a bucket of water to drink, and let him have as much as he wants. If you have powdered electrolytes handy, add some to a second bucket of water, and let him have access to both. Most horses will not drink much ice water, so regular cool water from the tap will be best.

Call your veterinarian. Check your horse’s temperature as you continue to wet him down. You ought to see a drop of at least two degrees within 10 minutes. You can stop dousing him once his temperature drops below 101. Even as your horse returns to normal, you’ll want to have your veterinarian come examine him to make sure there have been no ill effects from his experience. However, if your horse is still hot and not drinking readily within an hour, call your veterinarian again---this is an emergency. Your horse may need intravenous fluids and other measures to help him recover.