Back

Hot walker

Horses inside a European style automated hot walker, not tied to the mechanism
A hot walker or groom hand-walking a racehorse

A hot walker within the practice of horse management is a person such as a groom or stable worker who hand walks hot, sweaty horses after a workout, particularly after work on a racetrack.[1] The term hot walker may also refer to a mechanical device designed for the same purpose.[2]

Hot walking allows the horse to cool down after hard exercise,[3] which helps the horse's pulse and respiration return to normal, reduces stiffness, and minimizes the risk of health issues such as influenza, colic or equine exertional rhabdomyolysis.[4]

For humans, the work is generally considered entry-level in the horse industry and pay is generally close to the minimum wage. Mechanical hot walkers cost several thousand dollars, and prices varying widely depending on size and construction.

  1. ^ Hot-walker - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
  2. ^ What Is a Hot Walker?
  3. ^ "hot walker". Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on December 4, 2017. Retrieved 2017-12-03.
  4. ^ "Cooling Down a Horse Correctly". Horseman Magazine. August 2008. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 8 January 2018.