A hot walker within the practice of

horse management There are many aspects to horse management. Horses, ponies, mules, donkeys and other domesticated equids require attention from humans for optimal health and long life. Living environment Horses require both shelter from natural elements like w ...

is a person such as a

groom A bridegroom (often shortened to groom) is a man who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bridegroom's future spouse (if female) is usually referred to as the bride. A bridegroom is typically attended by a best man an ...

stable A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals and livestock. There are many different types of stables in use today; the ...

worker who hand walks hot, sweaty horses after a workout, particularly after work on a

racetrack A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also u ...

. The term hot walker may also refer to a mechanical device designed for the same purpose.What Is a Hot Walker?
/ref> Hot walking allows the horse to

cool down Cooling down (also known as limbering down or warming down) is an important transition, done after intense activity, to allow the body to gradually return to resting or near-resting state. Depending on the intensity of the exercise, cooling down a ...

after hard exercise, which helps the horse's pulse and respiration return to normal, reduces stiffness, and minimizes the risk of health issues such as

influenza Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms ...

colic Colic or cholic () is a form of pain that starts and stops abruptly. It occurs due to muscular contractions of a hollow tube ( small and large intestine, gall bladder, ureter, etc.) in an attempt to relieve an obstruction by forcing content out ...

or equine exertional rhabdommyolysis. For humans, the work is generally considered entry-level in the horse industry and pay is generally close to the

minimum wage A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees—the price floor below which employees may not sell their labor. Most countries had introduced minimum wage legislation by the end of the 20th century. Bec ...

. Mechanical hot walkers cost several thousand dollars, prices varying widely depending on size and construction.

Routine

Management techniques vary widely, but typically following a workout, a horse is hosed or sponged off to remove sweat and sometimes

liniment Liniment (from la, linere, meaning "to anoint"), also called embrocation and heat rub, is a medicated topical preparation for application to the skin. Some liniments have viscosity similar to that of water; others are lotion or balm; still other ...

is applied. While hot-walking, the handler may periodically stop and offer the horse water to drink. A horse may need to be walked for a half hour or more.

Mechanical hot walkers

Mechanical hot walkers come in many designs. The horses on the walker go in a circle, and most hot walkers can be set to go in either direction. The most common design in the United States consists of four arms of heavy gauge steel radiating off from a central pivot point containing a motor to move the arms at various speeds, most often set to have horses walk. At the end of each arm is a short rope with a snap at the end, which attaches to the

halter A halter or headcollar is headgear that is used to lead or tie up livestock and, occasionally, other animals; it fits behind the ears (behind the poll), and around the muzzle. To handle the animal, usually a lead rope is attached. On smaller ...

of the horse. Newer designs originating in Europe have moving panels and no radial arms. The motor is often on a timer that will stop after a set amount of time. Basic safety on a mechanical hot walker includes having the horses under the supervision of a human at all times, not allowing people to ride a horse while on a hot walker, and if two instead of four horses are on the walker, to place them on opposite sides.

Human hot walkers

Humans employed as hot walkers usually handle the horse on a

lead rope A lead, lead line, lead rope (US) or head collar rope (UK), is used to lead an animal such as a horse. Usually, it is attached to a halter. The lead may be integral to the halter or, more often, separate. When separate, it is attached to t ...

and walk alongside the animal after a workout until the animal has cooled down from exercise and their coat has dried. Formal education is not required, and most learn from on the job training. Basic knowledge of equine behavior and some horsemanship skills can be useful. Racetracks, some farms, and training centers usually hire hot walkers. Hot walking horses is an entry-level job, but as time goes on hot walkers can move into positions such as a groom, exercise rider or obtain a management role. Minimum wage is usually paid to most hot walkers, but at the track, employees can receive bonuses if a horse under their care wins a race. In 2009, hot walkers earned $19,360 a year. The lowest-paid ten percent of hot walkers earned less than $15,000 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned over $31,000 a year. Hot walkers working at the track usually work morning training hours but those working at training facilities can work afternoon hours. Hot walkers start leading horses to and from the track from 5:30 am until 10:30 am or cooling horses out at that time. The job may can be expose workers to extreme climate conditions and some may work 6 days a week. Hot walkers that work at a racetrack must have an occupational license for the state they are working in. The licensing process usually requires people to pay a fee, submit fingerprints, and submit a photo for an identification badge. For hot walkers at a racetrack to be eligible for a license they must be employed by a trainer. Those hot walkers looking to become racetrack grooms sometimes can take courses offered at the track. Those who do so may obtain certification.

References

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External links

Video of a horse on a mechanical hot walker
Horse management