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