The easiest way to look at the cool down is to compare it to ourselves. As anyone who has ever spent much time exercising or learning about it knows, it's important to cool yourself down before relaxing; it's also important to not drink a lot of cold water while you're still hot. The same goes for horses.
Keep in mind the size of a horse. Their bodies are many times larger than our own--but if you think of it "to scale," the same basic rules apply. One of the bigger differences, though, is the fact that horses sweat so much because of their body size. And because of the obvious fact that a horse can't tell you what he needs, as their people we have to be responsible for them and what they need.
The first and most important thing to do is the actual cool down. After you've ridden your horse for a while and he's probably pretty hot, walk him. For instance, I always walk my horses home. If your main goal is to cool him off, don't even trot him home. The longer you walk, the cooler (and happier) he will be.
Once you get him home and you unsaddle him, give him a good currying off or a rub down. (It's called "currying" because of the use of a comb that's called a curry comb.) Even if you just comb through his hair, it gives his hair a little mroe of a chance to air out, and enables him to cool down faster than if you just turn him out immediately.
Another good tip is that if your horse is hot, limit the amount that he drinks. Cool him down first if he really needs to drink a lot of water. This is of utmost importance for his health. Again, it's basically the same idea as us when we're hot--you shouldn't drink a whole lot of cold water when you're that hot.
So remember these cool down basics when you're out there enjoying the hot summer!
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