Real blanket into a cooler? ie: Wool blankets ... how do you pin them?

[eightpondfarm]

My dad had a couple of nice old wool tartan plaid big bed blankets. I don’t really want to use them on OUR bed, and they’re just taking up space in the cupboard. Was wondering if i could turn them into coolers? Anyone know how to pin one? king size ish…90x90 so would i just pin at neck and chest? I tried googling but got nada…

plan is to use as a cooler after dressage lesson and walk them around a while before loading back up to travel home. They are not that thick, he used to use both together…

i suppose i could take them to a seamstress but i know i’ll never get around to it…

[lenapesadie]

Back in the dark ages, we used square coolers. Big rectangles of felted wool. We used alligator clips to hold them in place at chest and under the neck. Some had a tail cord. Sometimes we would toss a surcingle over them to keep the cooler in place if it was windy, the horse was likely to play at being a kite or if leaving the horse in cross ties or stall.

Clips like these

https://www.equestriancollections.com/horse-blankets-sheets-coolers/horse-blankets/horse-blanket-accessories/horze-4quot-blanket-clip?sku=203-105898&gclid=Cj0KCQiAw9qOBhC-ARIsAG-rdn4M5IktvbY8i_SxpBSMq-LI855iLEyzJLriaLz7fdSgHYsiq7ooj7EaAhWmEALw_wcB

[Huntin_Pony]

If you are handy or have a friend that sews, you can duplicate the fasteners on an old cooler very simply. Put a tail strap on the rear by sewing a narrow piece of nylon tape to each edge at a level above the gaskins. Put two nylon ties on each side of the front above the neck/chest junction and another pair mid-chest. My old wool cooler has a strap to keep the blanket at the ears (crossing the forehead) too, but I don’t remember using it often and your blankets may be too small for that, depending on the size of your horse!

[Simkie]

This page has a pic on how to use a wool blanket as a liner under another blanket:

Newmarket Horse Blanket Wool - Yellow Stripes

I know I’ve seen a page that has pics of doing up a horse in a Witney as a cooler…still looking for that…

[Equibrit]

Lots of doodads here;

https://www.horseloverz.com/horse-blankets-sheets-coolers/horse-blankets/horse-blanket-accessories

[eightpondfarm]

wow you guys…THANKS!!

[Equibrit]

You will probably get a lot of confusion when using google because of the terms used in US vs UK.

In UK blanket is usually wool and can go under a rug for extra warmth for the clipped horse.
It can also be used over a mesh cooler to dry the horse.

How to use a blanket under a rug;

Place the blanket over your horse well forward so the neck is covered. Fold up the front corners of the blanket to the withers so you have a triangle left on each side of the neck and a point towards the ears. Place your top rug over it in the normal place. Do up your rug at the front and then fold the point of the blanket backwards over the horses back. Set it all comfortable then place a roller over the blanket which was folded back. Do this up - Voila

[frugalannie]

Huntin_Pony I remember using those! I used to be involved with an intercollegiate polo program. We’re talking 40 plus years ago. There were no coolers purchased as such. Instead they used olive drab Army surplus blankets that were dirt cheap, but heavy, good wool. Everyone would help hand sewing wide strips of cotton bias tape on as ties on the “front” edge. Not pretty but very useful!

[eightpondfarm]

@Equibrit

Set it all comfortable then place a roller

a roller? what is that?

[Equibrit]

Sort of surcingle.

[eightpondfarm]

…ahhh. Thanks

[Scribbler]

As a kid I used an acrylic bed blanket under a cotton canvas horse sheet with front and belly straps as a stable blanket in winter. There was no waterproof horse wear in our world then. And human waterproof gear was pretty primitive too!

[eightpondfarm]

i grew up with Bakerblankets. (never used one on any horse of my own, but have put them on for friends)

I’ve been looking at a pair of my dad’s suspenders. I THINK??? i could make it work. Cut off the fabric part and insert velcro instead. The bitey thingies could be locked on semi-permanently. These were the toolbelt kind of suspenders, so pretty heavyduty. Might work??

[Scribbler]

I was casually looking at good wool blankets in thrift stores but ended up scoring both purpose made wool and fleece horse coolers second hand or giveaway. I love wool if the horse is cool and wet, it provides its own heat. Fleece is fine if the horse is steamy.

[eightpondfarm]

being a shepherd i’m totally into wool.

[lenapesadie]

I keep threatening to skin some of Mom’s lambs for saddle pads. Think she’d skin me first lol

[eightpondfarm]

OH…no need to! I have felted fleeces! All Icelandics and shetlands will naturally felt on the animal if you don’t fall shear. They shed. But a lot of them don’t shed-out, but rather the new hairs grab onto the old ones and the result is the thickest, feltiest shaggyiest sheep wool!

There is a woman who makes these sheep rugs and she comes and buys all my felted fleeces every spring. I always keep a few for: dog beds. Truck seats. tractor seats and saddle pads.

[lenapesadie]

I have an Icelandic fleece in my craft closet. At one point I thought washing, combing and spinning it would be fun. Maybe I can felt the thing.

Mom has Gulf Coast sheep they have to be sheared so I suppose I could try felting a fleece, but it’s more fun to tease her about skinning lambs.

[eightpondfarm]

here is how they can look

[mht]

@Equibrit. One of my racehorse trainers is Irish, and this is exactly how he does it.