I love the Thermatex but really really hate it if they roll in it!
Mind you, having to hang-dry wool isn’t that fun either.
So I either use my favourites and try to keep them occupied by feeding hay or tying them up, or I use my crappy fleece one and just wash & dry it.
[QUOTE=Trinity;7424553]
Wool all the way. I have a couple fleece coolers that I don’t mind, but it’s not easy to find one that doesn’t stretch - most stretch a ridiculous amount, pulling at the shoulders and slipping behind the withers. Augh! HATE that.
If you want a quality ‘system,’ invest is an Irish knit as well and layer it under the wool. Warm, keeps moisture off them and they dry off the fastest. I love the Triple Crown Irish knit, but can’t afford the wool cooler. I have a bunch of these, instead, and they’re quite nice (Greenhawk is local to me and these coolers go on sale frequently, but they do ship): http://greenhawk.com/wdItemDesc.asp?strilhID=Web&strmdNumber=BLC0027&stricSKU=BLC0027[/QUOTE]
I agree with this, Irish knit underneath wool cooler works best for me too.
I have the heavy wool (I forget the maker) dark yellow with the red and black Newmarket stripes - both square and shaped - and love them. They look great, last forever.
We even have one on our bed - best blanket ever.
I love the Thermatex, but don’t love how it stretches.
I do really like the Rambo Newmarket fleece coolers, more as a blanket liner though than as a cooler. I use them to layer underneath the TO blankets for extra coziness.
Of course they look good too.
Fred (aka Mr Dressup) wearing his Rambo underwear.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151872488232400&set=a.121353542399.111618.119405697399&type=1&theater
I have both.
Very nice wool - circa 1989 - that was sadly shrunk by a professional cleaning service. Still usable, but causes Plumber’s Butt in all but the 12h pony.
I’ve machine-washed it in cold water on Delicate setting then hung to dry.
Kind of a PITA to care for. AND it still generates such bad static in cold weather that you can see the sparks.
Fleece one from Valley Vet is at least 15yo and still in great shape despite annual machine washing.
It has not stretched at all & is a weight equal to the wool.
Can’t say I’ve noticed any worse static with the fleece than the wool.
Both do a great job of wicking moisture from a sweaty horse.
For ease of care I’d pick fleece any day.
I love this. The cordura keeps the shavings off and the wool/acrylic blend is great http://www.thermatex.co.uk/thermatex/Cordura_Covered_Quilted_Stable_Rug__.html. Their summer weight one is also great and is washable, but holds up much better than fleece http://www.thermatex.co.uk/thermatex/Multi-Purpose_Summer_Weight_Wicking_Horse_Rug__.html. I also love the Mark Todd one http://www.rideaway.co.uk/mark-todd-coolex-cooler and the Masta waffle weave http://www.rideaway.co.uk/masta-soft-waffle-weave. In the modern era, there are many options beyond wool and fleece.
Fleece. When cooling out you are obviously walking them, and I’ve found fleece to be much easier on their shoulders, no rubs. Fleece is more “fitting”, it doesn’t just sit on them. You can wash it.
I guess I don’t worry too much about washing. I rarely leave Toby unattended in his woolie (like Fred, it’s an old school Newmarket striped rug. Very thick and heavy). Occasionally I’ll use it as “underwear” for really cold temps, but mostly he wears it while I’m grooming him or he’s cooking in his massage pad. And he’ll wear it after a ride if I’m fussing with him in the cross ties (normally, he’d wear it because he’s sweaty and needs to dry off, but since we’re most just walking and doing very light trot and a wee bit of canter, and it’s COLD, we’re not breaking a sweat!). He wears it in the trailer for cold weather shipping, too.
I also will layer an antisweat under it if he’s had a bath. Yes. Occasionally, he gets stuck in his stall to dry or hang out and will have a roll, but shavings brush off the wool easier than fleece. It just doesn’t get that dirty the way I use it. I might wash it once a year. This year I may have the blanket lady clean it for me, as it does need a minor repair.
I do love the Thermatex, though. Yummy stuff. I have a Smartpak knock off. I think they call it Thermo Manager. It isn’t nearly as heavy as a true Thermatex, but it is nice and wicks like crazy.
I don’t typically use walking coolers since I clip and they are never so hot they need a walk to cool out (like a race horse would). I did have the Dover one when we were swimming horses a couple of times a week one winter, and it was quite nice for the price. I usually put an antisweat under it, and a wool or fleece over it for the trailer ride home. They were always toasty and dry by the time we unloaded.
[QUOTE=TimelyImpulse;7424630]
Thermatex.
http://www.thermatex.co.uk/thermatex/Thermatex_Multi-Purpose_Cooler_Rugs.html
Best of both worlds, and really last. Also machine washable. I got mine off of www.tackoftheday.com years ago for $99 and found another one at Horse Country on 5th in Warrenton, VA for $119. They run big.[/QUOTE]
They are hands down the best. I order them from the UK. They are my go to when it is colder and for shows. They are warm without being heavy.
I have an assortment of coolers—kind of like shoes for me, I never seem to have enough (and don’t get me started on quarter sheets!!!). For a lighter weight cooler, I recently got one of these and have been pleased. http://www.doversaddlery.com/amigo-mio-fleece-sheet/p/X1-24741/?ids=qrxdmr55mvqtruuxbgtobuj3
We tyically layer it over top one of these http://www.doversaddlery.com/rider’s-international-fleece-cooler/p/X1-24030/?ids=qrxdmr55mvqtruuxbgtobuj3 I LOVE these. Cheaper but hold up, and cover the neck. But with no straps, I put something else on top if we are leaving them in the stall. Fits a lot of horses, easy to clean and really wicks the moisture away from them.
I have a couple of Masta ones that I LOVE and have never been able to find again. They are perfect for the trailers when it is too warm for the Thermatex but too cold to have them naked.
Given the advances in textiles…I’d never buy wool. Too heavy and hard to clean.
I haven’t used Thermatex but I have both wool and fleece and I only use the wool one when it is really cold - like 40 or less. I find they overheat if it’s warmer than that, but it is probably all about what you/they are accustomed to.
If you have a smaller horse you can easily make your own fleece one by sewing blanket binding around the edges of a piece of fleece fabric - unfolded, the 60" width is just right for a cooler. Trim the neck and add a clasp.
It depends! What have you liked previously? Do you want one that can be left on for a bit and is safe if the horse rolls (that means good closures, belly straps and tail too). One that is easy to wash? One that doesn’t have static electricity? How wet, damp, dry, cold is your area?
Quality matters too - I have seen cheap wool and fleece and despise either. Cheaper wool shrinks and can pill. Cheaper fleeces stretch and pill too.
Choose care preferences - machine washable? Nicer wool may be okay to wash, fleece is definitely washable. But wool often requires more careful care.
Pick dark colors. I bought a sale black fleece Rambo with belly straps because I often leave the fleece on with the horse in the stall - black hides everything but shavings. I love, love love the Rambo Newmarket heavy weight - but it shows any dirt (white stripes or yellow) if the horse rolls. The Newmarkets don’t gather as much shavings as cheaper fleece. Fleece is my preference because it’s easy to wash in a commercial front loader.
LOL. And all this is EXACTLY why I’ve been undecided!
Pony is not a blanket eater and fits Rambo products well. My old ugly cooler is a cheap centaur wool one in virulent royal blue and bright purple plaid :eek: It’s actually held up well, it’s just hideous and starting to show its age. I have a Rambo Newmarket quarter sheet, and we do sometimes get static from it. I send everything out to the blanket service to wash - I’ll do saddle pads at home, but that’s it.
I do want something that does up (as opposed to a big square). I have an old big square kicking around, but it rarely gets cold enough here to need it 
I’m intrigued by the idea of an Irish knit lined wool cooler. Where would one find such a thing??
http://www.sstack.com/product/dura-tech-irish-knit-layered-wool-cooler/ if you want the looser cooler version
If you want to go higher end, there is an option here: http://www.integritylinens.com/shop/wool-dress-sheet/
[QUOTE=Ibex;7425531]
I’m intrigued by the idea of an Irish knit lined wool cooler. Where would one find such a thing??[/QUOTE]
Cotton absorbs and holds moisture. Fleece and wool wick it to the outside of the fabric to evaporate away while keeping a warm airspace against the horse. Putting cotton underneath sort of defeats the purpose.
That being said, sometimes after a bath I’ll start with a knit underneath a cooler and pull the knit off after a few minutes when it has absorbed some of the water, but I wouldn’t want one permanently attached to the cooler. It will quickly become wet and cold and clammy and just hold the water against the horse.
http://www.horze.com/coolers%2Fanti-sweats/horze-royal-equus-full-neck-fleece-rug/24365.html
I think it looks really nice on. But I will agree it doesn’t wick as well as my wool ones.
I have both. There is nothing nicer than a good quality, luxurious wool, but I dry clean mine, that’s the only disadvantage IMO. Its so nice and absorbent, and warm. I love my Eskadron fleece cooler too, you have to make sure to get a good quality and fairly heavy, otherwise it blows all around. Even with the Eskadron, which was not cheap, I ended up adding a surcingle, the tail cord wasn’t enough to keep it in place when it was windy. As someone already mentioned, some horses are very sensitive to the static that fleece creates, and it does pick up shavings and stuff, which is annoying.
[QUOTE=Ibex;7425531]
I’m intrigued by the idea of an Irish knit lined wool cooler. Where would one find such a thing??[/QUOTE]
The Clothes Horse, they do everything first class, beautiful fabrics, every option imaginable, and fantastic customer service. You can contact VirginiaBred on the H/J forum, she works for them. They also have Integrity products, as already mentioned by scubed. Integrity coolers are stunning.
[QUOTE=scubed;7425046]
I love this. The cordura keeps the shavings off and the wool/acrylic blend is great http://www.thermatex.co.uk/thermatex/Cordura_Covered_Quilted_Stable_Rug__.html. Their summer weight one is also great and is washable, but holds up much better than fleece http://www.thermatex.co.uk/thermatex/Multi-Purpose_Summer_Weight_Wicking_Horse_Rug__.html. I also love the Mark Todd one http://www.rideaway.co.uk/mark-todd-coolex-cooler and the Masta waffle weave http://www.rideaway.co.uk/masta-soft-waffle-weave. In the modern era, there are many options beyond wool and fleece.[/QUOTE]
This is the thermatex I have http://www.thermatex.co.uk/thermatex/Thermatex_Multi-Purpose_Cooler_Rugs.html
I have some ancient thermatex stable blankets that I still love.
I didn’t know that Masta made a cooler, love their turnout blankets!
Thanks for the link.
[QUOTE=BAC;7425855]
The Clothes Horse, they do everything first class, beautiful fabrics, every option imaginable, and fantastic customer service. You can contact VirginiaBred on the H/J forum, she works for them. They also have Integrity products, as already mentioned by scubed. Integrity coolers are stunning.[/QUOTE]
Agree with this, The Clothes Horse makes beautiful blankets, beautifully made.
I have a couple of stable blankets and coolers (wool) from them, and recommend them highly. Love VB as well. :yes:
They are on FB as well.
Thank you BAC & Fred!!! <3 <3 <3
I do work for The Clothes Horse and can highly recommend you give Katrina a call B 829-8460.
[/B]She can discuss all fabrics and weights with you and more importantly, send you swatches of any materials you want!
You will be thrilled with your cooler, I promise!!!:yes:
Just to be a contrarian…
Don’t put a blanket of any kind on a hot horse regardless of whether they happen to be wet or not and regardless of the ambient temperature.
We learned this in the same scientific study that was done before the Atlanta Olympics that studied how horses handle elevated body temperature and what were the best ways to lower that body temperature. Simply, there is no negative effect and only positives on making every effort to get a horse’s body temperature back to normal as quickly as possible.
Putting a wool or fleece blanket on a hot horse slows the cooling process. WAIT to cover them until they are cooled out. THEN when you have a wet horse with a normal body temperature in cold air throw something on them. It takes careful monitoring to identify at what point the horses’ body temps have returned to normal.
On cool days I like fleece on a a cooled out wet horse. On really cold days I like a a wicking layer (Irish knit or even fleece) under a regular blanket of appropriate thickness for the current temp.
I admit to being a traditionalist, but I don’t think that’s any reason to ignore science, modern fabrics or current cost of dry cleaninig.
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