The unclipped horse. I’m giving the natural coat a shot this year (well, I did cave and do a bib clip).
My collection is the basic “old fashioned” setup: the large- hole, fishnet-style anti-sweat sheet; a heavy fleece cooler (mice ate my big, square wool cooler…boo hiss); lighter weight fleece coolers; and a too-small Baker Irish knit.
It’s 2020. Any newer, updated coolers or cooler systems that are fabulous at drying a sweaty, long-haired coat? Bonus points for a surcingle…
Thanks!
What sort of temperature are you dealing with in your riding area, your barn area, and your general climate?
I’ve had various barn temperatures in the different places I’ve boarded and found the cooler needs changed.
If it’s cold enough the sweat steamed through the horse’s coat and condensed on the tips of the hair. In this case putting a fleece cooler on immediately after coming back to walk for the last time allowed the sweat steam to condense on the cooler rather than the horse. Walking until there was no more steam coming off the horse before going back to the barn generally meant the horse was cool and dried relatively quickly.
I have found that if the barn is too warm the horse can break a second sweat under a fleece cooler which makes drying off take even longer. I have used a wool quarter sheet over back and quarters as a post ride cooler, and I have a very thin wicking cooler (wicking Coolmax type material in a light mesh sheet - really light mesh) which I used in warmer barns.
The fastest dry time I’ve ever managed was with an old comforter in a very cold barn. I think this used the steam through and condense on the outside effect. This does need colder temps to work.
I love my Radon fitted wool cooler… but I purchased the wikicooler a couple of years ago and its wicks wonderfully and if it fit my pony better would definitely be my go-to… just too big for him in the smallest size. Would fit a 14 -15 hand horse beautifully in small.
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/wiksmart-cooler-13205
http://radoninc.com/pricing/default.aspx
I have a thermatex someone will have to pry out of my cold dead hands. It’s my favorite!! It’s the first cooler I’ve seen/found where you can actually see the moisture wicking to the top. You can take your hand across it and slide it off. It never seemingly gets saturated because it’s alway wicking the moisture to the top. I have a thermatex vest for fox hunting in winter and it’s the same—it keeps me warm but I never feel sweaty because it’s wicking so well.
I also have a Thermatex that I love. My second favorite to that is the LeMieux Thermo-Cool.
I also keep a Rambo Newmarket fleece cooler around because it’s nice and thick.
In warmer weather, the Rambo Airmax does a good job.
I use fleece if the horse is hot, but wool will dry off a horse that is cold and wet better than fleece (and also works on a hot horse). Wool provides more warmth. I find both my fleece and wool coolers bead up wet on the outside.
I have an old wool blanket I picked up from a second hand store over 30 years ago. Probably some Army-surplus kind of thing. It’s just the right size to throw on a horse. It wicks and beads up on the outside. If I need it to stay put I put one of those mesh-type coolers over it. I know that’s not new or fancy but it’s the best I’ve got, and I do have newer ones.
The Rambo Dry Rug is a miracle worker.
@ndirish07 and @joiedevie99 – did you ship the thermatex in from the UK? When I lived over there I LOVED their products but stupidly didn’t bring anything home with me when we moved back to the states (sold everything). Now I really regret it! Is there a US retailer you’ve found??
@EventingMaff There used to be dealers here, but I don’t believe there are anymore. I bought my cooler here about 20 years ago. My quarter sheet and exercise sheet were shipped here.
Thanks! I actually just (15 minutes ago) bought myself a cooler on ebay that was being sold new with tags over here in the US and was in my mare’s size! There were only 3 thermatex coolers on all of US Ebay and one happened to be perfect for my mare. It has to be fate and can’t walk away from that!! :D:D
@EventingMaff I actually bought mine off a friend, but she ordered it from the UK. I was going to suggest setting up an alert in ebay, but it looks like you’ve found one.
Would someone that has tried the original or supreme Rambo Dry Rug share their thoughts on sizing and if it is worth the purchase? I have been seriously eyeing them for a while but am not sure which one performs the best. I heard the original microfiber one can be ruined if shavings get on it. Wondering if that is still true for the supreme?
I have a friend who swears by hers, but it is the original microfiber one. If it works as well as she says it does, I would totally buy one, OP!
@RedHorses I’m in the humid, coastal Mid-Atlantic, so it’s not terribly cold compared to Canada. We don’t have heated barns nor indoors, and there’s a lingering warm spell right now. I’m mostly interested in something for this time of year, when it’s still fairly warm, maybe a little cooler in the evening, but the winter coat is coming in strong.
I think I’m going to go for one of the coolers with the wicking fabric across the back/haunches and the netting on the sides. Full coverage is just too much at 65 degrees.
Thanks, everyone!
That sounds like the wicking cooler I mentioned. I like it a lot. Mine is a Weatherbeeta - I saw Horseware Ireland makes them too.
Do you have the fleece or microfibre towel version? How about static? I’m looking at this and just worried it will be static nightmare.
Thanks!
Martina
I gave up on a fleece cooler (or fleece ANYTHING) due to static. I found an older wool cooler that works well.
In fact, I try to not wear my fleece jackets because they cause such static here in Ocala in the winter.
I know, I hate the static!
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