Types of horse coolers – wool, fleece, and Irish knit.
Horse coolers are the most versatile blanket you can use on your horse, and there are many types of horse coolers. Pick the one that best for your horse and the season.
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Uses for horse coolers
- Coolers are great to use as you strip blankets and start grooming/tacking up in the winter. They can keep your horse warm in the crossties so that he doesn’t have to go from snuggly to naked to chilled. Drape a cooler over your horse standing securely in the cross ties, you can fold over sections, groom, and put the cooler over that section again.
- Coolers are great to keep YOU warm as you hang out in the crosstie area. Inevitably, there is a certain amount of “hurry up and wait” in the grooming way of life, and when it’s wicked cold, you can use a cooler during those “wait” sections. They are also good for wrapping around your legs if you are ringside with the video camera.
Coolers come in all shapes and sizes – I love this Wiksmart with the neckpiece and belly cover.
- After a workout, coolers are ideal to toss on your freshly exercised horse. They will start to wick away any moisture immediately, and help your horse return to a normal body temperature slowly and safely as he dries. This way he won’t go from sweaty and warm to wet and cold. He can just go back to his normal temperature.
- Coolers make excellent drying assistants if you use the hot toweling method of grooming in the winter. This grooming technique uses hot and wet towels to clean sections of your horse at a time. After a thorough scrubbing, the hair will still be wet, and a cooler will help dry the area and prevent it from getting cold.
Do you need a cooler?
- Some of you may wonder if a cooler is even necessary, and it may not be in your climate. Think of it this way – would you want to exercise, sweat, and then stop moving to be stuck in the cold while you are damp? Probably not.
This wool cooler likes to steal Miguel’s hair. But wool is the best fabric for wicking away moisture quickly but also loves to hang onto hair.
Types of horse coolers
Wool
- Wool coolers are the gold standard in wicking properties. If you have a horse with a thick coat, wool coolers may be best for you. They do tend to collect hair, so make sure your horse is thoroughly groomed and brushed before use.
- It’s somewhat easy to clean a wool cooler and a pain in the butt. They can’t go into a washing machine, so you will be doing it by hand. Learn how to clean your wool coolers here.
Fleece
- Fleece coolers are versatile and come in a zillion colors and thicknesses. Most are totally fine in the washer and dryer. They also tend to be a bit more affordable than the wool style of cooler.
Irish Knits
- Knit coolers, or Irish knits as they are sometimes called, are ideal for warmer temps, their weave is very open, and the cotton doesn’t wick away the moisture as well. They sort of just soak up the moisture.
- Irish knits are best used in warmer weather, or under a wool or fleece cooler. If you are layering them, remove the knit as soon as it gets damp. You could also use an Irish knit over a fleece or wool cooler if those don’t have straps and you need to secure everything.
The airy Irish Knit! I don’t use this style in the winter.
Safety tips for using coolers
- Play it safe when using coolers. It’s all too easy to cut corners and have your horse in a tangled mess of cooler. Please use a cooler with a sensible chest closure and leg/belly straps for safety if you use one when your horse is loose in a stall or paddock.
This wool cooler has a hidden belly strap (sewn to the inside) and a strap under the tail.
- When using a cooler to dry your horse after exercise, you will notice that the moisture may form little beads outside the cooler. Monitor the underside of the cooler to make sure it’s not saturated and in need of changing.
- You may want to use a thinner style, or fold up a cooler to only cover some sweaty parts, depending on the temperature. Quarter sheets over major muscle grooms as you ride, and are helpful for warm-up and cool-down.
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This sheepskin care liquid is great for horse products and sheepskin horse accessories.
This is SO SATISFYING to shrink up your seasonal horse blankets and gear.
Plus you can keep dust and rodents out of your horse's blankets while saving space.
A classic pattern in a modern colorway. And it's so thick!
Soak up all the sweat and water with this Irish Knit, best for warm weather use.
Irish knits are the best wicking coolers for warmer weather.
Square coolers are traditional and versatile, and wick more than a fleece cooler.
This style is great for riding!
Keep your horse dry and visible with this reflective quarter sheet.
This heavyweight turnout blanket gets even warmer with the neck.
Sweet itch is best battled by not letting those annoying midges bite your horse.
For horses with sweet itch and other insect allergies, more coverage is better.
This turnout sheet doesn't have fill, and is great for windy and rainy days.
This affordable heavy blanket will keep your horse warm in the worst weather and cold snap.
Be seen from space with this hi-viz quarter sheet. Keep your horse's bum safe and dry.
Keep your horse dry and spiffy with this cooler combo. Love the neck for fast drying.
Keep your horse dry during bad weather, this rain sheet is also great for windy days.
These fly masks are fantastic for protecting ears and eyes, and do great under halters and grazing muzzles to stop rubs and hairless patches.
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