We've been having rain lately and it's been a little chilly, getting to about 40F as the low. I noticed this morning while feeding that the horses were shaking. I took my sweat scraper and took as much water off as a good and gave them some hay which seemed to help them and they didn't shake as much. I've heard about coolers but was unsure whether I should buy one.
This won't be the last cool rain we have here so I have some questions. When they are wet and cold, should I...
1) Just take as much water off as possible and keep them at the barn?
2) Do the above and dry off with towels?
3) Throw my medium weight blanket on them one at a time for a little bit?
4) Buy 1-2 coolers?
If I bought a fleece cooler, could I also use that during the summer after a workout when they're really sweaty? If so, I would probably be more inclined to buy one since I can use it year round. Thanks!!
If they are wet and cold yes immediately get them inside and get as much of the water off as possible. After that you can throw an Irish knit or a fleece cooler on to help wick the moisture away while keeping them warm. Many coolers do not have belly straps since they are most often used before or after riding so you shouldn't leave them on completely unsupervised.
We dont use coolers in the summer. Coolers are used to keep your horse warm before riding and to keep them warm after you finish in the winter, they also help wick away any moisture from sweat while keeping your horse from getting chilled. If your horses are sweaty in the summer bathe them, putting a cooler on will just make them hot. You could try a mesh scrim for the summer but we mostly use those to keep them dust-free while waiting at the show ring.
It sounds like what you need isn't a cooler but a proper rain sheet for each horse. Even an unfilled rain sheet that will just keep them dry will help keep them much more warm and comfortable.
Cooler might help dry them off once you get them inside, but you'd he better off getting some rain sheets to keep them from getting wet in the first place.
^^^^ I agree you are definitely better off spending the money and buying decent rain sheets. The only time we use coolers is at competitions or after a serious workout just so they cool down properly and don't get sick.
:runningborwnhorse::runningborwnhorse:
Ok, there is a difference between rain sheets and waterproof sheets...
I was raised that you used a rain sheet to cover a horse who was needing protection from the weather at a horse show. The ones I have are shaped and cover from poll to tail. There are cloth ties at the neck & chest area, a tail-cord and length to cover your tack including stirrups.
These also come as a large square that have more "billowing" ability.
A turnout sheet is also rain proof or water resistant in nature. Looks like a sheet, is a sheet and can keep a body dry, warm because it isn't soaked to the skin...they can have a neck cover added on some styles for more coverage. Chest, belly, leg and covered tail piece...
Turnout sheets can be used for the horse outdoors in turnout, or in a stall setting.... {a stable sheet is not waterproof or resistant nor do they normally have leg straps for added securing}
Coolers used to "dry" a horse...:-?
I would use what is known to me as a anti-sweat sheet in a cotton waffle weave pattern & material {aka Irish knit} or a wool material cooler and forget the acrylic material as once wet and damp it stays that way. Wet or damp acrylic is clingy and defeats the purpose of "drying" the coat...cold, damp and soggy yuck!
I much prefer a wool fitted cooler to dry and warm a chilled horse from sweat or cold rain.
A wool cooler placed under a rain sheet to dry a chilled horse will dry and be comfortable while drying to the skin.
One thing I can say I found, is unless caught in downpours of rain or extended periods of inclement weather many times a horse although looking wet to the skin is not.
Horses are able to insulate a small amount of coat and lift it off their skin keeping dry.
Using that sweat scraper just compressed the coat to the skin...now wet to the skin.
The shivering action is warming the horse helping to dry it... So use that scraper carefully...:-|
Best scenario though is to prevent the horse from getting wet in the first place if you can.. just my thoughts on the matter you faced...
:runninghorse2:.....
If you can only buy one article of clothing for your horse I would purchase good quality turnout sheets. One for each horse...
They are what they are...sheets made to weather the elements.
You can use them by themself or layer under or over another sheet or blanket to meet the needs of the horses current environment.
:runninghorse2:
No, don't put a cooler on a horse in the rain. It'll just get soaked and then the horse will be really wet and stay that way. Do they have shelter so they can get out of the rain? If they don't, that's a problem. You need a rain sheet or waterproof turnout sheet.
Some horses can take more cold/wet than others, but most horses will get cold if they're wet in chilly weather. A cold rain is worse than snow, which actually just sits on their backs and provides an insulating layer. My horses have access to shelter, but I will blanket one of them using either a waterproof turnout sheet or a water-resistant winter blanket depending on how cold it is - he's older and is more sensitive to cold. I rarely blanket my mare, but she can stand under shelter to get out of the elements and I have never seen her shiver even a little bit. She has a coat like a grizzly.
So my advice is to get a rain sheet. The cooler is a great way to layer or cool down a hot horse in chilly weather, but not for keeping a horse dry. Think of it as an investment - I have an 18 year old Arab who got pneumonia 8 years ago and still coughs when he gets cold. Cheaper to buy a blanket/waterproof turnout sheet than have to call the vet!
I meant using a cooler to dry them off after they've been wet, not out in turnout. I'm not sure whether they really need a rain sheet now or what. Yes, they have shelter but majority of the time choose to stay outside >.> I was reading in different places across the Internet that shivering is actually them warming themselves. So should I not really worry about it?
Yes, they shiver to keep warm when they get so cold that their body can no longer keep up with what is being asked of it. In other words, by the time they are shivering, you've gone past what they can take. Also, they are burning a lot of extra calories just to stay warm (a lot of people who keep horses outside in very cold weather just feed extra hay, but again, if the horse is soaked to the bone, even the extra hay may not be enough). Shivering is a last resort. The occasional shiver is probably ok, but not if you're seeing it on a regular basis. If I see a horse shiver, I take action immediately.
I have, on occasion, thrown my horse's fleece cooler on him after he's gotten wet and chilled, and brought him in to dry. However, I don't leave it on him very long. The fleece absorbs some of the moisture, so it's not effective at really drying your horse off, only sucking up some of the water. However, you can certainly put it on for a bit, then take it off, as long as the horse is inside and has warmed up.
If you get a fleece cooler AND a rainsheet (or waterproof turnout sheet), you can layer them. Better to let them get outside to exercise with a waterproof sheet on than keep them inside every time it rains.
Shivering is them warming themselves, just like how people shiver. But that means they are already too cold.
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