[addy&tony]

I've recently purchased a cooling blanket for my 22 year old quarter horse. I want to know others opinions on using one in the winter.
He doesn't have a super long winter coat, but it's there. I don't ride him when it's super cold so around 32 degrees and up. Sometimes it's just a calm trail ride and sometimes we work a little harder, and he breaks a sweat.
I know it's harder for them to dry off with a winter coat which can be dangerous for their health so I was looking into cooling blankets and found some sites saying its fine to use one in the winter. But I've also had a friend tell me it's not safe. He doesn't stay in a heated barn, and isn't kept in a stall. He has the option 24/7 to be inside a dirt floor barn along with the choice to stay in a bedded stall or be outside. But I can close him into the barn.
I want to know if it's safe to use a cooling blanket in 25ish to 30ish degree weather, if my horse breaks a sweat from a ride.

 

[Jordyn0501]

I have a horse who has a medium long winter coat and he is 13 years old so I probably do work him harder than you do with you 22 year old. I do use cooling blanket, I have never had a negative affect from it personally, but before putting it on I always curry comb him so his fur isn’t patted down (not sure if that helps but something I do). I keep it on for around 15-20 minutes after a ride. Definitely is nice to use though in the summer because of how sweaty my horse gets.

 

[horselovinguy]

I think you are referring to coolers for chilly/cold and anti-sweat sheets for warm weather needs.
From large squares to fitted like a blanket and then some have neck closures for a full body coverage....

When I competed and showed, my horse had a fitted cooler or dress sheet it was also known as at that time to help his body cool down slower with no drafts to his back, chest, loin and he not only cooled he dried at the same time. His cooler had nylon lined shoulder panels to not rub his shoulder points raw/bald.
Took about an hour and my horse was temperature, heart & respiration lowered and now dry enough to remove the cooler and place his warm blanket on him and let him return to his stall to relax and eat his hay.
I had fitted coolers, like a blanket he wore with a leather buckle in front, surcingle under belly, hip ornament to shape to his body better and a tail cord.
Mine was wool....similar to the one below.

Today there are newer products on the market that whisk wet away helping to cool the body and slowly return the body to normal temperature from elevated of exercise. Slower cooling of muscles and also the warming up of them better controlled can help reduce chances of tying up and other issues horses heating/chilling their muscles to fast can do.
In very frigid temperatures I was also able to use my fitted cooler under a winter blanket for an extra layer of warmth added.

Be picky the material you use not get damp and clammy although no "draft" occur you can chill a horse when the apparel laying on his body is wet and makes him chilled and not dry...for that reason fleece is my least desirable used...
Some of the products human athletes wear in exercise are fantastic at whisking moisture and keeping a steady warm-up or cool-down take place without feeling wet and clammy....yuck.
Now our horses can benefit from what we use now in "their" apparel.
🐴... jmo...

 

[Acadianartist]

If you mean a fleece cooler like the one posted above by @horselovinguy, yes they should absolutely wear them in winter to prevent them from getting cold after a good workout. The idea is that they absorb the sweat so they shouldn't be left on for hours, but a half hour to an hour would be appropriate, then I swap out with a winter blanket if it's cold. A lot of people would use wool coolers for the same reason, but they are less popular these days.

Anything that wicks away moisture and prevents the horse from getting a chill from a sweat in the cold is absolutely essential. Ideally you would never put away a sweaty horse in winter, but if you must put him in his stall for a bit after cooldown, a fleece or wool cooler is a great idea - some hay to much on as well. Put away your tack, do a few chores, then check on your horse to see if he's nice and dry under the sheet, then turn out and replace with a winter blanket or nothing if the weather is mild enough. Movement after a ride is better than standing in a stall.

 

[addy&tony]

I think you are referring to coolers for chilly/cold and anti-sweat sheets for warm weather needs.
From large squares to fitted like a blanket and then some have neck closures for a full body coverage....

When I competed and showed, my horse had a fitted cooler or dress sheet it was also known as at that time to help his body cool down slower with no drafts to his back, chest, loin and he not only cooled he dried at the same time. His cooler had nylon lined shoulder panels to not rub his shoulder points raw/bald.
Took about an hour and my horse was temperature, heart & respiration lowered and now dry enough to remove the cooler and place his warm blanket on him and let him return to his stall to relax and eat his hay.
I had fitted coolers, like a blanket he wore with a leather buckle in front, surcingle under belly, hip ornament to shape to his body better and a tail cord.
Mine was wool....similar to the one below.
View attachment 1143633
Today there are newer products on the market that whisk wet away helping to cool the body and slowly return the body to normal temperature from elevated of exercise. Slower cooling of muscles and also the warming up of them better controlled can help reduce chances of tying up and other issues horses heating/chilling their muscles to fast can do.
In very frigid temperatures I was also able to use my fitted cooler under a winter blanket for an extra layer of warmth added.

Be picky the material you use not get damp and clammy although no "draft" occur you can chill a horse when the apparel laying on his body is wet and makes him chilled and not dry...for that reason fleece is my least desirable used...
Some of the products human athletes wear in exercise are fantastic at whisking moisture and keeping a steady warm-up or cool-down take place without feeling wet and clammy....yuck.
Now our horses can benefit from what we use now in "their" apparel.
🐴... jmo...

Thank you!! This defiantly helps.

 

[addy&tony]

I have a horse who has a medium long winter coat and he is 13 years old so I probably do work him harder than you do with you 22 year old. I do use cooling blanket, I have never had a negative affect from it personally, but before putting it on I always curry comb him so his fur isn’t patted down (not sure if that helps but something I do). I keep it on for around 15-20 minutes after a ride. Definitely is nice to use though in the summer because of how sweaty my horse gets.

Ok, thank you!!

 

[addy&tony]

If you mean a fleece cooler like the one posted above by @horselovinguy, yes they should absolutely wear them in winter to prevent them from getting cold after a good workout. The idea is that they absorb the sweat so they shouldn't be left on for hours, but a half hour to an hour would be appropriate, then I swap out with a winter blanket if it's cold. A lot of people would use wool coolers for the same reason, but they are less popular these days.

Anything that wicks away moisture and prevents the horse from getting a chill from a sweat in the cold is absolutely essential. Ideally you would never put away a sweaty horse in winter, but if you must put him in his stall for a bit after cooldown, a fleece or wool cooler is a great idea - some hay to much on as well. Put away your tack, do a few chores, then check on your horse to see if he's nice and dry under the sheet, then turn out and replace with a winter blanket or nothing if the weather is mild enough. Movement after a ride is better than standing in a stall.

Ok this is great to know, thanks so much!!

 

[dogpatch]

I've used Polar Fleece type coolers in the cold weather. I have one with an attached neck cover. I would put the cooler on, with a rain sheet over the top, and out they'd go. It was great, they dried right out and never got a chill.