[azhorseluvr1222]

Hey everyone I feel rather stupid asking this but here goes, how do I go about using a cooler or a fleece sheet( are they the same thing). My FIL seems to think it will just keep him wet and make him cold but I have never seen anyone use them around here including him. I know they are supposed to cool and wick sweat away but also keep them warm? Or are there multiple uses? I ask because I will be working a lot more (the weather is starting to cool now : ) )with my horse now and as of now after a workout I hose him down and let him air dry, since its still pretty hot here and even the nights are warm. But winter does get a bit chilly even for us desert dwellers, so thats when I got interested in the fleece sheets/coolers. Do I just put it on after a workout to cool him down, and how does it keep him from catching a chill,does it dry as fast as it wicks away the sweat? Thanks

 

[My Beau]

Yup, coolers go on after workouts in the winter. They do keep the horse warm by not letting the air cooling the moisture in his coat, which would give him a chill. At the same time, coolers do wick moisture away from the horse. I'll throw one on Beau and a few minutes later the fleece will be wet to the touch on the outside.

I keep 2 or 3 coolers handy and switch them as needed (if it was a hard workout, we'll use all 3) until he is dry.

Pair this with towel drying and your horse will be warm and dry

 

[azhorseluvr1222]

Yup, coolers go on after workouts in the winter. They do keep the horse warm by not letting the air cooling the moisture in his coat, which would give him a chill. At the same time, coolers do wick moisture away from the horse. I'll throw one on Beau and a few minutes later the fleece will be wet to the touch on the outside.

I keep 2 or 3 coolers handy and switch them as needed (if it was a hard workout, we'll use all 3) until he is dry.

Pair this with towel drying and your horse will be warm and dry

Thank you, thats exactly what I wanted to know : )

 

[MyBoyPuck]

I used to use fleece but found last winter that wool coolers seem to dry the horse faster.

 

[MicKey73]

I second the wool cooler. Last winter was pretty cold for us here and I didn't body clip ****, so he really needed the cooler.

 

[VelvetsAB]

Coolers are normally made out of wool, and are heavier then a fleece sheet.

I use a fleece sheet while warming up (as the lesson horses are clipped) until we start trotting around.

I use a wool cooler at the end, until the horse is not hot anymore.