Coolers for Cold Weather: How to Cool Your Horse Properly

A dark bay horse is standing in front of a barn wearing a black fleece cooler.

As the month of October ushers in lower temperatures, we horse owners and riders dig out the coolers we packed away last spring—or consider shopping for a fresh one! Coolers are a time-tested means of caring for our hot or sweaty horses properly after a workout in cool or brisk weather.

A cooler keeps a horse’s warm muscles and wet skin protected from uncomfortable chills that could otherwise cause muscle stiffness or overall make a horse susceptible to illness. Covered, the freshly worked muscles can recover gradually from exertion while the cooler wicks moisture away from the horse and helps hair and skin dry most efficiently. A cooler can also be helpful in warming and drying a horse after a bath or a rain shower when temperatures turn a bit brisk.

Commonly made of wool or synthetic fleece fabrics, coolers come at a variety of price points and in a variety of styles and colors from the most basic to those with prints, plaids, contrast trims, embroidery, or brand decorations. Some models feature advanced technical fabrics to increase efficiency and provide rapid cooling—perfect for riders on a tight timeline. A simple cooler can become an amazing one when you add your own personal monogram with your horse’s name, stable name, or your initials.

A bay horse is shown wearing a black American style cooler with blue trim.

The original American Cooler style is a large rectangular piece of wool with colored bindings and that may have ties at the neck or brow and tail straps. This type of cooler drapes over the horse entirely, from jawline to tail. American style coolers can still be seen today, usually as a treasured vintage item prized by its owner for ease of use and efficiency. It should be worn by a horse that is being walked, handled or very closely monitored, as it can slide and entangle a stabled horse if it rolls in the cooler.  

A horse is standing in front of barn doors wearing a black and blue fleece plaid cooler.

Most commonly, coolers today are more fitted styles cut like a stable sheet, leaving the neck exposed. Others fit right up the neck to the jawline and secure along the under-neck with hook-and-loop fastenings. This type of cooler can be left on a horse that is stalled and unattended if it secures at the front, belly and has a tail cord. A fitted cooler can also be used in cold weather as a base layer under a blanket.

Remove & Replace

Just as important as getting a cooler onto a horse promptly is removing it promptly when you see a dew-like coating formed along the top surface of the cooler. A saturated cooler can no longer wick moisture and prevent drafts. Sometimes, a very wet or sweaty horse will require one or two changes of coolers during the cooling and drying process, so it is always good to have an extra, dry cooler on hand.

 


Browse our entire selection of horse coolers and anti-sweat sheets here.

Do you have a favorite cooler? Share your photos with us on Instagram and Facebook by tagging @doversaddlery!

Body Protectors & Inflatable Vests: Beyond the Cross-Country Course

Horse and rider are jumping over a cross country jump. The view is looking up towards the sky from below the horse and rider.

Three-day event riders on cross-country courses have long enjoyed the added coverage and confidence provided by the two main types of riding vests on the market today: traditional body protector vests and inflatable vests. At competitions, a protective vest is required to be worn in warmup for and during the cross-country test at any level. An inflatable vest is permitted in competition when worn over the traditional protective vest.

While neither of these vests is required to be worn during everyday riding in any discipline, we’ve witnessed an uptick in riders across equestrian sports choosing to wear one for added safety. We’re seeing these products in schooling rings, at the highest levels of showjumping competition, in the hunter ring and during dressage competitions—no USEF rule prohibits their use in front of a judge. Often these vests are used while working with young or fractious horses, during rider injury rehabilitation, and even on trail rides. The extra protection offered by this equipment has proven to be an asset. Some parents choose to have their children wear a body protector during regular lessons.

Body Protector Vest

Green eventing body protector vest

This type relies on foam to help dissipate shock and lessen severity of injuries in the event of a fall.  It is designed to protect the rider’s abdomen, internal organs, chest and ribs, and it offers a degree of protection against potentially dangerous objects while riding. These vests flex with the rider and allow for full mobility in various riding positions.

Outer fabrics are durable and give riders a chance to express personal style for those models in which colors or custom colors are available. Correct sizing to achieve accurate coverage is essential and is determined by a series of simple measurements. For a detailed description on fitting a protective vest, refer to our article here.

Inflatable Vest

An air vest is generally not considered to be a replacement for a traditional body protector vest. It is worn over a body protector vest to provide increased impact protection in the event of a fall.

Black inflatable eventing vest

An air vest has a cord or a lanyard that attaches to the saddle. If the rider is ejected from the saddle, the cord or lanyard triggers the vest’s activation device, which is fueled by a CO2 canister. In turn, this action punctures the air canister, which instantly releases air to inflate the vest before the rider hits the ground. 

Most air vests have protection zones which include chambers around the jaw to stabilize the head and neck, a protective area around the thorax and torso, and an area across the chest to protect the sternum and ribs. Some models have cushions to protect the rider’s hips.

While the air vest is reusable, after deployment a replacement canister must be installed. Outer fabrics are tough, wipe clean easily and are mostly black with some limited color options available. Sizing is simple and runs according to a rider’s weight and height.

Browse our entire selection of safety vests here.

Do you ride in a safety vest? Share your action photos with us on Instagram and Facebook by tagging @doversaddlery!