The best cooler rugs for horses are typically multi-purpose. Their main purpose is to aid cooling after exercise, but they are often also used to keep horses cool while travelling and to speed drying and prevent chilling after bathing.
It is absolutely essential that the best cooler rugs for horses are breathable and possess effective wicking properties to do a good job. Some are even designed to be soaked in water in order to lower your horse’s temperature, we’ve grouped these together – jump down to water-activated cooler rugs for hot weather.
Best cooler rugs for horses
WeatherBeeta Scrim Cooler Standard Neck Rug
Colours: Navy/burgundy
Sizes: 4ft – 7ft
This lightweight and breathable cooler from Weatherbeeta features mesh panels that wick away moisture to keep your horse dry and comfortable. The single surcingle chest fastening, single hidden adjustable surcingle and tail cord keep the rug smart yet secure.
Shires Tempest Original Mesh Cooler Rug
Colours: Navy
Sizes: 4ft6in – 7ft3in
The lightweight, breathable and airy mesh of this Shires rug creates a micro-climate that allows moisture and heat to escape without causing chilling. It is fastened with twin T-bar chest straps, adjustable cross surcingles and a fillet string.
Protechmasta Therapy Cooler Rug
Colours: Black
Sizes: 5ft9in – 7ft3in
This Masta cooler uses far infrared radiation, which is a natural process that gently and safely assists blood circulation. It’s made of a highly wicking airmesh outer, which is lightweight and breathable to allow optimum airflow. The ceramic-infused lining helps to regulate temperature. Neck cover available separately.
Hy StormX Empra MeshX Flow Cooler Rug
Colours: Light blue
Sizes: 4ft6in – 7ft3in
This cooler is made from a lightweight, perforated mesh to wick moisture away and allow optimum airflow for ultimate breathability and comfort. It features a front surcingle chest closure, adjustable surcingles and a fillet string to help keep the rug in place.
Bucas Power Prize Logo Cooler Rug
Colours: Navy/gold, black/silver or navy/silver
Sizes: 5–7ft
Made from an innovative “stay-dry” fabric, it efficiently wicks moisture away to keep your horse dry and comfortable after exercise or during travel. The shiny outer layer also resists bedding and dirt. It has the option of an embroidered Bucas logo on the rug, perfect for show sponsors for prize givings.
Masta Waffle Air Tech Cooler Rug
Colours: Black/silver
Sizes: 4ft6in – 7ft6in
The Air Tech cooler rug from Masta features a moisture-wicking waffle fabric with a soft honeycomb section over the back and highly breathable mesh lower sides. It fastens with a T-bar at the front with an additional touch-tape closure for added security, and has adjustable cross surcingles on the belly and a fillet string at the tail.
LeMieux Kudos Bamboo Cooler Rug
Colours: Jungle, mallow, powder blue, black or navy
Sizes: 4ft9in – 7ft3in
This stylish bamboo cooler from LeMieux has a hexagonal pattern and suede-effect trim. It features Simuwool wither protection and an anti-static, anti-bacterial lining. It is fastened with an angled T-bar closure, cross surcingles, and a tail fillet cord.
Best water activated cooler rugs for horses
These technical rugs are great for cooling horses down in warm weather, ideal for use as part of your post-cooling exercise routine, those horses who dislike hoses or when water is limited.
Equilibrium Quick Chill Rug
Colours: Light blue
Sizes: S (5ft3in – 5ft6in), M (5ft9in – 6ft), L (6ft3in – 6ft6in) or XL (6ft9in – 7ft)
This cooling rug is designed to rapidly draw heat away from the horse’s body, providing up to 5.9°C of cooling without soaking your horse. It is made from a high tech, breathable open cell structure material, which is designed to effectively absorb and store water. It has front Velcro, a single belly surcingle with plastic buckle fastening and fillet string for added security. Available with or without a neck cover.
How to use: Just soak in water until it is fully saturated, wring, and drape for comfortable cooling after exercise, travel, or on warm days. It has a contoured and shaped cooling area to cover large muscle groups across the back and hindquarters with direct contact, with lightweight lower mesh panels enhance airflow and evaporation, making the cooling process more efficient.
You can reactivate it with water as many times as needed. Equilibrium advises not allowing the rug to dry out while on your horse.
LeMieux Crystal Cooler Rug
Colours: Grey
Sizes: Small, medium or large
This water-activated rug is designed to aid gentle surface cooling. It features embedded crystals that absorb cold water, creating a prolonged cooling effect as it evaporates, actively drawing heat away from key muscle groups. Anatomically shaped cooling panels maximise contact across the back and hindquarters, delivering targeted cooling where it’s needed most.
The lightweight breathable mesh shell fabric encourages airflow to aid in heat dissipation and evaporation. It has a single buckle front closure, adjustable single surcingle and soft fillet strap keep the rug secure.
How to use: Before the first use you need to soak the rug for two hours to activate the crystals. It can be re-activated multiple times by soaking in water for up to one hour. LeMieux recommends soaking in water at 15° or lower for optimum cooling effect. Remove the rug from your horse once the cooling crystals have reached ambient body temperature.
Waldhausen Health + Care Ice-Layer Rug
Colours: Night blue
Sizes: 125cm – 165cm
This breathable cooling rug uses water to help cool down the horse on hot summer days. This rug is only secured with a clip fastener at the chest and a fillet string. Neck cover available separately.
How to use: The rug comes with a practical bag that can be dipped in a bucket of water along with the rug – then just wring out the rug and lay it on your horse’s back. You can reactivate with water as many times as needed.
What is wicking material?
Wicking material draws moisture away from the body and is frequently used in technical clothing as well as rugs and saddle pads. Wicking moisture away from the body to the top of the fabric (where it can evaporate) helps keep you (or your horse) cool. Wicking material is an essential when it comes to the best cooler rugs.
If you (or your horse) are exercising and the moisture (sweat) isn’t removed, the body won’t be able to cool itself properly, while if you stop exercising and the moisture stays on the skin, the body will get cold.
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