Several of us were organizing the blanket warehouse and found ourselves discussing what we keep in our tack rooms / trunks this time of year. Living in the foothills at the base of the Blue Ridge mountains gives us our own unique weather system. Often times in the winter, one of us will get rain, while someone just a mile or 2 up the road will see snow. That said most of us have a variety of apparel in our trunks for fall weather riding, especially those of us who have not body clipped yet, or don't intend to.
Melissa pulled a Rambo Sport Cooler off the shelf and commented on how it was one of her favorite 'go to' pieces for cold weather riding. I've not been a fan of how the fleece / mesh combo sheets look. - I guess I'm a bit of a hunter princess that way. I like the classic look of a solid color with a piping and binding trim. None the less she pulled it out of the bag for us to take a closer look. After seeing it out of the package I had an epiphany. This cooler is ingenious. First, it's much better looking out of the bag then in and the design is quite thoughtful.
We all know what it's like to ride in cold weather, with or without abody clip, they sweat. This cooler helps speed up the cooling out process. The top is a warm wicking fleece material that helps keep the sweaty areas warm, without over heating. The bottom half is a tight, but still open, mesh weave that allows the heat to escape. The mesh also allows a limited amount of fresh air in to help your horse cool down, without risking getting chilled.
Really an ingenious concept to be honest, it's fairly priced and by Rambo. A name synonymous with quality. Regardless if I'm riding a horse who is clipped or in full shag mode, this cooler has quickly become a go to piece in my tack box. The shaggy yak on rehab wears it after a 30 minute tack walk, and his young nephew takes a turn after a jump school or flat lesson. It helps them cool out quickly, saves time and dries quickly once I'm finished with it.
If you are looking for a new cooler this season for post work out use, we highly recommend giving this one a try.
Do you have something in your trunk that's a go to piece for you? We'd love to know what your favorite piece of horse apparel is to use this time of year.