Save for a Thermatex or other cooler alternatives?

I haven't used a Thermatex but my friend has one and a few times when the boys have been wet, she's put her Thermatex on Monty at the same time as I've put my Premier Equine on Archie and they've both dried off pretty much as the same time (Archie always takes slightly longer than Monty with or without a rug as he has a much denser coat and if he gets soaked through it really holds water.) The water beads on the outside of both at roughly the same rate.
 
Annagain said:
I haven't used a Thermatex but my friend has one and a few times when the boys have been wet, she's put her Thermatex on Monty at the same time as I've put my Premier Equine on Archie and they've both dried off pretty much as the same time (Archie always takes slightly longer than Monty with or without a rug as he has a much denser coat and if he gets soaked through it really holds water.) The water beads on the outside of both at roughly the same rate.
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Thank you that's good to know! Which premier equine one is it?
 
It's the one that looks like a Thermatex - the Premtex Cooler I think? About £70 - or it was about 5 years ago when I bought it!

ETA - just had a look and there's not one called Premtex Cooler any more - The Dry-Tech looks like mine though.
 
I just had a shock as I looked on the thermatex website , prices are pretty steep but if you divide it by the number of years wear it has, it’s more acceptable , but still a big lump of money to find.. I must admit if I had horses again I would still buy one as they work so well and last forever
 
Its about £160 for a basic rug for a smaller pony/horse, then upwards for biggies and extra straps etc! The lightweight ones are a bit less
 
Hallo2012 said:
what size do you need? ive got a 5'6 and its a very small 5'6 almost TOO small on my solid 13hh Sec B so if you only needed 5'3 then the ones labelled 5'6 would be fine!
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Oh really? He's in 5ft 3 rugs but I know Thermatex rugs 'grow' with use so was going to try and get 5ft..now I'm confused! ? I thought 5ft 3 would be too big!
 
Am I the only one that finds thermatex pull back on shoulders, and stretch and are a bit annoying? And pick up every bit of hay and shavings going. And I have several gain holes over the years.

I like an alternative combination for specific purposes

I use the Premier equine fleece lined liner rug with straps (dont think they make them any more) as a throw over rug when tacked up as grips to clipped coat and doesnt slip or pick up dirt.
I use a salmon pink decathalon drying combo rug for a really wet horse usually after bathing, if it isnt super warm to drip dry.
I use the Airtex LeMieux cooler for travelling a damp horse with windows open in summer / for dunking in water bucket and using to keep horse cool
I have a thermatex copy that lives in the lorry, but I dont use it much (maybe for fully clipped horse travelling below 5 degrees)
I have a Rambo Airmax liner that would help wick under turnouts for a damp horse (no bulky straps anywhere to create a pressure point). Or in very changeable weather when need horse clean is a good half way liner that wicks any sweat

I also dont tend to find my horses sweat that much. If I ride in rain it tends to be with an exercise sheet in winter so most of horse stays dry / summer would be too warm for thermatex to dry off after. I have fit horses, and they are clipped to minimise sweat in winter, and I typically cool off after work before dismounting. My horses dont sweat up in the lorry.
 
Trakky14 said:
Oh really? He's in 5ft 3 rugs but I know Thermatex rugs 'grow' with use so was going to try and get 5ft..now I'm confused! ? I thought 5ft 3 would be too big!
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the real thermatexes do grow albeit less so in the smaller sizes i think, but the lemieux ones dont grow.
 
They do an annual seconds sale. Not sure when and you don't get a choice of colour but with excellent discounts from what I remember. Worth keeping an eye out.
 
I use my Rhinegold version more than my actual Thermatex and it was a fraction of the price. I find it more versatile for the small ponies, summer and winter, and it dries faster because it's not quite so thick. I just hate the fact that it screams 'I'm a cheapskate' everywhere I go!!!
 
Dynamo said:
I use my Rhinegold version more than my actual Thermatex and it was a fraction of the price. I find it more versatile for the small ponies, summer and winter, and it dries faster because it's not quite so thick. I just hate the fact that it screams 'I'm a cheapskate' everywhere I go!!!
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Nothing wrong with being economical! ? I don't think they make those anymore sadly I've just had a look x
 
If you're going to invest in a Thermatex rug, I'd personally recommend going for the T2000 version. It has smaller knitted squares and holds its shape better and doesn't pull back around the neck. I bought a made to order regular style Thermatex rug but it was massive, so much bigger than any of my horse's other rugs of the same size. I sold that rug, and bought a T2000 version of the same size and it fitted fine.

.....or how about a Thermatex T2000 Olympic edition - how "cool" is that rug?!? ??

Thermatex T2000 Union Jack
 
I have the original Weatherbeeta thermocell rug with the wool lining, which has proved a great alternative and keeps its shape. There are still some on eBay , Weatherbeeta thermocell wool blend ( sorry don't know how to link) and in 5ft 3 too.
 
Dynamo said:
I use my Rhinegold version more than my actual Thermatex and it was a fraction of the price. I find it more versatile for the small ponies, summer and winter, and it dries faster because it's not quite so thick. I just hate the fact that it screams 'I'm a cheapskate' everywhere I go!!!
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LOL that is the last of my concerns! I have a very old lorry with faded paintwork, which I think is great. What image I present isnt a concern! If rug does the job and isnt filthy, it looks fine IMO.
 
My old one definitely did but it was worn as an under-rug mostly so it did pull back a bit with use. Thanks
 
Trakky14 said:
My old one definitely did but it was worn as an under-rug mostly so it did pull back a bit with use. Thanks
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Ah I tend to use mine for travelling and competing as I'm too precious to leave it on in the field.

I'm slightly with Winters tbh - I have one and love it but I don't use it as my everyday cooler as it's so expensive. I have a range of secondhand witney wool rugs and a fal pro thermatex type rug that I used to leave on in the stable and they worked well to let me leave a wet or sweaty horse in winter and go to work and then come back and change rugs. The witneys were completely out of fashion when I bought them so less than a tenner from ebay.

However now days I don't even use a cooler or fleece day to day anymore. I fully clip in winter, if it's cold I leave a fleece quarter sheet on him while I untack and then he's always dry enough to have his turnout back on.
 
Squeak said:
Ah I tend to use mine for travelling and competing as I'm too precious to leave it on in the field.

I'm slightly with Winters tbh - I have one and love it but I don't use it as my everyday cooler as it's so expensive. I have a range of secondhand witney wool rugs and a fal pro thermatex type rug that I used to leave on in the stable and they worked well to let me leave a wet or sweaty horse in winter and go to work and then come back and change rugs. The witneys were completely out of fashion when I bought them so less than a tenner from ebay.

However now days I don't even use a cooler or fleece day to day anymore. I fully clip in winter, if it's cold I leave a fleece quarter sheet on him while I untack and then he's always dry enough to have his turnout back on.
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I'm talking 20yrs ago so the design may have changed! ;)
 
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