You wrote:
> At 8:37 AM 11/1/96, Jessica Tuteur wrote:
> >Polar fleece does not keepo the horse warm once it is wet (either from the
> >inside or out) in fact it can get very cold. I always use wool since even
> >when very wet it retains heat.
> Really?? I've heard that p.f. is better than wool because it will retain
> heat when wet as opposed to wool....Matter of fact, I'm _this_ close to
> ordering a p.f. cooler (or making one) instead of a wool one.
> anyone know for sure which fabric is better when wet??
I can speak to this subject! ME! ME! Call on me!
Wool does retain it's insulative abilities, even when wet. It also
tends to SMELL like wet sheep/wet wool! It's a rather pungent odor.
Polar fleece also retains its insulative value when wet and DOESN'T
smell like the sheep came in from a monsoon. Just to experiment, put
on a wool sweater that's damp & go outside where it is cold. It will
be chillier than if the wool was dry, but it still insulates you! Do
the same w/ a polar fleece shirt/pull over... only slightly chillier
than w/ the wool, but no smell, not "itchy, lighter weight...
WOOL does a better job of wicking away moisture & retaining heat than
polar fleece, but polar fleece is lighter & easier to sew/won't
unravel. I have always preferred wool coolers for after workouts and
at vet stops, but I use a polar fleece blanket liner as an extra, light-weight
layer under a New Zealand rug.
I hope that this helps.
Linda Flemmer
ABF Challenger ("Rocket") & Eternal Point ("Major")
Blue Wolf Ranch Chesapeake, Virginia, USA
"In case of emergency - Fur side up, steel side down!"