Macs Equine Cool Heat Winter Combo Blanket

Cool Heat Winter Combo Blanket How it works: Pilo erection is an important function in the process of thermal regulation. It is the horses ability to speed up heat loss from the body or increase heat retention using their hair follicles. Each individual hair follicle has a small muscle fiber attached to its base called the arrector piliand to dermal tissue on the other end. When the horse feels its body cooling in colder weather the arrector pili contract all at once and the hair follicles stand erect. As the heat is dissipating from the body it has to flow through these upright hair follicles which dramatically slows down heat loss and it also helps retain the body heat against the skin assisting to keep the animal warm. On the other hand, when the horse exercises or the day starts to warm up the arrector pili muscles relax and the hair follicles lie down allowing the horses body heat to quickly dissipate. This action allows the inner core body heat to quickly escape, aiding the cooling process. Traditional blankets flatten hair follicles. When the horse starts to feel cold or warm it cannot moderate its hair follicles. As with any muscles, they have to be continually active, otherwise atrophy (muscle wastage) occurs. If a human breaks their leg and is put in a cast for six weeks, when the cast is removed, the leg muscles have wasted away and intensive physiotherapy is required to restore the leg muscles to their original healthy condition. It is exactly the same situation for the arrector pili muscles which are continually flattened so eventually with long term blanketing the horse loses its natural ability to keep warm by raising and lowering its hair follicles. This atrophy to the arrector pili muscles affects the horses ability to protect itself in the rain as it can no longer wick moisture up off its skin through raising and lowering its hair follicles. The horse also loses its ability to lift sweat and condensation up off its skin, leading to overheati

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