Waterproofing - What it is... And what it is not
New Blankets & Sheets
When you purchase a new blanket and it says that it is a waterproof blanket it means one of two things: One, the underside of the outer material was treated with a coating. This will be your best chance that your horse will stay dry short of putting a tarp over them! Even then, some new waterproof blankets won’t be completely waterproof!!! If this happens and you did not make it through the season, take it back!!! Once this coating starts to deteriorate, your blanket will start to leak. You, nor your blanket servicing company, can tell when this coating is no longer working. There is no set length of time. It all depends on the fabric itself and the wear and tear of the blanket. That brings us to the fabric. Some fabrics, no matter what, are more likely to leak. It all depends on how tight the weave of the fabric is and what kind of material the fabric is made from. It won’t matter what coating you put on some fabrics. Some will leak no matter what. Two, the blanket has Gore-Tex sheeting inside. This is great until the sheeting tears, either by the horse snagging or stepping on the blanket. Once this happens, there is no mending it that will return the waterproof ability it once had.
Water Proof = Water Repellant
What does it mean when your blanket service says waterproofing? Well, they are not really waterproofing, they are using water repellant. This is either a wash in or topical treatment to the outside of the outer material. It helps water repel and run off the blanket. They Do Not stop water from going through the fibers. It only coats the fibers. Again, it depends on how tight the weave of the fabric is and how long of an exposure to rain. It is only meant to help the original waterproofing from the manufacturer. It will not take the place of the failing coating on the inside of the blanket.
What does it really mean?
Well, if your horse will be standing outside in the rain for hours and you find that he/she is getting wet, then it may be time for a new blanket instead of having it water repelled. If your horse is brought in or is only drizzly rain, then you may consider having your blanket water-repellent coated. It should keep him/her dry enough until you can get them under cover. You may get quite a few good years from your blanket in many cases. Just keep in mind that this repellant, no matter which one, won’t keep your horse completely dry forever. These coatings do wear out!
The summary
Waterproofing is not truly waterproofing when it comes to fabric. It will all depend on the type of fabric, how dense the weave of the fabric is, the duration of the rain, the heaviness of the rain, and whether your horse rolls with his blanket. No one can guarantee that your horse will not get wet; we can only try and help.
We do not guarantee that your blankets will not leak, even after applying the waterproofing/repellant!
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