Reproofing Vs. the British winter weather

Here at Suddy Rugs, we pride ourselves on the quality of service that your rugs go through whilst in our care, however, we are fully aware that after time, what left us waterproofed, may not appear to remain so with the UK's tricky winter weather beating down on the horses that are out in all weathers.

Whilst we endeavour to use all the best products on the market, with a high-performance water proofer being designed to revitalise the insulation and breathability of the rug; there are times that your rug will be hit with so much rain, wind, and perhaps even worst, that it will appear to leak. The reality is, that in very heavy rain conditions, the water can block the pores of the fabric meaning any condensation and sweat that builds up underneath the rug cannot escape effectively giving the illusion of a leaky rug.

It is important that the waterproof fabric allows moisture vapours to pass through it or "breathe", otherwise moisture cannot evaporate so will condensate on the inside. Also, if the outer fabric absorbs water and "wets out" the items breathability will be reduced leading to your animal becoming clammy, cold, and uncomfortable. The higher the waterproofing of material, the lower the breathability which will leave the horse sweaty and uncomfortable.

No matter what any rug brand tells you, no turnout rug can be 100% waterproof, because they must also be breathable to allow the sweat and condensation to escape through the fabric.

The Durable Water Repellency (DWR) on the outer fabric of the rug must be maintained correctly to ensure your horse's comfort. This will eventually wear off and need to be renewed. Heavy weather and a rug that is not fully dried will reduce the timescale of the water-proofer and will need to be renewed sooner than expected.

If the UK is experiencing no or very light rain, a 0g (no-fill) rug will be sufficient, however, if your horse is due to be out in very heavy or prolonged rain or snow, a 50g fill or above would be more suitable. Having a very thin layer of fill in the rug can allow condensation or perspiration that forms underneath the rug to escape into the fill, away from the horse's skin, which can evaporate over time, however, if the rug is subjected to very heavy rain, this cannot go anywhere and we would recommend changing your rug for another fully dry one. If the outer fabric absorbs water, the rug can lose up to 70% of its breathability.

Your wet rug MUST be hung to dry fully before being reused. If it is used before being completely dry, the fabric will already be compromised and waterlogged, which will appear to "leak" a lot quicker than expected due to the pores of the fabric already being blocked.

Suddy Rugs will do a leak test prior to the rug leaving the workshop and following the reproofing process. The attached video shows that the water does in fact pool on the denier with no seepage going inside.