Synthetic waterproof rugs have come a long way and premium quality fabrics provide an excellent product with outstanding waterproof performance.
Waterproof Fabric Rating - tested to exceed 3000mm waterproof - exceptional performance level
For 100% waterproof rugs we guarantee that the fabric will remain waterproof for extended periods of time however some leaking may occur at stiching points or where rains enters the edge of a rug or is blown by wind. In extended periods of wet weather a second rug is reccomended as eventually the rug will need to be dryed out. Under some weather and temperature conditions substantial sweat can accumulate under a rug and give the appearance that water has penetrated the fabric.
Breathability Rating - tested to exceed 3000g/m2/24hrs for maximum comfort
Some rugs on the market sacrifice this rating with a cheaper fabric to provide a budget rug but you will miss out on the performance you need and the comfort of your horse will be significantly reduced.
The following features are important for performance:
Fabric
Gohorse 600D and 1200D synthetic rugs use a polyester base fibre specially formulated to deliver the desired characteristics needed which are durability, abrasion resistance and tear strength.
The 1680D ballistic nylon fabric provides and extremely tough and durable shell for extra long life and horses and environments that are tough on rugs.
Claims that higher denier rugs are warmer or wear out faster are not correct though higher denier fabrics have a greater tear strength if you have horses that are tough on rugs.
Canvas rugs are still popular and are hard wearing and well priced. The waterproofing performance of the canvas horse rug is much less than synthetic rugs and will deteriorate over time. We prefer to call these rugs showerproof only as compared to synthetic rugs this is a more accurate description. Canvas will withstand a light shower but no more, if waterproof performance is important to you then we would strongly recommend using a synthetic fabric horse rug from our range.
Weave
The weave selected includes a ripstop grid to limit the extent of any rip and reduce damage allowing easy repair.
Our material is also designed to allow the rug to shape and fit to your horse to provide a fitted contour with increased comfort and reduced chance of rubbing.
Denier Rating
The denier rating relates to the thickness of fabric in the outer shell. The higher the denier then the thicker the thread used to weave the fabric and consequently the thicker and stronger the fabric.
Gohorse has rugs in a range of denier ratings to suit your particular needs.
Waterproof Membrane
A waterproof membrane is applied to the back of the fabric to provide the waterproof feature of the rug.
This membrane material is specially selected to tolerate the harsh environment that rugs experience with exposure to rain, sun, movement, dirt, sweat, heat and other factors that effect the life of the coating.
The technology in the membrane used by Gohorse has been well proven to provide excellent performance over a long period of time.
Many cheaper rug manufacturers sacrifice the quality of the membrane with a cheap quality substance as customers can not see in side the rug to check this important component. The result is a cheap rug with poor waterproof performance from day one or performance that deteriorates very quickly.
Independent tests by a NATA accredited laboratory have shown that Gohorse rugs perform to exceptionally high standards.
Breathable Membrane
The waterproof membrane also needs to be breathable otherwise the rug will cause the horse to sweat excessively.
A challenge is to provide enough breathability without compromising the waterproof performance of the membrane. Gohorse rugs have a high breathability fabric that still maintains a very high waterproof performance.