The Water Column in Horse Blankets: Everything You Need to Know
Knowledge about rain sheets
The water column of rain sheets and outdoor rugs
Everything you need to know about your rain sheet so your horse stays reliably dry even in wet weather.
Quick explanation
The water column shows how waterproof a rain sheet or outdoor rug is. It describes how much pressure the material can withstand before water penetrates the waterproof rain sheet.
Important
More is not automatically better. A waterproof rain sheet with a very high water column can be less breathable.
Recommendation
3,000 to 5,000 mm are ideal for most rain sheets and outdoor rugs.
What does “water column” mean for a rain sheet?
The water column indicates how waterproof a rain sheet or outdoor rug is. It is measured in millimeters and describes the pressure the material can withstand before water penetrates the waterproof rain sheet.
3,000 mm
equals 3 meters of water pressure for a rain sheet
10,000 mm
equals 10 meters of water pressure for an outdoor rug
How is the water column of a waterproof rain sheet measured?
In laboratory tests, the material of the rain sheet is clamped and gradually exposed to water pressure. The moment the first drops penetrate the outdoor rug determines the value.
A result of 3,000 mm means that the rain sheet can withstand a pressure of 3 meters of water.
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Did you know?
There are defined standards for waterproof outdoor products such as waterproof rain sheets. Many manufacturers of horse rugs and outdoor rugs follow these guidelines.
Which water column is suitable for a rain sheet?
3,000 to 5,000 mm are completely sufficient in practice to keep your horse reliably dry with a rain sheet.
Higher values may seem beneficial in heavy rain, especially with a robust outdoor rug. At the same time, the breathability of the waterproof rain sheet often decreases.
The higher the water column of a rain sheet, the less moisture can escape.
Your horse stays dry on the outside under the waterproof rain sheet, but may start to sweat more quickly. This creates an uncomfortable heat effect.
The ideal rain sheet is always a balanced compromise between waterproofness and breathability.
