The Water Column in Horse Blankets: Everything You Need to Know
Knowledge about rain blankets
Water column in horse blankets
Everything you need to know.
Briefly explained
The water column indicates how waterproof a material is. It describes how much pressure a fabric can withstand before water penetrates.
Important
More is not automatically better. As the water column increases, breathability often decreases.
Recommendation
3,000 to 5,000 mm is ideal for most situations.
What does “water column” mean?
The water column indicates how waterproof a material is. It is measured in millimeters and describes the pressure a fabric can withstand before water passes through.
3,000 mm
equals 3 meters of water pressure
10,000 mm
equals 10 meters of water pressure
How is the water column measured?
In laboratory tests, a fabric is clamped and gradually exposed to increasing water pressure. The moment the first drops penetrate determines the value.
A result of 3,000 mm means that the material can withstand the pressure of 3 meters of water.
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Did you know?
There are fixed standards for waterproofness in outdoor products. Not for horse blankets. However, many manufacturers still use them as a guideline.
Which water column makes sense?
3,000 to 5,000 mm is completely sufficient in practice to keep your horse dry.
Higher values may seem useful in heavy rain. At the same time, breathability often decreases.
The higher the water column, the less moisture can escape.
Your horse stays dry on the outside, but may sweat under the blanket. This creates an uncomfortable heat effect.
The optimal water column is always a balance between protection and breathability.
