Horse blanket labels decoded: denier, fill grams and waterproof ratings

A real name from our shop shows how they stack up: the Amigo Bravo 12 Plus Turnout 400g has a 1200D outer and 400g of fiberfill. The Rambo 1680D Turnout 100g has a 1680 denier shell and 100 grams of fill. The WeatherBeeta Comfitec Classic Turnout 220g carries 220 grams of fill.

Words in the name mostly describe the cut or the extras. Our Horseware blanket guide explains a few: "Plus" is a detachable neck cover that attaches with Velcro loops, "Wug" is a higher, snugger neck cut for narrow, high-withered horses, "Optimo" is an articulated cut for big-bodied, broad-shouldered horses and "Integrated" means a hood attached to the blanket. Other brands use their own words, so check the product page when a name doesn't explain itself.

The size is usually a plain number. We cover how to read that last, in the size section below.

Here are three real names from our shop, using only what their names and our product pages say:

Our horse blanket guide describes 600D as standard, 1200D as heavy duty and the common everyday choice, 1680D as reinforced and 2400D and up as ultra tough. A tougher shell stands up to horses who play rough and fences that bite back.

Horse & Hound corrects a common misconception: a lower denier does not mean a less waterproof rug. Denier relates to how strong the fabric is, rather than how waterproof it is. So a 600D shell can be perfectly waterproof, and a 1680D shell can lose its water repellency if it isn't cared for.

Compare denier within one fabric. Our Horseware guide says denier compares only within a fabric, with polyester, polypropylene and ballistic nylon each running on their own scale. Ripstop, a grid of reinforcing threads woven in, helps a small tear stay small.

Which denier you need depends on the horse and the field. Around 1200D or more suits a horse turned out in a group, and 600 to 900D suits a quiet horse on his own, according to our turnout sheet and blanket pages. Our medium weight blankets page lists the denier range of the lines we carry, from about 150 to 2520 across brands.

The University of Maine's bulletin defines grams as the polyfill insulation within the woven fabric and says the higher the count, the heavier the insulation. Published guides draw the bands in slightly different places:

The guides agree on the shape and disagree on the edges. For a closer look at how the bands line up against temperature, see our blanket weight page, and for each band our lightweight, medium weight and heavyweight pages.

A zero on the label means no fill at all, as in a rain sheet or turnout sheet. The University of Maine lists rain sheets and stable sheets at 0 grams, and our turnout sheets page says a sheet keeps a horse dry without adding warmth. Some blankets are built with more fill over the back than lower down; Horseware's Vari-Layer blankets are sold as 250g or 450g, which our Horseware guide says is the fill over the back.

Horse & Hound explains that waterproofness is measured with a hydrostatic pressure test, and makers list the result in millimeters, for example waterproof to 4,000mm. Our horse blanket guide gives rough bands: about 1,000mm for light rain, 1,500 to 2,000mm for sustained rain and wet grazing, and 3,000mm and up for genuinely soggy climates.

Horseware rates every one of its turnouts waterproof to over 3,000mm and breathable to 3,000 g/m², as our Horseware guide describes it. Its guide describes 3,000 g/m² as how much moisture can escape, which matters because a blanket that traps sweat leaves him damp from the inside.

Most turnouts have two layers of defense. Horse & Hound says the outer fabric usually has a water-repellent coating, which is what makes water bead and roll off, and a waterproof membrane is bonded to the inside. You can reapply the coating; you cannot replace the membrane. That is why washing and reproofing matters.

Stable blankets are a different thing. Rutgers notes they are typically not waterproof, so keep them indoors.

A turnout sheet has a waterproof shell and no fill, so it keeps a horse dry without adding warmth, as our turnout sheets page puts it. A turnout blanket is waterproof and breathable and comes in different fill weights. A stable blanket is not waterproof, according to Rutgers, and the University of Maine says liners and stable sheets are not designed to get wet.

A cooler is different again: Rutgers recommends fleece or wool coolers to wick moisture off a wet horse while his coat dries. A liner is warmth that attaches under a turnout, and a hood or neck cover covers the neck. Pick the type for the job first, then use the numbers. Our wet horse page explains where coolers and rain sheets fit.

Rutgers says to measure from the center of the chest straight back to the center of the thigh next to the tail, and to round to the nearest even number, since some companies sell only even sizes. Ponies usually measure in the 60s, average horses in the 70s and large warmbloods or drafts in the 80s.

Some makers adjust. Our Horseware sizing page says to subtract 4 inches (10 cm) from your reading before you look at its chart, and our blanket sizing guide shows that other brands use centimeters or their own systems. Always use the brand's own chart.

A size number says nothing about cut. High withers or a wide chest can call for a different cut, not just a different size; our blanket cut page explains.

A horse who is cold needs grams. A horse who destroys blankets needs denier. A horse who stands in sleet needs a waterproof rating, a breathable shell and a coating you keep up.

Our blanket weight calculator and blanket selector take the guesswork out of the first number. The horse blanket awards show which turnouts held up for riders.

Fill answers how cold it gets for him, denier answers who he shares the field with, the waterproof and breathability ratings answer what the weather does, and the size answers how long he is. A few more checks keep you out of trouble:

• Fill: pick for your coldest typical week, and add a liner or neck cover for the rest (our medium weight page).
• Denier: about 1200D or more for group turnout, 600 to 900D for a quiet horse alone.
• Ratings: look for the mm waterproof number and the g/m² breathability number, not just the word 'waterproof'.
• Size: measure the horse, then use that brand's chart; Horseware's asks you to subtract 4 inches first.
• Cut: high withers or a wide chest may need a different cut, not a bigger size.
• Extras: ask whether a neck cover or liner is included or sold separately.