No fill rugs that are actually waterproof?

Cheiro1

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So after a disaster with a Premier Equine no fill which has had to go back due to leaking like a sieve (great customer service from them, makes such a change when a company is helpful! :)), I am on the hunt for a no fill which actually does it's job.

What do you guys use, and are they actually waterproof? :)


I would prefer one with a detachable neck but it could be a combo if needed!
 

skint1

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yeah, Amigos are good. I've just bought my horses some new Derby House no fill combos, they don't need a lot of rugging through winter more just to keep the wind and rain off them, had them in the past and they've been pretty good, but not as good as the Amigos.
 

BraidedTail

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I go for Shires every time. I've got 2 horses in old battered ones that have each got a surcingle torn off and they last year after year; home washed with Nikwax - have never leaked. Also have a newish (about 2 yrs old) combo no fill Shires that I use with and without under rugs, and again has never leaked.
 

Celtic Fringe

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My Horseware rugs have lasted for years and years. Old cob has a no-fill Rhino Wug which is great and really does keep him dry. He hates being really wet. If you search for Eileen Douglas tackshop then they have them half price at the moment - a bit of a bargain!
 

honetpot

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I always buy cheap Amigo. Are you sure its not condensation. If the horse is warm and sweating( may not look that hot) the rug acts as a plastic bag, and they are producing more moisture than the breathable rug can move out, plus if its raining the outside is colder than the inside.
 

poiuytrewq

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I have recently bought a Rhino as I too was annoyed by leaky light weights. Its been great so far. I imagine its basically the same as the Amigo 1200.
 

Hoof_Prints

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as a cheap option, my derby house rugs have kept the rain out very well for 2 years, now leaking a little. The Amigo rugs are useless, might as well turn out in a cotton summer sheet ! best rugs I have are Bucas ones, they are simply brilliant for keeping the rain out and look super comfy on my horses :) - but seemed to come up very narrow at the front :/ I have one in 6'0 and it JUST fits my very narrow and skinny 5 yo Connemara, couldn't do it up around my other 14.2 at the front
 

Palindrome

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Have a Swish rug 40g and it's fab. I use it for most of the fall/winter in bad weather (horse is unclipped but has a thin coat). I previously had an Amigo but found my horse could be a bit chilly underneath when the rug was wet on top.
 

Cheiro1

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I always buy cheap Amigo. Are you sure its not condensation. If the horse is warm and sweating( may not look that hot) the rug acts as a plastic bag, and they are producing more moisture than the breathable rug can move out, plus if its raining the outside is colder than the inside.

Nope the horse was shaking from head to foot when she came in and was sodden, so 100% positive it was a leaking rug and not that she was too hot :)

Thanks for all the suggestions guys :D
 

DirectorFury

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Amigos always leak for me too, and water runs down and inside the rug via the shoulders on my cob. I've admitted defeat and bought one with 50g fill so I'll see if that's any better.
 

Sheep

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I go for Shires every time. I've got 2 horses in old battered ones that have each got a surcingle torn off and they last year after year; home washed with Nikwax - have never leaked. Also have a newish (about 2 yrs old) combo no fill Shires that I use with and without under rugs, and again has never leaked.

I bought two Shires no fill rugs last year for £26 each - and they've been amazing.
At the other end of the price spectrum, Horseware Rambos are good.
S :)

This! I have a shires lw turnout, used regularly over 3yrs and still in excellent nick. Haven't reproofed yet, only washed with water and a brush, but works really well and horse is happy. Only one problem is the fillet string clip has broken, but I have replaced it, and after use over 3 Autumn/springs I forgive it :) best £25 I ever spent.
 

EmmaC78

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I also buy Shires if I am on a limited budget or Rhino/Rambo's if I have a bit more to spend. I have never had any of these makes leak.
 

Fruitcake

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I think, often, the issue with no fill rugs appearing to leak can be due to the fit, hence some people finding some brands great whilst others find they let water in.

Water can run down the neck and chest and track under the rug, soaking the horse all over and making it seem as though the rug's leaking. This doesn't seem so obvious with a rug with filling as some of the water tracking underneath is absorbed by the filling. I'd say it'd be quite rare that the actual outer of a rug would leak as they're made with waterproofed material for the job. (Especially with a brand like PE).

Might it be worth looking at the shape of your horse and finding a rug that suits that shape? Just an idea. Might save you some money in the long run.
 

Jo1987

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Derby house are the only make that fit mine perfectly, he has a whole DH wardrobe and none of them leak, I'm very impressed with them.
My retired boy has an old amigo which hasn't leaked either.
 

Meowy Catkin

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I'd say it'd be quite rare that the actual outer of a rug would leak as they're made with waterproofed material for the job. (Especially with a brand like PE).

As I stated on the other LW rug thread, I also had a LW PE that leaked (it was a few years ago now as I think my grey was a two year old at the time). Anyhoo... if you laid it out flat and poured a cup of water on it, instead of the water beading, it soaked the material and there was dampness underneath/the lining material was wet at that spot. It was definitely a leaky rug, not sweat from the horse, or water getting in the the neck or seams.

I've only just been brave enough to try their products again (fly rug without the waterproof section ;)) and so far I'm very pleased with it.

I do know a few people who love their turnout rugs but I have found that they get very heavy when wet, so they must be absorbing water to some extent.
 

lelly

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I bought a cheap Maxwell mill from eBay and it hasn't leaked at all last winter. I went for that because my cob is growing and didn't want to spend a lot knowing she might be too big for it next winter. I do like Ruggles though, they are brilliant quality at a sensible price. I have these in different weights and have never had a leak in five years of using them. Well worth a look at their website.
 

Brightbay

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I only have Shires LWs now. No rugs in summer, and in winter the horses wear LW Shires Tempest rugs when the weather is bad. They live out so the rugs need to perform.

I think there's a few things about rugs generally as mentioned by people earlier in the thread. First, the horse underneath needs to be warm. The breathable waterproof membranes in the rugs depend on there being a pressure of warm air pushing moisture out through the membrane. If the horse becomes cold, the rug stops working. We manage with the LWs all winter because we have hot horses - they're not clipped, and they only need rugs when the rain persists beyond 12 hours or so.

They don't seem to work as well once washed. I don't wash rugs now - any rug failures I've had have been after the rugs have been sent for professional washing and reproofing.

If you put a rug on the ground and pour water on it - the water will penetrate it :) They are not designed to work that way - again, you need a warm horse underneath for the membrane to work properly. If you have a Goretex jacket yourself, you'll find it works the same way - it's waterproof provided you stay warm underneath. As soon as you start to get cold, it will begin to feel damp inside, which is why the winter versions are designed to be used with a fleece.

So the key thing is to make sure the horse doesn't get cold - and if they're the sort of horse who will get cold under a rainsheet, then they need a layer of fill.
 

Meowy Catkin

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If you put a rug on the ground and pour water on it - the water will penetrate it :) .

Yet every other rug that I tried the same trick on as a comparison (including a very old Rambo and a 600d Amigo), the water beaded and ran off. When on the horse, it leaked in a light shower, you'll just have to trust me - it was a faulty rug.

I do agree RE not washing, they're never the same again even if reproofed.
 
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