Bucas Smartex. Hate the fit of them but they are very waterproof and can take a lot of abuse. I prefer Rambos as a general rule but I actually think the Smartex is better in rain.
My Amigos will be going into their 4th season and they are laundered at the end of every spring and every fall. At no time are my horses wet. Love Horseware blankets.
i have both a rhino and rambo high neck sheet, and my horse does NOT get wet. i do find that regular neckline blankets let some leak in around the neck, but that doesn’t happen with the high neck.
i wonder if your horse has actually been sweating under the blanket?
My 35 yo wears an old (at least 5 years, probably more like 10) Riders International rain sheet. The bindings have all frayed/torn, and are encrusted with burrs, but the sheet itself is still sound and waterproof.
He is not REALLY hard on sheets, but he DOES lie down and roll in it.
I have also used amigo rain sheets with good results- but also agree with the general consensus that a neck rug really does make a difference. I always notice my horses shoulders/chest is wet if I forget to add the neck rug when it really pours. I like that you can get the neck rugs in different weights too so you don’t necessarily need to insulate their necks if you don’t want/need to.
[QUOTE=JB;9020969]
Around here, which includes Virginia where the OP is, these drenching, coat-soaking, saturated to the skin rains are usually on the leading edge of cold fronts, bringing higher winds and colder temps. That’s awful for horses, and no, they don’t always dry before they get chilled to the bone. Having a shelter doesn’t mean they’ll use it.[/QUOTE]
I don’t think any sheet will stand up to that kind of rain IMHO.
I do know that when I used to blanket and we had those rains my horse would in fact be dry under his blanket , but the blanket itself was like a heavy wet sponge and weighed an extra 20 pounds.
If heavy rain and cold are coming, it might just be better to put the horse in if possible. Especially if he is older or you don’t want him wet and chilled.
If the horse has a normal , thick winter coat he will be wet on top but should be dry at the skin ( that is what a winter coat is for). If his sheet or blanket gets him wet then he loses that ability and you are asking for trouble.
Except that my Schneiders’ blankets and sheets have. Not much more than about 2 days’ worth, but 2 days of a few inches of rain, including very heavy downpours, and they are still dry underneath.
[QUOTE=JB;9022106]
Except that my Schneiders’ blankets and sheets have. Not much more than about 2 days’ worth, but 2 days of a few inches of rain, including very heavy downpours, and they are still dry underneath.[/QUOTE]
I’ve had the worst luck with Schneider sheets/blankets losing waterproofing. Max time for waterproofing to last 2 weeks…then they soak through. Horse Is wet. Reason i quit putting sheets/blankets on for storms.
I know you have, and I know some others have too. I’ve not had that experience, with at least 8 sheets/blankets. Never had any hardware issues either, other than an obvious leg catching in a strap which resulted in a bent buckle. I suspect there are some batches that are made either elsewhere, or with a defective set of materials.
I have a couple of Stormshield’s that are at least 5 years old, and I just sprayed waterproofing on them, for the first time, at the start of this season, as they were starting to allow wet backs during very heavy rains. For that price, I’m ok with that.
I’m buying stormsheild blankets/sheets so not buying the cheaper line of blankets/sheets. They aren’t even a year old just bought them fall 2016. Where my pallys boarded BO said his blankets aren’t waterproof anymore. So he stays inside now during wet weather…that’s 4 blankets 4 sheets waterproofing is gone on. Can’t afford to buy Rambo blankets at the moment. 
Schneider costumer service is terrible, been trying to get them to at least refund part of the cost on blankets/sheets. Or at least exchange the blankets/sheets nope won’t can’t or just not willing to work with me.
With the exception of one Mio, which leaked at the seam (so I think was defective) I have had nothing but luck with Rambo/Rhino/Amigo sheets. I mostly have Rambo and Amigo. They all last multiple seasons. I do wash at the end of each season and reproof with Nikwax.
We had flooding conditions and serious, serious wind/rain yesterday in NJ. I think relatively in line with what VA got.
I had 4 horses out (they have run in sheds for shelter but were outside and not stalled). One was wearing a 4 year old Rambo Wug, one was wearing an ancient-too-old-to-even-guess-maybe-8-year-old Amigo 1200D, one was wearing a brand new Rambo Original, one was wearing a brand new Rambo Original with leg arches (2012 vintage but just put on the horse for the first time this season). All horses were dry under their sheets.
Some did leak in around the neck on the non-wug styles, but I think that is more an issue of fit than waterproofness. Neck rugs are excellent, but not all of my horses have sheets at the moment that take neck rugs. Neck rugs are the bomb. I now only guy the styles that are wug or have neck rugs, but I didn’t when I bought these blankets.
Can you tell me how the front buckle system holds up? My guy gets everything open or rips it off. So far I haven’t found anything he can’t get out of.
I’ve never had a horse “get out” of a Rambo front clip (v closure). I did have one pony who managed to undo the top clasp of her amigo, but I’m guessing the rubber stoppers you can get for those closure types (like the belly straps) could stop that from happening/ make it highly unlikely.
[QUOTE=Janet;9021599]
My 35 yo wears an old (at least 5 years, probably more like 10) Riders International rain sheet. The bindings have all frayed/torn, and are encrusted with burrs, but the sheet itself is still sound and waterproof.
He is not REALLY hard on sheets, but he DOES lie down and roll in it.[/QUOTE]
35 years of age! That is great!
[QUOTE=Nasus;9037602]
Can you tell me how the front buckle system holds up? My guy gets everything open or rips it off. So far I haven’t found anything he can’t get out of.[/QUOTE]
The double front buckets on rambo sheets and blankets have never been opened by my warmbloods, who lie down to rest during the day, lie down to sleep at night, roll in the blankets, etc. The velcro double clasps also help keep the front closed up with no rubs.
double front buckles. not buckets.
cannot edit!
My guy works on them with vengeance! I was wondering how the front buckles work on the Bucas?
[QUOTE=Nasus;9038083]
My guy works on them with vengeance! I was wondering how the front buckles work on the Bucas?[/QUOTE]
No problem with the Bucas fronts either. It’s just that Bucas with the leg straps twist at the rump and hind legs. The front stays as well as the Rambo sheets. The Bucas SunShower rain sheet is what mine sometimes wear when it is too warm for the Rambo sheets.
Buy the neck rugs. No leaks.
You might try a wash-in or spray on product to re-waterproof your turnouts. Nikwax has great products: http://www.nikwax.com/en-us/productselector/waterproofing.php or I am a big fan of Bucas turnouts and use their wash and conditioning products.
