Breathable, waterproof horse blanket

Abstract

An impermeable horse blanket includes mesh material for ventilation of the horse's back while it is covered by the blanket. The mesh material is shielded by a waterproof top cover that protects it and prevents water from wetting the horse while allowing breathing through the openings of the mesh. The front edge of the top cover is attached to the blanket by means of a continuous seam along a front hem that encases a length of plastic piping sufficiently thick to provide a relief structure for raising the front edge of the cover slightly with respect to the blanket and the mesh material. The top cover is also stitched to the blanket at discrete points around its sides and back edge, such that relatively long segments of the side and back perimeter are not attached to the blanket. Thus, an air stream produced by wind or the horse's motion is able to flow between the top cover and the mesh material, thereby producing desirable ventilation while still protecting the back of the horse from rain. The netting material also ensures that insects and debris cannot infiltrate the blanket.