Is
your saddle blanket really 100% wool?
A simple test will help determine the material content of your
saddle blanket.
Pinch
and pull enough fibers from your blanket to enable you to form
a short length of sample material by rolling the fibers between
your fingertips. Then, hold one end of the short length of the
material (You can use tweezers to protect your fingers) and
light the other end with a match or cigarette lighter.
Note how the material burns.
NATURAL
FIBER
Natural
Fiber (cotton or wool) will burn and then self-extinguish. Rub
the end of the burned side between your fingers and note the
soft ash residue. If there is no hard ball of plastic material
(similar to the end s of nylon ropes when burned) but only a
soft ash, then you have a natural fiber saddle blanket.
BLENDED
FIBER
If there
is a soft ash with bits of hard plastic granules on the end
of the burned length of material then you have a blended material
blanket (wool blend or cotton blend).
SYNTHETIC
FIBER
Synthetic
fiber (polyester, nylon, acrylic) will burn readily but not
self-extinguish. The end of a synthetic yarn will form a hard
plastic ball on the end of the sample material.
