Bathing and Grooming Your Horse

By Sherry Marshburn

You are getting ready to ride your horse, go on a trail ride, take them to a show, or it has been raining. You discover your horse has been “rolling in the mud.” If it hasn’t happened to you yet, sooner or later you’ll get a nice surprise at the worst time. I have seven beautiful Paint Horses or, most of the time they are beautiful. When they roll in mud, it is not a very pretty sight to see and if neglected for an extended period of time, it will have undesirable effects on your horse’s mane, coat and skin. I live in Texas, in an area where the soil is a black-clay so when it rains, the soil becomes deep, sticky and very muddy. Once my horses roll, because they are wet, they turn black instead of their natural color which is mostly white. This is what I do to keep them groomed, not only for their skin condition, but to look really good. People often ask me “how do you keep those horses so clean.” The answer is simple… I bath them regularly.

Now it is time, not only groom your horse, but to give them a bath first. Simply brushing the horse only removes some of the dirt and the remaining dirt and dust is unhealthy to their coat and skin and coat . Your horse should always have a healthy diet for that natural shine to their coat. If you groom and/or bath your horse and they still have a dull coat, you should make sure they are getting a healthy and proper diet.

o You will need grooming products. There are lots of them out there. I find the sources on-line are cheaper, even with shipping and offer discounts. You don’t have to get the most expensive brands to groom your horse either. You will need the following:

· Shampoo - Suave™ ~ Inexpensive (buy at local grocery store) or, use Vetrolin Bath™ as it is not that expensive and a little goes a long way ~ It contains PABA Sunscreen (buy on-line).

· Conditioner - Suave™ ~ Buy this at your local grocery store… very inexpensive or use Vetrolin Conditioner™ as it is not that expensive and a little goes a long way ~ It contains PABA Sunscreen (buy on-line).

· A good detangler - Survivor Detangler™ by Eqyss ~ Expensive but well worth it… Great for the Mane and Tail and it smells wonderful (buy on-line).

· Sheen (optional) – If you really want your horse to have a brilliant shine, you can use a “ready to use” spray such as Vetrolin Sheen™ (buy on-line).

o You want your equipment to last so it’s best to spend a little extra in this area. If it’s really cheap, there is usually a reason.

· A comb for your horses mane and tail (buy on-line)

· A regular curry brush (buy on-line).

· A good rubber curry comb. Using the rubber curry comb to lather your horse will give them a great message. (buy on-line).

· A good brush for when the horse is dry – Pick one that will feel good to your horse (buy on-line).

· Electric clippers - I use all Oster™ products because they last forever (buy locally or on-line) Used to clip bridal paths, chin hair, ears but it’s not natural to cut a horses mane or tail. These are best combed out with brush or detangler.

Now that I have everything I need, I put all my stuff in a horse bucket that I can carry around (except the clippers).

o Location – Pick a spot where you can tie your horse and have a water hydrant and hose long enough to avoid getting their legs tangled-up in the hose. Try to avoid bathing in area that will become muddy during your horses bath. It’s easiest to use a variable sprayer for your hose, of the garden variety.

1. Wet the entire horse down, starting in the rear and working your way forward and around the other side. When you wet their heads and, avoid spraying them directly in the face. Using the “mist” selection on the sprayer works really well from about 18” away from the face and spray upwards and allow the mist to settle gently on their faces. This will minimize your horse’s resistance to getting their faces sprayed.

2. Once your horse is wet, you can begin to apply the shampoo using the rubber curry brush, creating a good lather, and giving them a nice massage. Most horses really enjoy this part once they get used to being wet. Wait until the very end to apply any shampoo to the facial area in case your horse gets soap in their eyes. You don’t want to try bathing them with their eyes full of soap. When applying to the face, use a sponge, a mildly soapy rag, or even your hands.

3. Rinse well and message, with rubber curry, to get out any remaining shampoo and spot clean any dirty areas still visible.

4. Apply the conditioner and leave it on for a few minutes. Again, wait to apply to your horse’s face last with your sponge, instead of the hose.

5. Rinse your horse thoroughly with the “shower” setting on your sprayer but, use the “mist” setting to rinse your horses head.

6. Use a squidgy to get most of the water off by starting at the upper neck and working your way down to the hooves.

7. Spray the horse with Vetrolin Sheen™. Do not spray the sheen to the back if you plan to ride the horse because it is too slippery and will cause your saddle to slip.

1. Apply the de-tangler to the mane and tail with your hands. Comb out the mane and tail, starting at the bottom and work your way toward the roots.

2. Tie your horse in a dry spot until they are totally dry. The last thing you want is to have your horse roll while wet and ruin your efforts.

When it rains, I try to wash one horse a day until they are all clean and I wait until after the weather dries out for a day or two before I begin. Once they are clean, brushing them every day or two will keep them quite clean. Of course you don’t want to over bathe your horse as this will dry out their skin by removing all the natural oils necessary for a healthy coat. Bathing them every other month is sufficient unless “Mother Nature” gets involved. Get more ideas from your horse source - http://paintsoftexas.com.