Tips on Bathing Your Horse

In the past, many horse owners and trainers did not bathe horses because they were afraid of stripping the bacteria and natural oils from the horse's coat. As more horses are being used in competition, they must look and be clean so horses are being bathed on a more regular basis, especially during the summer months. There's nothing better than a clean horse, so you want to be sure that you are bathing them correctly to preserve the natural oils and bacteria on the horse's skin.

Oh Yeah, That's the Spot by Beth L. Alexander

The first thing that you will want to do is go to your local tack shop or feed store and find a shampoo that is pH balanced for the horse. It is very important that you use a horse shampoo that is specially formulated for the horse as they are mild and will not strip the coat. The more you will be bathing the horse, the milder the shampoo needs to be. There are also conditioners designed for horses that are designed to replenish the oils in the horse's coat. These oils are important because they are what gives the horse its water repellent coat.

Frequent baths can be really hard on hooves and will cause them to crack over time. Painting the walls, soles and heels of your horse with petroleum jelly or ISP Ointment will help to seal the hooves and keep water out. Some horses are also prone to dry skin over time after several baths as well. You can rub their legs with an aloe-vera lotion or baby lotion to soothe their skin. If you do use lotions wrap the legs with bandages so that shavings and dirt will not stick to them. Remove the bandages when the legs are dry.

Geldings and stallions will also benefit from a sheath cleaning every six months. There are special formulas for cleaning sheaths, but you can also use plain water. Don't use soap, as it will irritate this sensitive area. You also want to move slow and easy while working in this area.

Remember, if it's too cold for you to get wet then it is too cold for your horse. Horses don't like cold baths, especially if you have to use cold water too. The bathing process can be a nice one on a hot day and they will surely appreciate the cool off. To keep your horse clean after the bath, because they will all try to roll, walk the horse until it is dry.

Author Resource: Written by Emma Thompson
Emma writes for Think Horses an equestrian classifieds website.