Baby Oil

[Jay.o]

I have heard on here and from people that baby oil is good for detangling tails and manes and makes the coat of the horse really soft too.
But also heard that it is bad for horses - it can burn in the sun or something - but there isnt any sun this time of year that can burn is there ?

So my question is - Is baby oil a cheap detangler and coat shine or is it bad for them and no good ???????

Opinions please ?

 

[Jay.o]

any one ???

please reply !

 

[Spydgal]

i dont see a problem in using it but dont when the sun is hot and the hair could get dried out

z

 

[FinneghansMummy]

i use baby oil all the time in winter as a chaep mane and tail but not in summer cos i worry about it burning them!

ani

 

[shelley]

same here it gets the tangle out straight away i ner use it on there coat cause some times it gets a bit sticky.and i only use it in the winter good stuff!!!!!!

 

[Waikato Valuta]

Only use it in the mane and tail on cool days.

I saw someone getting there horses ready for the show ring once. It was a 30'C day with the sun out. They put baby oil allover it for the show and at the end of the day it had blisters on it's nose and was very sensitive all over. Never use it my self but have herd that if it is cold with no sun it if fine but would wash it out if the sun came out.

 

[mikka]

Using baby oil does create sun exposure problems in humans, so I guess one could assume a similar response in horses? Can't see how mane and tail use could be an issue, though.

 

[mikka]

I've just seen a comment that Wally made about the use of baby oil and it wasn't favourable. She's (Wally is) very experienced so it might be worth your while to heed her advice.

 

[Waikato Valuta]

where is wally's post.

 

[Peace]

Personally, I wouldn't use baby oil even for manes and tails. I live near a beach resort, and we have loads of fun watching the tourists turn different shades of scarlet after applying the stuff.

It seems to work like frying oil, magnifying the effect of the sun's rays. I would think it would be bad for mane and tail hair, and I'd certainly never use it on a horse's coat.

 

[Jay.o]

no offense - i appreciate the replies but they are a little late - i used it and it made him all soft and shiney !
i wouldnt use it on the nose or eyes because of burning !
i think it was great !

and what they slap on at the beach is tanning oil - thats what make them go brown or red !

 

[virtuallyhorses]

Mineral Oil vs vegetable oils

Jay.O unfortunately it doesn't matter whether its called tanning, cooking or baby - its still Oil and will therefore fry anything in it when heat is applied.

The problem with baby oil is even a little worse than that since it is a hydrocarbon by-product. ie its made from Oil, the black stuff you stick in your car. It is like putting plastic wrap on your skin (or in this case your horse's skin) which tends to magnify the suns burning UV rays and block the skins ability to breath at the same time. BTW, This also applies to petroleum jelly (vaseline)

I have also read the baby oil, unlike most other products has molecules small enough to pass through the outer layers of the skin. This means that it can transport bacteria and\or dirt INTO the skin but I haven't verified this aspect.

Mineral oils have received a lot of press recently because it is very bad for babies, small humans and anyone\thing that uses large quantities of the stuff because once the oil is absorbed, it is broken down by the liver and passes through the intestinal tract. And once the oil is present in the intestinal tract, it will absorb all of the fat-soluble vitamins found there. It is essentially stealing important vitamins from the body, which the body will not be able to replace. This can eventually lead to nutritional deficiencies.

Veg oils on the other hand are easily absorbed and contain vitamins of their own so don't have the same downside.