Giving my horse a bath...

[amanti20]

I know these sound like really stupid questions, but I would appreciate any help.

1. Should I use liquid dish soap to bathe my horse? What type of soap do you like to use on your horse's body?

2. If it is warm out, do I still need to use a cooler to help dry him off, or is walking him out okay?

Thanks for putting up with my lack of knowledge.

 

[Tina&Dale]

1. Should I use liquid dish soap to bathe my horse? What type of soap do you like to use on your horse's body?

NEVER!!!! Using Dish Soap is a terrible idea and it might hurt your horse!!!! I like to think about these things from the perspective that I wouldn't do anything to the horse that I wouldn't do to myself!

I know some people use human shampoo on their horses, but I prefer to use horse shampoo because this is specifically balanced for use on horse hair! It is also the least likely to cause drying and reaction. Horse shampoo isn't really that expensive compared to human shampoo so it is an affordable alternative.

2. If it is warm out, do I still need to use a cooler to help dry him off, or is walking him out okay?

I don't know so much about the weather where you live, but I do know that putting a rug on a wet horse is OK and it actually creates a heat seal.

Hope that helps, have fun washing!

 

[virtuallyhorses]

Agree whole heartedly. However, I have to ask why you are washing your horse? Not because there is anything wrong with it but because if you are just giving a wash for the sake of it - rather than for a show you can also use a vetadine wash (which I think is called betadine in the UK) - its an iodine based solution rather than a detergent. The big advantage of this is that you don't have to rinse out (it you aren't used to washing) and it will help with any minor skin irritations while getting your horse nice and clean and shiny (although light coloured horses can go a bit darker).

 

[Zimbah]

I use horse shampoo. You could probably use unscented mild human shampoo instead though, but horse shampoo isn't massively expensive generally. Also I don't wash their head with the shampoo, just in case it gets in their eyes - I would use plain water for the face. As for whether you need to rug or not, it depends how hot it is. If it's t-shirt weather then I don't think you'll need to rug, but if you're wearing a jumper I'd put a cooler on. And unless the weather's really hot, I normally use warm water instead of cold. Have fun - and remember, you are guaranteed to get at least as wet as the horse

 

[easyhorsecare]

I would only bath my horse if the weather was warm enough, as they could catch a chill.
If it is for a show, you could just wash out any stains.
If I do give them a bath I use horse shampoo on their body and a mild shampoo on their mane and tails.
Always rinse well with warm water - never cold - to ensure all the soap is out.

Happy washing,

From Tracy
http://www.easyhorsecare.com

 

[eeyore]

1. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

2. If it were me I would just get a thick towel to the really damp parts and put a fleece/cooler thingy on, but if the weather's that nice then maybe not even that! might be nice to be wet if it's hot.

don't worry about it though!
i only first washed my horse's tail about a month ago
luckily there was someone on the yard to show me how to spin dry his tail and things ^_^

 

[Merlinz gal]

ahhh bathing horses or is it us ..............i can never remember after

1.not a good idea, i use canter horse shampoo and always will do

2.if its hot walking around hould be ok but keep an eye on the temprature of your pony.

i love bathing horses, tee hee one month after merlins home itll be shampoo all round although bless him he doesnt like his mane being washed so i have to untie him for that which is to say the least akward .
i for one shall be posting piccis of a soapy horse

 

[Pickles]

Out of interest why are you bathing your horse?

I've owned horses for years and have never given one a bath. The most I have done is wash the tail to make it easier to trim.

Even for shows a bit of elbow grease goes a long way towards getting a lovely shine, whereas washing removes the grease which protects the horse from the weather.

Obviously sometime there are medical reasons but as a general rule I would try to leave it for the really nice sunny days.

 

[Bacharel]

I do not recommend using dish soap unless you dilute it in a bucket. Also human shampoo is good to use but sometimes it does not go a long way. (Ive used almost a whole bottle on a pony before)But horse shampoo can get up there in price. Also for white horses you can use WISK (USA laundry detergent) just water it down some, and make sure you get it without bleach!!!And in warm weather just use a sweat scraper (or your hand) and just scrape all the water off, or just let them be as is. In winter scrape them off, rub a towel over, and put a cooler on them. Hope this helps you out and get your horse clean. O, and to get there tail nice and clean put soap in a bucket and put their whole tail it in, it'll be nice and clean until they decide to go to the bathroom

 

[FreedomStar]

1. Dish soap is BAD!! {img]http://www.smilieland.com/graphics/allesmoegliche037.gif[/img] Why is it bad? Dish soap is formulated to cut through grease and oil. Your horse needs the natural oils in their coat. So dish soap is out of the question. I use horse shampoos and conditioners, the ones that I have right now are the mane n tail shampoo/conditioner and an interesting one with tea tree oil in it (I think it smells good...). You can always use, like others have suggested, human shampoos. Just dilute it in a bucket and use a brush or mitt to scrub the horse down.
2. It really doesn't matter, I like to walk Ebony or hang out with her in a sunny spot while she is drying, but if i'm short on time i'll just put her back in her stall, she's got a small paddock attachment so she usually hangs out back there if she's wet, she loves to sunbathe.

 

[mustang fan]

bathing my horse

1.) NEVER!!!!!! never use dish soap on a horse. i use horse shampoo or go to the dollar store and get cheap shampoo make sure its a brand you HAVE heard of.

2.) it depends on the temperture if it is 80 or higher ( thats what i go by) you can just walk the horse out. be sure to use a sweat scraper!!
hope this will help you!! TTFN

 

[aliw]

I normally use human or washing up liquid mixed with water in a bucket. But if I'm bathing them for shows then I use horse shampoo. Now Lidl's are selling horse shampoo for 99p a bottle I will be using that all the time from now on!
To try them off normally I scrape them, then put a mesh sheet on and lunge them for 10 mins.