Bathing what do you use and how often?

[Deleted member 150717]

Just wondering how often do you bath your horse? And do you use human shampoo? My horse gets bathed every 2 weeks as he gets sweaty when he’s ridden and like a typical baby he’s likes to get filthy in the field. Just wondering what everyone else does with theirs?

 

[sportsmansB]

I bath mine if we are going to a show and he looks dirty, If he doesn't look dirty I just wash his socks
He also gets sweaty but I wash off the sweat patches at the time so I don't consider that when deciding whether to bath..

I use fairy liquid. A very tiny amount goes a long way

 

[Pinkvboots]

One of mine itches so his mane at least is washed every other week with dermoline medicated shampoo, I tend to wash the other one once a month especially if it's really hot I think I naf conditioning shampoo as well, I tend not to used human shampoo that much.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Once or twice a week in the summer, I guess.

He's washed with no rinse shampoo pretty much daily (after every ride).

 

[Wheels]

Hardly ever! Although he's bay with no white apart from a small star

When I do bath him it's with botanica cleansing wash, you dont need to rinse off then or dampen them down before and it smells gorgeous!

 

[windand rain]

When she has been tarting at the boy next door if warm enough. I use 50p baby bath from lidl as it not critical that you rinse it all out. I do use go blonder shampoo and conditioner on her grotty tail some times and ketchup for shows

 

[Casey76]

Hose off after every ride, tail washed with shampoo when it needs it, hardly ever use shampoo on the body.

 

[wiglet]

At the moment, depending on where the stables stains are, I seem to wash some part or her body everyday.
I use equine shampoo, never human shampoo. I do use Pantene conditioner on her tail though.

 

[Hallo2012]

in winter hot cloth twice a week and wash before shows.

in summer hosed off after every ride and washed with shampoo once a week.

i use wahl and MP gloss products.

 

[HeyMich]

Tail and legs if we're going anywhere smart, I use purple shampoo or fairy platinum. I sponge down with water if she's sweaty after a ride but I have never used any soap/shampoo on her body, and I've had her nearly 5 years. Oh, and she's a coloured, so plenty of white! It's really not needed, and not good for their natural oils etc.

 

[Jenko109]

Maybe annually? Just whatever shampoo I have lying around.

I do wash him off after a ride but just with water.

 

[Deleted member 150717]

Tail and legs if we're going anywhere smart, I use purple shampoo or fairy platinum. I sponge down with water if she's sweaty after a ride but I have never used any soap/shampoo on her body, and I've had her nearly 5 years. Oh, and she's a coloured, so plenty of white! It's really not needed, and not good for their natural oils etc.

Really 5 years! What about the build up of things in her coat such as fly spray and coat shine etc etc isn’t she itchy I’ve never been at least 3 months in winter without bathing! I mean good for you but my coloured gets irritated with flys as bathing keeps them away from him while he smells of tea tree rather than poo x

 

[HeyMich]

Really 5 years! What about the build up of things in her coat such as fly spray and coat shine etc etc isn’t she itchy I’ve never been at least 3 months in winter without bathing! I mean good for you but my coloured gets irritated with flys as bathing keeps them away from him while he smells of tea tree rather than poo x

I do actually groom her! And no, I've never had problems. Each to their own I guess!

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Really 5 years! What about the build up of things in her coat such as fly spray and coat shine etc etc isn’t she itchy I’ve never been at least 3 months in winter without bathing! I mean good for you but my coloured gets irritated with flys as bathing keeps them away from him while he smells of tea tree rather than poo x

Apart from grooming they lose all their hair at least twice a year and continually it seems ?.

I bath mine a few times over the summer and would before showing shows. I hope mostly it keeps flies at bay. I wash legs more often to clean off scabby bits and get rid of ticks as well a grease build up. I don’t bath in winter as do not have the facilities but might wash a mane / tail and hot cloth if needed. I tend to use supermarket own brand human dandruff shampoo for regular washing but would use a coat colour enhancing and white shampoo for extra shine for shows.

 

[milliepops]

can't actually remember the last time i shampooed a horse's body

I do shampoo tails when they look manky or if I want to brush them out, which is rare just use whatever is to hand.

I do Welshie's socks periodically with a purple shampoo as they are white, and eventually get a bit manked up with wax from the school surface. I did them this morning, should be good for 3 or 4 weeks.

Body gets hosed off with plain water every time she works.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

About once a year in late spring I use shampoo of some kind.
Otherwise like some others above, I hose or sponge off after getting sweaty or mud covered.....
A good groom daily if rugged in winter, good groom most days in summer each evening.

 

[Tarragon]

I wash off with just water after a ride if they get sweaty, and if very hot I will jet get them wet all over to help keep them cool. They get a good wash and scrub when the summer coat starts to come through just to help them to lose it and to give the skin a good spring clean as they are field kept and unrugged for the winter. For that I have been using a big bottle of Johnson baby bath that I had left over from babies (and my youngest is now 19!)
I go to one show a year and I will the wash mane and tail and as much forelock as they will allow!
I am lucky as the ponies come in Exmoor brown only and are kept on a hill so I do not need to use any fly spray. I also enjoy grooming.

 

[eggs]

If they are sweaty after riding then I wash the sweaty places of with plain water.

Before a show I wash tails in whatever is to hand. If white socks are dirty they get a wash before a show too. Otherwise I don't actually bath them except for one horse who gets very itchy with spring grass and he gets washed with MicroTek a couple of times

 

[hoofprints1994]

I hose off pretty much every day when it is hot, but only ever get the shampoo out if we are going showing (once in a blue moon!) or she needs help shifting the last of her winter coat if we have a warm Spring! She lives out naked 24/7 over the summer and I prefer them to retain all the natural oils & grease in the coat as this helps keep them waterproof during the summer storms, so I avoid shampooing as much as I can!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Most of mine are just bathed before a show with whatever shampoo I have around whether it is human or horse.

My non-showing ones get done every 3-4 years. My sweetitch stallion gets done every spring with Dermoline. He HATES having a bath but needs must.

 

[Kat]

I hardly ever give mine a full bath.

She gets hosed off/sponged off/hot clothed depending upon the weather to remove sweat most days though and certainly if she has got very sweaty or dirty.

I might use a bit of Dettol, baby oil or lavender wash in the water if I am hot clothing or sponging off,or just plain water if I am hosing off.

I don't use fly spray or coat shine on her body so there is no build up.

I shampoo her mane and tail if it looks scurfy to plait.

 

[Auslander]

Every couple of weeks for Alf during the summer, although he gets hosed down daily, and I use a no rinse wash after riding.
I use Pro Nero Deep, Dark and Velvety shampoo from Eqclusive - it really brings out his lovely colour.

 

[planete]

My grey horses used to get their tails washed and conditioned fortnightly but my black pony has not been washed yet. I will sponge or hose with plain water if they have been sweating but no shampoo for the body as they live out 24/7. Grooming regularly with natural fibre brushes has always seemed to keep their coats in good condition. Black boy also gets polished with a damp towel at the end of a grooming session if I want him to look extra shiny.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Full bath is very rare, usually gets a good bath when he's towards the end of shedding his winter coat (when he's itchy and has the last bits of winter fur to remove). I use Johnson's Baby sensitive shampoo because he is very sensitive and can react badly to anything like fairy liquid. He gets a bath before a show and we usually only do one or maybe two shows a year in normal circumstances.

I wash the sweat off after every ride, I only use shampoo if he's particularly sweaty. ETA: if there's no sweat he doesn't have to stand under the hosepipe.

 

[MagicMelon]

Depends on the horse. I used to have to full bath my grey (who is white) before events for obvious reasons. I always use Tesco or Asda's own shampoo, the really cheap stuff usually in apple scent (no idea why that makes a difference but I find it cleans well!). I usually use their cheapo conditioner too for the bulk of the tail.

If sweaty, I wash off with water but if really sweaty, I usually wash off with a bucket of water with a very little squish of shampoo in it.

 

[paddy555]

I hate to say it but I am possibly the only person on here who never baths their horses unless someone else owns up. I have horses that I have had for 20 odd years and never bathed them. Not sure why I should. There is no build up of anything on their coats, I don't use anything like coat shine nor fly sprays. If I want to keep flies off they have fly rugs.

If they come back from riding sweaty I wash off the saddle/girth area, between their hind legs and anywhere else with sweat with a sponge and warm water and that is it.

Clearly I am a lousy owner.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I rarely bath. I slosh off if he's hot after riding with Hedgewitch Lavender wash. If going to a show, I'll do a bit of a sponge off & tidy up, but like @Tarragon , Exmoors do come in lovely low maintenance colour schemes!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

When the yard is closed (it's an rs and he acts like a t*t to Bath)

I use "Alberto Bsalm" human shampoo, as I'm tight. Also if its good enough for humans, it will be good enough for a F. Witt!

 

[Frano]

Fairy liquid, for the hairy cob. Human shampoo for the others,they only need a bath occasionally. Cob is hairy and greasy and needs lots of attention.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I full-bath for shows. If just going somewhere and being pristine isn’t required and they are manky I hose off with plain water as it doesn’t take any of the natural water proofing out but removes surface dirt.

I wash with washing up liquid for shows for the first soap them a chestnut shampoo for the second then rinse well. He is oiled for the show so there is waterproofing going back into the coat.

Blue fairy for the white bits/mane and tail for the first wash to get the worst of the dirt out then purple shampoo for the second to brighten. That gets oiled the next day as well.