Bathing yearlings.....

[phantomhorse]

How do you manage to bath your babies? Expect my filly will just about tolerate it but my yearling colt goes mental if you approach him with water. I have trained him to stand with a hose pipe on his lower legs and that's been a struggle enough with him rearing and barging around hysterically. He does stand now - grudgingly! Would love to bath my yearling as he's filthy but I'd have to sedate him first and even then I think he would be dangerous to handle. I find it easier when they are 2 to 3'ish. Seem more 'reasonable' when they have a stressy at that age. But then again, I've never had to prep a yearling for public viewing, either. What does everyone else do?

 

[Cahill]

i used a bucket and sponge instead of going in straight off with the hose.
i waited for a very hot day and they really enjoyed it.
they were about 10 or 11 months old and it was no big deal.
(one HAD to be done when he arrived cos he had `visiters`

)

 

[zoeshiloh]

This is why my foals are bathed - they are small enough to hang onto, lol!

I helped a freind recently bath her yearling colt, whom she said was impossible to bath. We started by using warm water, a bucket and sponge, and gradually got him used to the felling of water on his back. A lot of horses do not like the sensation, and also the drips that hang under their belly often tickle.

Once we had got him used to warm water and a sponge (and this took a week of being sponged every day) My friends started to hose his legs, while I washed his body with the water and sponge. Gradually, over the next few days, we used the hose over more and more of his body, along with the bucket and sponge, and the eventually got rid of the bucket and sponge all together. It took about two weeks of persevering everyday, but now he is 100% to wash - just ties up and falls asleep while you hose him all over.

 

[Spyda]

Blimey, that's amazing progress. Well done. Shows patience is the way to go. I'm dreading attempting to clean up my filly for the Futurity. She's another one who goes loopy at the appearance of a bucket and sponge. Totally unreasonable about it, especially as it could be SOOOO much worse - a cold hose pipe instead

 

[Theresa_F]

Another vote for starting with warm water and sponge. I did this with Chancer and then introduced the hose. I had the water on a dribble and built up to full pressure.

One thing I did do, was if he wriggled, was to move with him so he learnt that the hose was not going to stop. I also cross tied him initially.

Chancer still prefers warm water - he recently stayed at a yard with a hot shower which he adored. I still boil up kettles for him for initial soaping but unless the weather is cold, his final rinse is with the hose.

I found that gentle but firm handling with a treat for good behaviour and making it clear that he was going to be bathed no matter what worked for us.

 

[donablue]

ive got no chance in bathing my yearling .
shes a complete cow bag even when trying to groom her..

so half the time she looks scruffy...

any tips would be helpful lol

 

[Stinkbomb]

I started with Inky when he was a foal. Over our first winter i washed his legs with a sponge and warm water to get the mud off ( only to get him used to water! ) and in summer gradually put more water on him. He will now let me bath him all over no probs. I dont use the hose though as i always use warm water even in summer.

 

[soph21]

I bath Bertie with a bucket of water, a jug and a brush with a sponge in it (tesco jobbie!)
He's really good but he's a laid back little man anyway.

 

[Colleen_Miss_Tom]

Missy bathed not a problem shes a big girl for her age, last year as a yearling she was standing about 15.1/2 hh , Started with a sponge and slowly moved onto the hose, Again I waited for a nice hot day .

Shes now 2 years old and 16.1/2hh and stands tied up while I wash and hose her .

I think if you do it slowly and be patient , you will get there .