Best dry shampoo for horse that’s terrified of water

[cblover]

Scrappy has a real issue with water on her legs and feathers. She will tolerate her tail bathed but she’s too scared about the rest of her body. My theory is because she was pressure washed when she was skinny and poorly....it was February when we picked her up and she was standing tied very short and soaking wet. They were just putting the pressure washer away. Grr!! Hey ho.

I’ve worked through so many issues with her but bathing her legs and feathers is a step too far at the minute.

So...as she’s got 4 white legs I’d like to clean them up a bit when it’s nice weather and wondered what’s best to use. Dry horse shampoo? Dry human shampoo? Just use spray on mane and tail conditioner? Pig oil? She will let me spray her feathers. Bless her! She’s not being naughty, it’s genuine fear.

Any recommendations generously received, thanks.

 

[holeymoley]

Sorry not really any help at all. Power washed though?! good grief.

Mine will only tolerate water for so long so I use a 'no-rinse' shampoo by Nettex, it's great stuff and you don't have to worry about it not getting all rinsed off. Worth a try? Could you even just damp her with a bucket and sponge?

 

[cblover]

Thanks, I’ll have a look at that. Bucket and sponge is what I’ve been trying to use, I don’t have a hose pipe and I’d obviously never power wash her. She’s just too scared to have the water near her, I’ll keep on working on it. In the mean time it will help if there’s anything else I could use. Handling her legs and feet with different things can only be good.

 

[Carrottom]

I agree the Nettex no rinse is good. I worked with a water shy horse and found it was easier to start on the body, shoulder chest etc. And gradually work down the leg. Starting with a well wrung out sponge and gradually making it wetter. To start off I encouraged to horse to follow the sponge.
Always use warm water at first.

 

[Winters100]

I had a horse some years ago with the same fear. It took some time, but we did get him over it by taking a step by step approach. Firstly standing in the washing area and gently stroking him with just a dry sponge, then later introducing a bucket, firstly just standing nearby, then in my hand as I stroked him, and later (when he was totally at ease with this) adding water to the bucket and making the sponge just a bit damp. It took a few months of doing this every day, but eventually he came to accept being bathed with a bucket and sponge. We did the same with the hosepipe, started with just having it running nearby while he was fed, then washing his legs with it on very low pressure and building from there. He never totally accepted the hose and was always a bit tense, but not terrified and would stand to have his legs washed.

 

[Red-1]

I would wait for a really wet and rainy day. Wait until she has splashed through puddles and her feathers are already wet. Then wash them with a sponge. If they are wet already it won't feel awful.

In the mean time, I would het her used to the sponge dry. Or simply damp, but with no droplets.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

If she will let you spray her feather, could you spray her with water out of a bottle? And then use the no-rinse shampoo to clean her up.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Hm. I wonder if you could use a hose with no attachment sprayer. On fairly low pressure. Just let the water sort of trickle down her leg, really gentle. Or does she just not tolerate any hose/water at all?

I've had success cleaning grey horses with spraying Show Sheen or the Cowboy magic stuff for green spots and then rubbing with a warm wet cloth. This might clean up legs a little.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Spray her feathers with a no-rinse wash? Or a stain remover followed by water from a spray bottle?

 

[PapaverFollis]

Hot towel them... steam clean.

 

[McFluff]

I had success with the shapleys stain remover sprayed on and then hot clothed off (I used a microfibre cloth, dipped in hot water and wrung out as much as possible.
On a positive my mare did learn to cope with washed feathers. Took a while. I think it was the feeling of the water dripping she didn’t like.

 

[Chappie]

Following with interest as my loan cob is also terrified of bathing and suspect at some point in the past he may have been pressure washed as he is extremely reactive if someone is washing a car or paving/windows with one when we are out hacking. Poor chap ? Also I know his (not knowledgeable) owners threw buckets of cold water over him roughly and that has made him terrified of buckets of water ?

Over the 5 years I've had him I have managed to wash his white legs by slowly introducing warm water and a large sponge. Keeping the bucket several metres away! But he has to be firmly distacted by eating. Something like Readigrass and Top Chop Zero mixed up in a large trug. Or very "good" hay in a net. I've used a lavander no rinse which was successful but I did find something more bubbly/soapy got rid of stains better.

One year I tried to introduce hosepipes and washing all over his body but it was just too dangerous, even trying very gradually. He's okay with being wiped over with a damp sponge. I also use Absorbine Miracle Groom and Lincoln Total Groom sprays.

He's 19 now so will probably never change. Unfortunately he gets bouts of loose poo so then he really could do with daily washing of his whole back end. I've resorted to using products like 7 Day Mud Away and Show Sheen in winter on his tail and hind legs as they seem to help. But omg I wish I could give him a proper bath!!!!!