Hot Clothing

After clipping I used to put half a cap full of methylated spirits into a small bucket of hot water and wipe over clipped areas with a well rung out hand towel. It cleans off the clipper oil and the clipped hair. Rinsing out the towel after each wipe down you how much you're removing.
 
We used to use one of the Johnson's baby washes when I was an SJ groom - maybe the Baby Bath one? Smells lovely!

Hot clothing is a really good way of cleaning a clipped horse, and just lifting off any dirt/ sweat/ grease where the horse doesn't need a proper wash down. We used to do it after the horses had been worked, or when we were getting them ready for a show to bring up an extra shine. It is also good for getting extra shine on an unclipped coat, so if we had any youngsters that needed showing off for anything we'd give them a quick hot cloth. I love hot clothing!

I have used Dettol too but some horses are allergic so prefer something more gentle.
 
I have used a few -
NAF love the skin he’s in, this was quite good - mostly liked it for the cloth you got with it!
now using the Eqwax winter warming - smells AMAZING, really strong and horse loves this one, plus actually seems to keep the dirt away? Think there is a component that must help repel dirt
Have also used dettol/baby oil both of which work in a pinch
 
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I always hot cloth after clipping to remove the clipper oil and loose hair. I use NAF love the skin he's in and also wipe over my clippers with the cloth to remove all the muck which seems to stick to them
 
Just to clarify I still feed my horses a good diet and that makes them shiny. But hot clothing gives them that so shiny you can see your face in it effect.

If a horse has a poor coat because of poor diet no amount of hot clothing can improve it… can’t polish a…

Not a great example but I don’t have many before and afters. A 4+ year old photo of a horse before I rode, then after a thorough groom and hot cloth.

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I also don’t hot cloth after clipping as I find one sweep and the cloth is covered in hair and you have to keep scraping it off. I give them a thorough bath with hot water and a rubber curry comb.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Must try this one day. Always mean to after it comes up on HHO :).

I can see that it would work well on a clipped horse. Is it effective on unclipped horses with thickish winter coats?
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Having only had hairy yaks, it does make a difference (I think it must be nice for them when they have that much hair to have the grease lifted out too?) but you won’t get the gorgeous shine you get on a finer coated or clipped horse
 
Tiddlypom said:
Must try this one day. Always mean to after it comes up on HHO :).

I can see that it would work well on a clipped horse. Is it effective on unclipped horses with thickish winter coats?
Click to expand...
Yes it is - brings up a nice shine! The trick is to wring out the cloth as much as possible as you don't want to get the horse too wet.
 
I use a range of washes now from https://www.lglequinutri.co.uk/shop . I found them by accident last lockdown and the lady that runs it is lovely- the smells are lovely, especially the new winter ones, but I keep going back to their peppermint and Rosemary. It freshens up my ponies, leaves no residue and my saddlecloths, the inside of my rugs and harness pads are all significantly cleaner than they usually are this time of year! I lightly wash once to twice a week, generally sweat patches if needed during the week and one all over sponge at the weekend after a drive out. I do it like a hot cloth- water as hot as I can stand it and minimum amounts on the sponge (no dripping!) and they’re dry in no time.
 
As horse is a veteran (29), and a fine-coated ruggedd-up Arabian, he doesn't really need it, atm. He's Shine Central as he is!
I have hot-clothed him prior to shows and it's a nice final touch: better, imo than having a slippery "commercial spray" finish.
Each to their own, though.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Must try this one day. Always mean to after it comes up on HHO :).

I can see that it would work well on a clipped horse. Is it effective on unclipped horses with thickish winter coats?
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No where near as good as on fine coats/clipped ones.
Only thing I would say is if they are hairy and unclipped because they aren’t rugged, just be aware you might begger up their natural waterproofing.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Must try this one day. Always mean to after it comes up on HHO :).

I can see that it would work well on a clipped horse. Is it effective on unclipped horses with thickish winter coats?
Click to expand...

the way I do it I don’t think so, think they would be too wet.
give them a super super super hard work good groom to lift stuff to the surface then a wipe over with the hot cloth to remove dust and loose hair.
 
Works a treat in the winter instead of hosing. Brrrr. Horse comes up much cleaner. Only did it for hunting, wouldn’t do it normally.
 
I was taught this about 25 yrs ago on a professional event yard, it’s not a new thing! But it was just for fully clipped horses to remove grease and sweat and clean them up nicely for shows/hunting, after clipping too. We didn’t put anything in the water, just had to be really, really hot, as hot as your hand can tolerate, and a flannel, well squeezed out.
I have never done it on a non-clipped horse.
 
I had to do this as a groom back in the day-also had to hot rag manes as any sign of grease at the crest would get you in trouble. I dont do this, my ponies need their waterproofing, but if I had a clipped out horse/pony then I would.
 
I had always been a Dettol / baby oil hot cloth-er, but last year I tried Smart Grooming's 'Super Shine' and it is a game changer.

You can also use it neat on parts you want to highlight such as knees, muzzle, around eyes and crest etc. :)
 
teddy_eq said:
I had always been a Dettol / baby oil hot cloth-er, but last year I tried Smart Grooming's 'Super Shine' and it is a game changer.

You can also use it neat on parts you want to highlight such as knees, muzzle, around eyes and crest etc. :)
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Sounds interesting, does this also remove grease? Or would you use something different to remove grease first and then this to add shine?
 
Jellymoon said:
I was taught this about 25 yrs ago on a professional event yard, it’s not a new thing! But it was just for fully clipped horses to remove grease and sweat and clean them up nicely for shows/hunting, after clipping too. We didn’t put anything in the water, just had to be really, really hot, as hot as your hand can tolerate, and a flannel, well squeezed out.
I have never done it on a non-clipped horse.
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This is the way I was first told how to hot cloth. Never added anything to the water but was later told to add vinegar. I would only think to hot cloth on a clipped horse.

I think it's a really nice thing to do.
 
bouncing_ball said:
Sounds interesting, does this also remove grease? Or would you use something different to remove grease first and then this to add shine?
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So I have used it on a fairly scurfy horse after clipping and it definitely lifted most of the crud.

I must say, I am a tad obsessive about washing my horses so they're never that greasy but hey, I think it does what it says on the tin :)!

The other selling point would be that it doesn't attract dust like baby oil / mane and tail / coat sheen does.
 
teddy_eq said:
So I have used it on a fairly scurfy horse after clipping and it definitely lifted most of the crud.

I must say, I am a tad obsessive about washing my horses so they're never that greasy but hey, I think it does what it says on the tin :)!

The other selling point would be that it doesn't attract dust like baby oil / mane and tail / coat sheen does.
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Thanks, I’ve ordered some to try.,
 
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