Is it too cold to bath my horse?

[happihorse]

I'm planning to clip my horse at the weekend but his coat is rather dirty and dusty. Rather than pull him when clipping, I would like to give him a good bath first. Although I could probably get most of the grime out with a good grooming, I find it much easier to clip after they have had a good bath.

However, I am concerned that it is too cold to wash him down. What do you think?

I was planning on waiting until about midday tomorrow, then working him quite hard and bathing him in warm water (which I would have to heat using the kettle). However, I would have to rinse him in cold water. I would be able to put his Thermatex on and then walk him in hand until dry.

Any comments / suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[patchandloopy]

personally wouldnt on my horse, unless you have acess to continous hot water in a stable and or a heat lamps.

 

[showjump]

You could always rub him over aferwards with metholated spirits. This will get rid of any grease/grime. Or just rub a hot rag all over him.

 

[rabatsa]

In the past i have done one over with a vacuum cleaner to clean up the coat for clipping. A clean up after clipping with wet hot cloths helps keep them comfy.

 

[Haniki]

I would think it would be fine to bath him if you follow the routine you suggested.

 

[grandmaweloveyou]

hmmm im still bathing mine

 

[Persephone]

I'm still bathing mine too. Your plan sounds great!

 

[Bert&Maud]

If he's quite hairy already you might find he takes ages to dry enough to clip. If it's a nice day (forecast to be quite warm in the south I know) personally I would groom thoroughly and then clip, followed by a quick warm bath and a session on the lunge to finish off.

 

[virtual]

I bath at this time of year with buckets of warm water. If you can, do the neck and head first, then the middle, then hindquaters, toweling dry and then rugging as you go.

 

[Foxford]

I bathed last weekend. Weather forecast says it's 18-20 degrees here - I don't think that's too cold, but if you leave it a few weeks it will be!!

 

[georgiegirl2]

hmmm depends on the type of horse, i would bath george with hot water at this time of year as he is a cross bred and thicker set than twig my tb. However, i think the best plan would be to get a bucket of warm water and a flannel, rub in a circular motion and keep rinsing out the cloth. Clip and then to get extra clean repeat the flannel routine, much better than soaking and rinsing off with loads of water

 

[Weezy]

I would have said yes, too cold, 3 days ago, however, it is balmy again now - I will be bathing my girl tomorrow ready for clipping.

 

[happihorse]

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions.

As the weather seems to be quite mild today, I am going to give him a quick bath after I have worked him, then pop him back on the lunge to warm up and then rug him up in his Thermatex. He isn't too wooley yet, so shouldn't take that long to dry off!

Should then be able to clip later today / tomorrow!

 

[henryhorn]

If you take enough time to fill the bucket with really hot water and then add it to the cold to take the chill off he should be fine.
Can you take some larger containers filled with hot water from home to the yard too?
I always work as quickly as possible and scrape off as much excess water as poss, then rug warmly afterwards. A layer of straw/hay between two rugs helps them to get warm and dry quicker too as it traps air which heats up with body heat.
Take a spare rug or lots of towels to put next to the body and remove them after a short while, they will have absorbed any left over water in the coat.
Just don't wash in cold water, unless it's high summer I think the horses must hate it!

 

[jennyb]

Yeah sure, i'd bath and dry each section as I went along (wet it, soap it, rinse, dry off with towel), a bit time consuming but normally worth it. Had to do it in the bitter mid winter for a white horse who was only a skinny thin skinned TB and he didn't have a problem with it, in fact he seemed to quite enjoy it!

 

[jennyb]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah sure, i'd bath and dry each section as I went along (wet it, soap it, rinse, dry off with towel), a bit time consuming but normally worth it. Had to do it in the bitter mid winter for a white horse who was only a skinny thin skinned TB and he didn't have a problem with it, in fact he seemed to quite enjoy it!

[/ QUOTE ]
That was meant to mean - "no its not to cold to bath your horse - yeah sure go ahead and do it"
Doh!

 

[wizzer]

Well how did you get on? Did my boy yesterday and he dried fine it was a lovely day but now today is a different story it's freezing here!!!! Looks like thats it till next year, mind you could be shorts weather by wednesday, who knows!!!!!

 

[Sal_E]

Personally, if it's not really nice & warm, I bath the horse in warm water with a 'no rinse' shampoo - you can still rinse with as much warm water as you have available (to rinse the coat faily clean), but don't have to worry abut being meticulous as you have to with a shampoo that's not designed to stay on.