Keeping them clean

Jenna1406

Jenna1406

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Hi,

I have just bought myself a skewbald filly and really want to show her. She is mostly white, so what I need to know is:

How do you get them clean??

and

How do you keep them clean??

Thanks
 
I own this so am qualified to answer this one :rolleyes: :

It's hard but I can get him clean, here's the evidence :D:

My advice is keep her covered as much as you possibly can when it's muddy.
Lightweight turnouts, flyrugs, anything you can (unfortunately mine won't tolerate a rug if he's too hot so I just have to bath him - lots:mad:). In the winter, get a snuggy hood and keep it on her at all times and a tailbag.
Wash stable stains (and hocks) daily -they wash out easily when they're fresh, but as soon as they get a hold they stain really badly.
Don't bother with expensive shampoos, fairy liquid is just as good. Have lots of warm water and really soak her right through to the skin. Even when you think they're clean give them another few really good rinses. It's amazing how much dirt their coats can trap. I often think mine is clean only for him to sweat dirt as soon as he gets somewhere. I'm thinking of inventing an equine steam room to sweat it out of him.
And finally... Buy a dark bay :p
 
Thanks for that. That is some change from covered in mud to sparkling clean.

Thankfully her tail is dark, also her hindquarters and her face but her legs, shoulders and body are white lol.

I have a chestnut mare as well and she is easy to clean and I am great with the 4 white socks but this much white looks hard haha!

I have heard that fairy liquid is good for the white.
 
This is what I am working with lol

picture.php
 
She's lovely, good luck with her. You're lucky in that most of the problem areas (ears, hocks, tops of back legs and flanks are the worst bits in my experience) are dark. The majority of the white bits will be easily covered, and I've never found the neck much of a problem as it's easy to wash and it has no nobbly bits which seem to attract dirt. Legs will be the same as any other horse with white legs, so if you manage your chestnut's legs ok, you'll be fine with those.

One other thing I forgot. Smother exposed bits in pig oil. The mud brushes off much more easily if you do. Do a patch test first though as some can be allergic to it. I put it in a spray bottle and do tricky areas by putting some on a sponge.
 
I agree that the only way to keep them clean is to keep them clean! Personally I would not use fairy liquid often as it really strips the grease out of the coat making it dry and dull. But I use cheap shampoo and just spot wash stains off. I also use a lightweight turnout over stable rugs to keep the worst stains off the body.

I also highly recommend Cowboy Magic Green Spot Remover, spray on and wipe off with a damp flannel.
 
Another vote for regular spot washing of the worst bits . . . and I use TeaTree shampoo with warm water for the first couple of washes and then finish off with Ultimate blue shampoo for the final wash. Spraying a white tail with baby oil helps the dirt slide off, and Vanish is great for making the end of the tail really sparkle.

Really, there's no substitute for elbow grease . . . oh, and appropriate rugging. Unfortunately, I can't rug Kal's hocks and knees - and they are currently a fetching shade of grass green ;). Also, I like him to have fresh air and sunshine on his skin and coat so try really hard not to rug unless necessary in the warmer weather (which just means that he is permanently dirty in between baths for competitions).

This is him at a SJ clinic in February - I only had to give him a spot wash (thank goodness - it was Arctic!). It can be done ;).



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