My horse has a dull coat

[Jenna1406]

My horse was clipped in November and kept out over winter in a heavyweight rug. He is now starting to shead his coat but it is still very dull. He looks more dun that a bay at the moment.

I have been grooming him before and after riding, he has been bathed (due to get another one tonight, fingers crossed), he is on good feed. Is there anything else I can do to help this, we have our first ridden show together and my first EVER ridden show and would like to make sure he is looking his best?

Help!
Thanks
Jenna

 

[Sukistokes2]

Usually they can look a bit dull this time of year due to the winter coat being dead and still there waiting to be shed. They usually look better as the summer coat comes through. You could try adding a little corn oil to his feed which can help as well.

 

[Jenna1406]

He is currently getting chaff, 16+, equilbra, speedi beet, tumeric and flaxoil in his feed. He is 17 this year and in quite heavy work. Hoping that a good bath tonight might help with the bay shampoo. lol.

 

[Kikke]

Nothing on the outside will really help a shiny coat, washing can excually remove natural oils making the coat even more dull! shine comes from the inside being 17 have agood look at his health would be my suggestion.

 

[be positive]

I think bathing can often have a detrimental effect as it strips out the oils which make the coat shine so be careful about washing him too much, if he gets sweaty when working hosing off or thoroughly washing the sweat out with plain water usually really helps get rid of the salty residue which never brushes out as well and can leave them looking dull.
Turn him out without a rug during the day so he gets a chance to roll as well as getting some sun on him, a shine really comes from within, a fit horse in hard work usually looks better than one doing very little that is carrying excess weight, I don't think anything beats strapping properly every day after exercise for getting the coat at its best.

 

[Jenna1406]

Nothing on the outside will really help a shiny coat, washing can excually remove natural oils making the coat even more dull! shine comes from the inside being 17 have agood look at his health would be my suggestion.

He will be getting bathed on Friday prior to his show on Saturday anyway. His health is absoluetly fine, its purely because of being clipped last year that his coat is like this. It is getting better slowly but would have liked for it to happen quicker

I think bathing can often have a detrimental effect as it strips out the oils which make the coat shine so be careful about washing him too much, if he gets sweaty when working hosing off or thoroughly washing the sweat out with plain water usually really helps get rid of the salty residue which never brushes out as well and can leave them looking dull.
Turn him out without a rug during the day so he gets a chance to roll as well as getting some sun on him, a shine really comes from within, a fit horse in hard work usually looks better than one doing very little that is carrying excess weight, I don't think anything beats strapping properly every day after exercise for getting the coat at its best.

He generally doesnt get sweaty when ridden unless its a warmer day but it is looking like it will be quite warm this week so will keep that in mind.

Think i will have to ask one of the girls to pull their rugs off in the morning at the yard or head out myself to take them off but it might be still too cold before I start work to take the rug off.

Strapping?

 

[Lammy]

I just bought the cherry flavoured "show shine" chaff but only because they were out of apple...would that be worth a try if he's on chaff anyway? Can't say if it works or not as I only got it yesterday!

 

[Jenna1406]

I just bought the cherry flavoured "show shine" chaff but only because they were out of apple...would that be worth a try if he's on chaff anyway? Can't say if it works or not as I only got it yesterday!

Thanks. Never hear of "show shine" chaff before. Will look into that also.