What temperature would you bath and not bath your horse with cold water

In summer I will bath with cold water. If the horse is fully clipped and it’s a rinse down then I will use cold water unless the temps are minus, I do it whilst they are still hot from exercise then scrape as much if it off then fleece rug/thatch as necessary to let them dry.

if it’s a full bath for a show I bring in hot water from home usually two drums of it if unclipped one if clippers out, and use that, depends on the horse as well. Some are unbothered by cold water and some really feel the chill.
 
Another who wouldn't soley use cold water.
I take tubs of hot water from home wrapped in old towels, plus flasks of boiling water.
Bath, then cold hose off quickly, then pop a lukewarm clean water bucket or 2 over to finish.

That said, I dont bath in winter unless under exceptional circumstances. Nor do mine get regular baths as they are mostly out and need the oils in their coats.
I get compliments on Bs coat regularly, she last had a bath in September........ just gets the right feed and regular grooming.
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
That said, I dont bath in winter unless under exceptional circumstances. Nor do mine get regular baths as they are mostly out and need the oils in their coats.
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Me too - in winter I just let the filth dry and scrub it off....! I still use warm water in summer though, but we're lucky and have a hot tap. I wash off after a long ride in summer when he's tied to the trailer but that water's been in the car all day so it's tepid. I know it's anthropomorphising but I wouldn't want someone slinging a bucket of freezing water at my back after I'd been for a run.
 
Mine had his first mane shampoo of the year at the weekend - mostly done with ‘room temperature’ water (ie water from containers) but had to finish rinsing off with the hose as I’d used too much shampoo ?

He’s supposed to have his mane washed twice a week during summer to keep itching at bay but I won’t wash him if the temperature’s under 18/19 degrees. Top of my wish list for our new place is a hot tap on the yard so we can wash horses/dogs/bikes in comfort.
 
I've always washed in tepid water with the use of the yard kettle. Then rinse off with the cold hose but always have a bucket of warm water ready to throw on after the cold hose. Then scrape and rug as appropriate.

If I'm rinsing off after work (which hasn't happened for years) I think I just use the hose. We have a hot wash facility at the yard now that people tend to hook up to which is good.
 
I always bath with warm water as it helps shift the dirt better than cold water. If it is very hot I will rinse with cold water (if I think horse will appreciate it).
 
Full bath in cold water, it would have to be pretty warm (18/20+) for me to consider it.
I’d generally only bath in cooler temps with warm water and access to lamps.
Any horse needing baths during winter would generally be fully clipped and hot clothed, so only legs/tail would actually be washed.
 
I'd never do a full bath with cold water. If I don't like it , why should my horse ?
My horse is pink skinned and won't tolerate even a cold sponge on his body !
Since moving to yard with only cold water on tap , I haven't washed his rather voluptuous cob mane , but planning to do the first wash this weekend with warm water from a bucket.
Should be interesting.....
 
I will sponge down or hose a hot sweaty horse in summer but not in winter but bath with tepid water unless it's an absolutely boiling day which isn't very often.

Mine love hot clothing even on a warmish day.
 
I’ll sponge in cold water if sweaty in any weather with appropriate towelling and rugging after. Ensuring didn’t get cold.

My horse is chestnut with no white legs. I typically hot cloth before competing / fortnightly in winter.

Summer I probably bath with cold hose every few months typically on warm days. But I’d bath quickly abov 15 degrees, and scrape well, put drying rug on and hand walk if needed to warm up.

I’ve never had access to warm water beyond in a kettle. So use for hot clothing but not anything else.
 
When it is hot enough that I am actually hot, even in a T short while washing, then I will wash with warm water and hose off to rinse. Baby Horse had this for the first time last week and wasn't impressed.

Usually it is warm wash and rinse water. I also have lamps for when it is cold.
 
Mine hates cold water, kicks and generally makes it known that he is very unhappy. He isn't a sweaty horse that likes a cool washdown in summer. So I always make sure that the water is warm for any washing and rinsing, although I gradually get the water cooler as I rinse.

I read somewhere that washing a horse with cold water is a sackable offence in Germany.
 
I used to wash the neck/mane, tail and legs (all the bits not covered by a standard neck rug) on my fully clipped, coloured horse mid winter in cold water the evening before hunting. I always make sure he's warm and covered up and he never objects. I only wash his body if he's sweaty on a hot summer day and would never wash his body in cold weather.
 
I bath mine with cold water, but only when the temperature is at least 20C and she can stand in the sun to dry off. She gets her lower legs washed off with cold water throughout the year.
 
The yard has a warm water hose so I use that for the rare bath. I only use cold to wash off after work on really hot days.
 
I generally go for if I’m too hot in a thin base layer it’s warm enough for a bath.
they get legs and tail washed in cold all year, the mucky one gets one, maybe 2 full baths a year, the other one is very clean and gets maybe one a year if that.

I will wash off with a no rinse wash and cold water around sweaty parts if they’re sweaty after work, if it’s chilly they get a drirug and fleece put on And if it’s really cold I hand walk them for 10 minutes or so
 
It depends if they are clipped or hairy. The less hair means you can wash faster and dry quicker. I have hot water and it definitely gets them cleaner and is nicer for both of us. On a hot day it will be tepid at best - or colder. And if its for cooling purposes it will be cold. If they have a coat and its chilly I wouldn't wash regardless except for lower legs and lower tail
 
I only wash off sweat, never bath the whole horse, and I use a hose off the cold tap. If I think it's too cold to do that I'll let the sweat dry and brush it off, and just sponge any bits that are prone to sweat rash.
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If I am bathing to clean the horse never I always use heated water , My horse is grey and he’s busy out and about at the moment so he’s in the shower a lot .
 
I don’t wash my horse at all. His tail gets an annual shampoo but that’s it. He does love a spray from the cold hose if he’s sweaty in the summer though, will angle himself to get various bits hosed.
 
ycbm said:
I only wash off sweat, never bath the whole horse, and I use a hose off the cold tap. If I think it's too cold to do that I'll let the sweat dry and brush it off, and just sponge any bits that are prone to sweat rash.
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@ycbm - would you bath if you had a grey horse going to competion? When I had a bay and there was a water shortage I realised that a rinse with plain water kept him much shinier than real washing. But I have had mostly greys!
 
I just think the shock of very cold water can not be nice for the horse. I think some people forget that horses do have feelings and are not like cars etc. It makes me wince to see horses being washed in cold water and getting told off for fidgeting and dancing about. You would fidget if someone sprayed you with cold water!
Its the same as saying they dont feel pony club kicks, these animals can feel a fly land on them.
 
Michen said:
Gosh I'm awful, I will bath with cold water at around 13/14 degrees plus. Very quickly, less than 5 mins, then lots of rugs and if the lower temps (less than 18 degrees) I'll finish with warm water with a hot cloth.
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This. Hosed off with cold water after work if they are sweaty unless its really cold, and happy to bath at 13 ish. I bathed mine in 18 degrees the other day. Really good scrub to get his winter coat out, rinsed off and a fleece on for 10mins before I chucked him out in the sunny field
 
I only wash my old horse when it is over 25 degrees and use warm water, unless it is a very hot day. He tells me when he doesn't want cold water, he takes a side step. He is loose in the wash bay when I wash him so stepping away is easy. I know what he likes so he usually just stands and relaxes, I am well trained!
 
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