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Spring Cleaning
(Your horse that is)

You’ve finished spring cleaning in your house and barn and now it’s time to start on your horse. Okay, forget the house and barn—who has time? But your horse is another story.

Over the winter months your horse has likely gotten grubby, especially if cold weather kept you from grooming as much as you’d like. Most horses develop a shaggy winter coat that easily harbors bacteria and other pathogens. And once the weather warms up that protective coat can become a further liability, because it causes your horse to heat up faster and cool down slower. Every spring there are reports of horses dieing from heat exhaustion in the pasture or on the trail.

Shedding in horses is tied to the length of sunlight in a day. In the northern part of the country, the natural shedding process can take months. Some people let nature take its course, but a good spring cleaning will do a lot to keep your horse healthy.

Begin by cleaning your grooming brushes and scrapers. After sitting around all winter they may have collected their own share of dirt, bacteria or fungus. You wouldn’t use a dirty brush on your own hair, why use one on your horse?

Start with a curry comb to loosen dead hair, then a body brush to remove the loosened hair. A shedding blade will help get rid of longer hair along the back and flanks. Mane and tail require special effort. Use a detangler, then gently pick each burr out by hand (some people swear by WD40 for the worst ones) and untangle the knots as best you can before you use a comb.

You may have to repeat the grooming process several times before most of the winter coat is gone.

Then, on a warm day, it’s bath time.

Equine skin is more sensitive than human skin, and that has to be kept in mind when selecting a shampoo. A low-sudsing product such as baby shampoo can be safely used, but in most cases it’s best to stick to formulas created especially for horses.

Manufacturers, observing marketing trends for human shampoos, have begun selling shampoos for horses that contain essential oils and other “natural” ingredients. It’s easy to get caught up in the latest ballyhoo surrounding the wonders of green tea or products with exotic names like Sparkling Equine Aromatherapy Shampoo with Essence of Avocado.

Ignore the hype. The principle feature to look for in an equine shampoo is that it is pH-balanced for horses and mild enough so you can shampoo your horse every day if you need to without causing problems. Be sure to read the manufacturer’s directions carefully—some shampoos are far more concentrated than others. Use too much and it may cause major skin irritation.

Keep your own safety in mind when bathing your horse. Some horse owners cross-tie, but since horses are naturally claustrophobic this can be extremely dangerous. The best thing you can do is teach your horse not to be afraid of water and bathing. Start, using the approach and retreat method, to spray the ground softly at her feet. When she’s used to that, gently begin to move the water up her legs till she can stand the water on her back, belly and neck without fear or panic. Use a bucket of warm water and a sponge to clean all the sensitive spots like the face and personal area. If your horse is naturally nervous, it may take several sessions to desensitize her to water, but the long term result will make both of your lives much easier and safer.

Another safety tip: be aware of the footing where you wash your horse. Wet cement is slippery. Rubber mats can be just as bad.

Horses only bathe because we make them. Be patient. Reassure her that everything is going well. Move slowly, show consideration, and stay alert to how she is reacting.

Once the shampoo is completed, be sure to thoroughly rinse her. A good way to be insure all the soap is gone is to watch the rinse water run off. If it is cloudy, keep rinsing.

Finally, use a sweat scraper or the side of your hand to wipe away excess water. Towel dry if the weather is a little chilly.

The last step in spring cleaning is to trim the hair under your horse’s chin, the hair that grows outside the ears, and the long fetlock hair to give a nice finished look. Leave the long hairs around the eyes, the nose whiskers, the hair in the ears, and the coronet bland.

Then stand back and admire your work, because as soon as your squeaky clean horse gets a chance, she’s going go for a good roll.