general cleaning

[maggie]

having trouble with shampooing. it is a total mess and very comical. what am i doing wrong? my horse hates it.

[claudia]

make sure you properly restrain the horse or have a strong hand hold him. don't clean too often as the oils will be striped away and the oils are needed on the coat. if you want to clean more often because of sweat and salt, try showering with clear water as to not affect the oils.

[claudia]

just thought of another thing, your horse may be restless if you are cleaning this time of year in the cold. you should wait until much warmer weather to shampoo. if it is absolutely necessary to shampoo, do so with very warm water then stand horse in the sun if possible

[jacksgirl]

be prepared for the job at hand. just like with an infant you need all your supplies readily available. do a quick and thorough job and get an extra set of hands to help you.
here's a tip - we use baby shampoo around the horses face. cleans well, removes sweat and smell but doesn't strip too much oil away. looks great and horse likes it.

[shawnaJ]

Don't forget to follow with a fresh clean stall. I like the idea about baby shampoo. It may be gentle enough that it leave some of the healthy natural oils behind. thanks for the tip

[lenellenlen]

Prepping like you have your new infant in the sink is the best anology for horse shampooing yet. I fan it out around me and walk the horse in between tow hand ready level tables, pointed like a V. It works great.

[patdarb]

What brand/type of shampoo works best in soft water. I have a suds fest! Low foam is what I need!

[frankie]

Its better to just hose down your horse after working them rather than shampooing them often. Shampooing robs the coat of all the natural oils.

I only ever use shampoo after my horse has had a mudbath or before a show :D