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Things to keep in mind when washing your horse
Did you know that horses can overheat ten times faster than humans? That’s because horses have a much higher amount of active muscle mass compared to us, but relatively less surface area available to release heat. So, if your horse has worked hard and is sweating heavily, it has likely accumulated heat within its body. A gentle cooldown can help your four-legged friend regulate its body temperature. However, if the water is too cold, the drastic temperature difference can harm your horse’s tissue.
The right order : How to shampoo
When you take a cold shower, with which part of your body do you start first? It’s probably not the middle of your chest, right? To avoid shocking our hearts—and our horse’s heart—it's best to start washing with the body part farthest from the heart. For a horse, that’s in fact the right hind leg. So, by starting to rinse at the lower part of your horse’s right hind leg, you can help prevent any potential circulatory shock. Dampen the coat so the shampoo spreads easily. You can use a
sponge, a brush with an integrated sponge, a grooming glove, or even your bare hands. To save water (being eco-conscious is key), turn off the hose while lathering. Once the shampoo is well distributed, begin rinsing. When there are no residues left on the coat or skin, use a sweat scraper to remove excess water, and DONE!
Knowing & Grooming Special Areas of The Horse’s Body
When you’re grooming your horse’s mane and tail, try to pull out as few hairs as possible. Tail hair, in particular, grows very slowly, and we don’t want to deprive our horse of its natural fly swatter!
Dampen the mane with water and massage the shampoo in evenly. Once it's well distributed, rinse the shampoo out thoroughly. If you have a large horse and want to avoid sore arms, stand on a secure stool to reach the mane comfortably—but be careful! The stool must be stable to avoid any accidents.
It’s also a good time to wash the tail with shampoo. For white horses, that stubborn yellow tint often won’t come out with just water. If your horse dislikes the hose around its hind legs, you can prepare a bucket with lukewarm water and a dash of shampoo to dip the tail in instead. Lather generously, comb through gently with a soft brush, and rinse thoroughly to remove all shampoo residues.
To elevate your role from personal assistant, groom, food provider, cleaner, and trainer to top stylist, we recommend using a tail and mane spray after washing. This will help detangle any knots easily and make combing smooth, without pulling out clumps of hair.
Hoof Pedicure
A nice hoof pedicure not only justifies spending extra hours at the stables, but it also provides soothing care during dry summer days. To ensure that moisture can go through the hoof barrier, it's recommended to wet the hooves for several minutes. Your best bet for this is a shallow stream where you can stand your horse (and cool yourself, too). For early risers: morning dew on the pastures is actually quite effective! If neither early mornings nor the stream idea appeals to you, simply use a bucket and stand each hoof in it for a few minutes. After the soaking, grab your hoof oil or hoof balm and apply it generously. The prior moistening allows for deeper absorption of the care product.
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The authors
Waldhausen's authors are experts in the equestrian sector and contribute their in-depth knowledge to our texts. Thanks to their own riding experience and expertise, they provide authentic and practice-oriented content based on years of experience. The aim is to support equestrian sports enthusiasts with well-founded and helpful texts that are suitable for both beginners and experienced riders.
Waldhausen Team
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