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Bathing during the winter?

4K views 14 replies 13 participants last post by  waresbear 
#1 ·
I don't know how to go about getting my horse cleaned up. It's cold outside these days and my pony seriously needs cleaned up.
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#2 ·
Unless there is a reason to have them spit shined (ie showing) I find it easy to keep them looking good through the winter with some good ol' fashioned elbow grease grooming. We actually don't bathe much at all, even when it's warm. Is there specific areas that are extra dirty on your pony or types of dirtiness that are a concern to you?
 
#11 ·
You could try using Miracle Groom if the horse is not caked in mud. I've used it to clean my horse's coat before.
Yes to Miracle Groom. I am a big fan of feeding properly and proper grooming to get the coat to shine and lay down nicely but sometimes ya gotta cheat! Long winter coats are hard to keep clean and neat but this stuff does a good job of getting rid of poop stains and detangles a mane and tail without making it slippery or oily. Sheets/blankets keep your hard work to a minimum, too. :)
 
#7 ·
Now, where my horses live out and I don't have hot water in my barn, I wouldn't dream of bathing them.

Previously where I was at a fully equipped livery yard, I would choose a sunny day, bathe them using the hot water shower (in halves with the other half covered with a fleece if necessary), then towel dry, then stand under the heat lamp (yes - it was a fully equipped yard!), then put a dry cooler/fleece/stable rug on and feed lots of hay. Later at horsey lights out time my YO would take the coolers off and put on normal dry overnight stable rug.
 
#9 ·
Lots and lots of brushing. I start with a rubber Grooma Groomer or other rubber curry. Working it in circles to bring up the dirt. Brush with a stiff brush then do the Groomer again until no more dust rises. It just takes time and you have to contend with a not so clean horse in the winter. Just get the saddle area as clean as you can and don't worry about the rest. If I get ambitious I will use a waterless shampoo that I also use on my dogs. It's very dry here so dust is available in abundance. It seems sometimes it is never ending on horse butts. Of course all of mine love a dust bath :lol
 
#13 ·
I have found that if I let the mud dry I can take a rubber curry comb to knock off the worst of it. Then I fire up my shop-vac with the round rubber brush attachment and go to town. I've never found a horse that didn't enjoy it once they got past the noise issues. And all that takes is time and training. :)
 
#15 ·
If your horse is outside and unblanketed, don't bathe him! That grayish looking danderuff stuff is what makes him waterproof and keeps him warm in the winter. You can brush & towel him down, vacuum even as none of that can remove enough of it to make a difference, but don't wash it off.
 
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