Mine get baths before every show and before every body clipping because they clip 10 times easier after a bath than before because the dirt is gone. I would probably say for the older horses who show pretty much week to week, they get bathed once a week and the ones who are showing lightly or not at all probably get bathed 2 times a month. In the winter they are just little dirt balls though, it is to cold to give baths and all they get is a good brushing. I would say my horses would never mind if winter did not go away just so they would not have to get clean, especially my stallion, he hates to be wet whether it be rain or bath water.:lol: To make sure they do not dry out I use healthy haircare brand hair moisturizer on the entire horse, body and all. This cures the drying out problem and the shampoo I use now does not seem to dry them out even if we do not use the moisturizer on them at all. I use the healthy haircare herbal shampoo and on the grey or light colored horses I use the silverado silver shampoo (like white and bright)and it is made by the same company. If you can not tell I am a Healthy Haircare freak...I should be their spokeswoman. LOL
definately before every show. or about once a week, or every other week. in the summer they get hosed off after every ride. the bathing has reduced significantly...
I bathe him like once a month in the summer and spring
but in the winter he wont be bathed now until february or march when he gets clipped because its cold.
We had to give our poor Shiloh a bath once a week this summer. She had skin allergies :-( Normally every 3 weeks to a month during the summer. No baths in the winter when its cold.
We have racehorses so it usually evolves at the very least, sponging them off every day(jogging) or bathing (training). We dont use soaps just warm water. The only time we use soap is at the racetrack after the race and we give them two baths. One with soap and one with rubbing alchohal and epsom salt combined in a large bucket of near hot water (helps with muscles and such).
Usually just to cool them off after a ride or on a hot summer day. Mostly I use a body rinse and sponge. I do shampoo their tails as needed.
I do, however, hose and clean their legs and feet every time they come in from the pasture or arena before they go into their condos. I never leave mud on their fetlocks and hoofs as it can contain bacteria. This way we avoid scratches and other nasty stuff. I get off the excess water with a towel and quickly brush a hoof conditioner which contains a disinfectant in it too.
I have a light grey mare, so she gets a 'real' bath (with shampoo) once or twice a month. I usually end up hosing her off about once or twice a week, and I brush her 5 times a week (every day that I see her).
I'd like to be able to get away with just brushing her, but she's really hard to keep clean so I usually end up having to hose at least part of her off.
It depends on the horse and the time of year. During the warmer months, my friend who owns a bay horse baths about every 2 weeks. I own a grey however and he gets a bath at least once a week during the summer. They get a bath before every show and most of them at our barn are bathed before they are clipped, its easier to clip a bathed horse.
I hose my horse off in the summer and late spring/early fall after every ride (summer mostly) and if he's really hot. Most of the time if they aren't really sweaty a sponge or a good brushing will do.
I bathe mine about twice a year. When I was showing though I'd bathe them before shows but now I don't so it's once or twice a year. I think this past year though due to me being home very little they were only bathed once. I do brush them often though.
I forgot to add...if they get really sweaty from a ride I do hose them off!
I don't show, so they don't really need to be bathed. But in the summer, I'll give them baths every few weeks when I'm bored on a weekend and they're looking extra dirty. Otherwise just a good grooming and sometimes just hosing them off when they're sweaty.
I used to hose down my horse during the summer after hot rides otherwise I don't normally bath them. It's honestly to much work and they end up rolling right after wards so they either have to be 1)either really filthy or 2)going out to a show.
This summer I bathed Vega twice. Once with regular shampoo, another with a color enhancing shampoo.
Gem was bathed once as well, and Montana was once too.
A forum community dedicated to horse owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeding, grooming, reviews, health, behavior, housing, adopting, care, classifieds, and more!