Cold weather baths

[luckycricket123]

How cold is too cold for a hot water bath? My wash stall is outside, but I have access to hot water and a heated barn and coolers for them to finish drying.

I’m looking to give baths the first week of November and where I am it is expected to be around 50’s, which doesn’t strike me as unreasonable with hot water as long as its not super windy. However, its still 2 weeks out and forecasts change, so looking for guidance.

Both horses are good weights (read: chubby). One has a thick fluffy coat already, the other’s a bit more sleek.

[Xanthoria]

I would just exercise the so they’re sweaty first, then bathe them quickly, doing the front half first, putting a fleece cooler over the shoulders/neck, then bathing the back half. Pop in a stall with some hay. Wrap up in cooler and some other blankets until dry.

[Training_Cupid]

I wouldn’t unless I had a good reason, like a show or before clipping, but it should be fine. Scrape the horse quick and throw a cooler on.

[Bluey]

When we bathed in the winter, we would put them in their stall, cover them with a sheet and stuff handful of straw from their bedding under there.
They dried in about 1/2 hour.

[4LeafCloverFarm]

I had a Morgan that was part pig. Every winter, when it would warm the slightest bit and the snow would start to melt a bit, he’d wallow in the mud near the trough and gate. And damned if he wouldn’t poop in the mud first, for good measure. He’d stink to high heaven. So I’d spray and curry him, scrape twice, bring in the barn, rub him really well with a towel, put blanket on the back half of him, plug in my big honking Conair hairdryer and blow him dry. Then I’d move the blanket to the front half and blow dry the rear.

He seemed to really like the fuss I made. And I think he did it on purpose! :lol:

[poltroon]

I haven’t tried it on a horse yet, but they sell animal blow dryers specifically for livestock and for dogs. The dog ones are quite a bit less, so we bought one for our daughter’s sheep. It’s slow going compared to the really big livestock blowers, but it also doesn’t draw as many amps and blow fuses. You can separately adjust heat and air velocity. Can be purchased in many places; this is the one she has: http://www.flyingpiggrooming.com/fly…er-p/fp1pr.htm

But, a fleece or wool cooler can work pretty well on a horse too if you have warm water to work with, the coat is clipped/short, and don’t have a cold blowy wind.

[Palm_Beach]

50s is fine.

[Magicboy]

If the horse was out in the rain, nobody would take a hair dryer to him! Your plan sounds fine.

[poltroon]

@Magicboy

If the horse was out in the rain, nobody would take a hair dryer to him! Your plan sounds fine.

True, but a horse that has been rained on usually is not cleaner for the experience!

[betsyk]

@Magicboy

If the horse was out in the rain, nobody would take a hair dryer to him! Your plan sounds fine.

However, if they get soaked to the skin in the rain at 50 degrees, they will often shiver. I think soaking them to the skin deliberately and over their whole body for a bath is different from turning tail to the rain, most of the time.

OP, is it important to do the entire body or can you get away with legs and tail? are you clipping or going someplace important with a gray horse? Mine would hate baths at 50 degrees, even with hot water and wool coolers, but they aren’t crazy about baths when it’s less than 80 degrees. They are definitely not show horses.

[Alibhai_s_Alibar]

Yes, I’ve bathed under those conditions when it’s needed. I’d also suggest layering two coolers if you have two. I think two layers of coolers helps the horse dry faster and pulls the water away from the body.

[StormyDay]

I have bathed down to 30 degrees. I usually do the body, cover with a cooler than do the legs and head. Towel dry, cover with honeycomb cooler, put normal blanket over the top and come back 30 min later and horse is dry. My horses are clipped though, I wouldn’t bathe the long haired ones under 40f because I would be afraid the hair wouldn’t dry fast enough.

[Amy3996]

I do clinics and shows throughout the winter, so bathing is a necessary evil. Fortunately, our barn is well-insulated and has an indoor wash stall with warm water. I can close the barn doors to prevent any drafts and it stays pretty warm. I try to have everything ready to go so I can bathe quickly, scrape him off, towel dry and get a fleece cooler on him as efficiently as possible. Like others have said, I’ll do his body first, throw a cooler on him and then work on scrubbing his four white socks, so he’s not standing around getting chilled. When we’re done, I’ll throw him in his stall with a flake or two of loose hay (he usually gets a slow feeder net), so he can eat freely to help keep him warm while he dries off the rest of the way. Then I blanket him as usual.

[luckycricket123]

@betsyk

However, if they get soaked to the skin in the rain at 50 degrees, they will often shiver. I think soaking them to the skin deliberately and over their whole body for a bath is different from turning tail to the rain, most of the time.

OP, is it important to do the entire body or can you get away with legs and tail? are you clipping or going someplace important with a gray horse? Mine would hate baths at 50 degrees, even with hot water and wool coolers, but they aren’t crazy about baths when it’s less than 80 degrees. They are definitely not show horses.

Yeah, it’s pretty much our only meaningful event of the year. I’d like to give them baths if the weather allows it. Both horses are pretty tolerant of baths any temps I’ve done so far, but I also don’t give baths when its cold out. Last year I did not have hot water, and gave them cold baths on a warm sunny day in the 60’s for this event. They weren’t bothered by it, but I did make it quick.

We’re getting a little closer to my departure date and weather is saying high 50’s the day I’m looking at, so I don’t foresee a problem. Good to have everyone’s tips for drying them off quickly though!

[Amber_M]

@4LeafCloverFarm

I had a Morgan that was part pig. Every winter, when it would warm the slightest bit and the snow would start to melt a bit, he’d wallow in the mud near the trough and gate. And damned if he wouldn’t poop in the mud first, for good measure. He’d stink to high heaven. So I’d spray and curry him, scrape twice, bring in the barn, rub him really well with a towel, put blanket on the back half of him, plug in my big honking Conair hairdryer and blow him dry. Then I’d move the blanket to the front half and blow dry the rear.

He seemed to really like the fuss I made. And I think he did it on purpose! :lol:

Spa day! :lol:

[4LeafCloverFarm]

@Amber_M

Spa day! :lol:

:winkgrin: Yep! That’s it.

[soloudinhere]

I don’t give it too much thought, but I pop on a wiksmart cooler (which also covers their chest) and I have an infrared heater in the ceiling of my grooming stall that I turn on so they aren’t cold until they dry.

[Sansena]

If you have an Electrogroom horse vac, you can move the hose from the top of the machine to the exhaust pipe and use the (eventually) warm air to dry them. Instead of a hair dryer.

The technique Bluey is referring to is called thatching. Us old barn hags used it a lot back in the day.

[Anna.m]

When its really cold I will hot towel my horse if they aren’t too filthy. Using hot water, a little baby oil and a bunch of rags you clean them with the steam rather then soaking them. And then cover with 1-2 coolers depending on how wet and cold it is.

[eqsiu]

With hot water, a heated barn, and coolers 50 degrees should be fine.

Though I’ve seen people bath in unheated barns with cold hose water in the 30s, I don’t recommend that…