I recommend duns as easy to keep looking as though they are clean – red or dark or grulla, or one of the medium to dark buckskins. Compared to black or bay horses, they don’t seem to show as much fading from the sun during the summer (or at least, it doesn’t show up as a noticeably sun-burnt coat), either.
I had a Paint mare with a ton of white that I swear was made of Teflon. Even when the mud was deep, she never seemed to get dirty (other than peeing on her rear white stockings). But the very light gray pony that I got at the same time was into mud. If there was dirt anywhere in the corral or pasture, he’d find it and wear it. I always said he was a pinto wannabe. Since I don’t show, I never worried about getting the stains off–just got the dirt off so I could harness him.
They both had pink noses due to blazes (his blaze was invisible unless he was shedding, due to his color). When we lived in Colorado, where UV is a big problem, their noses never burned. I eventually moved the pony to South Carolina, and his nose burned badly if he didn’t have sunscreen on. Both places get about the same amount of sunshine, but Colorado’s elevation is supposed to result in more of a sunburn problem, not less.
Once I moved the pony to South Carolina, I never saw another stain on his coat because of the sandy soil. Dirt, even when wet, would just brush off.
The pony had melanomas, but they never caused a problem and actually got a little smaller when he got to be very old. They were pretty minimal by the time he died.
Rebecca
I have a gray mare now, had a bay mare before. I don’t think their own individual levels of fastidiousness were all that different, but, as others have said, you just see the past two day history of every place the horse has rolled, slept, kicked up mud, etc, much better on a gray.
Overall, I just deal with it and since I don’t show or clinic all that much, I try to ignore the stains that are really embedded.
The only aspect of having a bay horse that I really miss is how easy it is to make them gleam in the sun, at least in the summer.
One benefit of light colored horses is that they are easy to find in the dark. It’s nice for us humans, but the downside is that it’s easier for predators, too. I never had a predator problem, and it was nice being able to look out the window and see what my light gray guy was doing at night.
Rebecca
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Thanks everyone! I am still working on my husband that adding a second equine would be right for us. Multi colored is not his favorite look and since she is supposed to be for him it is a work in progress. The one thing I did fail to mention is the equine in question is a mini… I know they are much less to keep clean sq ft wise but my back isn’t great so having to bend and scrub is worse for me than getting to stand straight up and scrub a full size horse.
I’m heartened to see all these posts from palamino owners. I have always been super anti-grey because of the cleaning and then ended up falling for a light palamino. He’s often quite poopy on his right side (sleeping side) but hopefully it will be more manageable with a summer coat. For now I’m just accepting the patchy manure stained polar bear look.
@quietann She is lovely! That is a nice dark palomino and I can see how the mud would disappear! Unfortunately the little one I have my eye on is one of those really light colored ones and then you add the white patches… Oh well we will see how it all shakes out in the end.
Ugh. Like the OP my horse is way way lighter than yours with almost no contrast between his mane and body. On the plus side he really enjoys attention and being groomed.
I have two greys and two bays. They all get dirty. The only time you need to be spotless is for a clinic/show/lesson -
and in that situation, you’re going to bathe your horse no matter what color it is anyway.
When my bay mares take dust baths, currying them brings up swatches of dusty gray streaks - I end up currying/brushing and currying and brushing them just as much. In summer they get a nice cool shower after their rides and this keeps them all fairly clean. They roll, of course - and the greys look hilariously dirty - but as they dry the dirt literally falls off, and they look fairly clean once they are dry…
Horses don’t have to be stainless for every ride. If you don’t worry about it, it doesn’t matter.
Unless you are showing … what does it matter if your horse has manure stains?
Most days, I just make sure they are brushed off and clean where the saddle goes, and the rest really doesn’t matter too much.
I currently have a black, a red roan, and grey (who is still grey, but it slowly getting lighter). But I did have a WHITE (yeah, okay technically grey) horse for a summer. Yup, he was a pain to get cleaned up to show, but boy he was a looker when he was cleaned up for show!
To me, the color of the horse does not matter. If I am looking for a particular horse for a particular job, my focus is on if the horse can do what I am looking for.
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Your Palomino is adorable! Miracle Groom Bath in a Bottle is very handy; spray on, rub in, and rub some more; repeat as necessary. Works on manes and tails too. Great for spot cleaning. Showsheen works surprisingly well too but does leave a slick finish. Rubbing alcohol is great for getting green grass or manure stains and other rub marks like black trailer pad marks, out of light coats, in a pinch. Again, wet the coat and rub dry. Baby powder is great to further whiten and even out white spots, manes and tails, once everything has dried. I’ve been burned by purple shampoos. Those are great where you can completely rinse them out, but otherwise can leave a purple tint. If you’re like me where I don’t have hot water at the barn, using purple shampoos in the winter is a no go.
The Roux Silver hair rinse is a great additive to the grooming kit for white manes and tails. Head and Shoulders shampoo also does a great job of really cleaning horses with white.
Truth. I’m only referring to clean up if you’re going to lesson, clinic or show/event. I don’t worry about mud/grass/manure stains if I’m just riding at home or going trail riding.
I have 2 light colored horses . 1 white coat /spots appaloosa . 1 grey varnish roan appaloosa. Both are clean 99% of the time. I had darker horses that were 100 times dirtier.
I love flashy horses and usually with some elbow grease any satins fade quickly.
Try to visit him when you aren’t expected and see how clean he is 
A client has a true white horse: had she realized how much extra care it would require, she likely would not have bought her. Not only does annoy the owner to have her horse “dingy”, the risk of sunburn everywhere on her body (she is pink skinned) means she has to be covered on sunny days. This is also the case with a loud pinto at the barn: he has a lot of white in unfortunate places, and can get sunburn where the saddle goes, so also needs to be kept covered.
Honestly? When I was shopping, I tried to avoid loud pintos, because I do not like the extra risk of sunburn, and I avoided grey because of the risk of melanomas. My Bay and chestnut don’t need to be full body bathed before shows, which also suites by busy life better than a dirt showing colour. Personal preference.
I’ve got a VERY pale palomino filly (almost white) and she is always green. The other day, her armpits were green. Not sure how she manages it. I’m not showing her, so I just brush her and don’t worry about it. I don’t love her any less :lol:
If you want a clean white horse, you have to have a spotless stable and turnout area. My horse was always pristine, kept in/out and her turnout paddock was mint. Summer pasture and she was rugged and if she gets green on her neck from rolling, or on her hocks, a quick sponge off and she’s clean again. She gets comments on it, but it is easy.
I have a grey. I take pictures after each bath so I can see/remember how she is supposed to look. lol.
The rest of the time I brush off as much dirt as I can. I do spend hours grooming, but I did with darker horses as well.
Blankets and Groomers Goop shampoo.
I can’t wait for the snow to stick this year. It helps keep her clean-er.
Here she is this week. Only a little dirty, lol.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10217733059899414&id=1268207885
Also - grey’s do not have the same sheen to them as darker horses, but if the coat is kept protected from sunlight, is in good slick condition, the dirt does not stick so hard and washes out easier - I feel good nutrition is part of it.
I have a chestnut girl with two white socks. In the summer her socks are usually pretty clean. In mud season not so much. In mud season she is overall just covered in mud. I would generally not turn down a horse that was perfect in every way except for color. My issues would be grays due to melanoma and pink skinned due to living at 4000 feet which would intensify any sunburn problems.
@beau159 I would love to show what ever mini I end up getting but main plan is to take the little one to the bike trail with a cart. That is even more “public” than a show so looking clean is definitely a priority. I am fully in the camp of clean where the saddle goes and call it good in high mud season with my big girl. Having a mini and cart will attract enough attention I want to be sure I am representing the horse world right.
