I’ve only ever used Mane n’ Tail shampoo/conditioner when I’ve bathed my horse. Recently, my trainer said that she used the Gallop Colour Enhancer Shampoo on her horse. I’ve never had experience w/ it, so I looked it up and it seems to get good reviews but it’s more expensive and comes in a smaller bottle than Mane n’ Tail. Have any of you ever used it? While I’m at it, are there any other shampoos you’d recommend?
First I rarely use shampoo on my horse. I give her lots of plain water baths in summer but rarely use a soap or shampoo as I think it strips the oils. She is super shiny in summer.
I do keep very cheap human shampoo around in case I need it and I dilute it. Also conditioner. I use more conditioner actually as I will just wash a cleanish tail in dollar store conditioner.
The exception is grey horses going to a show. Then I use a generous amount of the purple shampoos that brighten up white
Also for serious poopy tail after diarrhea the only thing I’ve found that works is Dawn dish soap. Blue original Dawn.
So no opinion on the horse shampoo. It’s all vastly over priced.
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I agree about using Dawn for a poopy tail. I have a palomino who has digestive issues, so I have used pretty much everything under the sun to get that tail clean.
As far as body shampoos go, I love Equiderma shampoo. It cleans well and rinses really easily. They also make a conditioner, which I haven’t used yet, but I will. I’m currently using Mane & Tail conditioner and it’s okay, but I don’t see anything special about it. I have used most of the Equiderma products and I really like them, so I expect I will like their conditioner as well.
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I know plenty of people who just use human Suave shampoo. Personally I don’t bathe much but usually use Vetrolin shampoo. I think there are plenty of products out there that do a fine job. I’ve never found one to be super outstanding over the others.
I do like @Scribbler , use whatever human shampoo I tried for myself & did not like.
Same for conditioner, any horse expo or tack swap that has samples I’ll grab a few.
And last time I bathed a horse was the mini last August to show at Fair.
Otherwise sweat gets hosed off in hot weather.
Diet - specifically BOSS - keeps my 3 shiny year-round, not my Mad Grooming Skillz :rolleyes:
For my chestnut I mostly use V05 or Suave when it is on sale- both shampoo and conditioner. I personally never cared for Mane and Tail. For my grey/white pinto I used human purple shampoo and purple conditioner- the kind for grey haired ladies. I would buy big containers at Sally’s Beauty. They sell Mane & Tail too.
My absolute favorite is Lucky Braids, Cowboy magic is right behind. I think it really comes down to personal preference. I know lots of people that just use diluted dish soap and it works great. I just really love the smell of Lucky Braids!
I love the vetrolin shampoo! It’s an awesome two in one liniment and shampoo. I also love Quic Silver for socks and grey horses.
I like whatever I can get at the Dollar store. As long as it looks like it moisturizes, I’m happy. When I was bathing more horses, I liked whatever I could buy by the gallon at the Beauty Stores- like Sally Beauty.
Truly, it is ridiculous the mark up on something, just because it is for a horse.
I DO like QuikSilver. It is great for socks, or if you have a grey or a pinto.
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I use medicated shampoo on my horse with environmental allergies.
i use Aloedine shampoo on the other horse.
I used to use Vetrolin on some of the horses until I discovered how well it works on my hair AND slowed down my hair loss by a good amount. It is expensive, so I save it for myself these days:)
I rarely shampoo other than tails and occasionally manes, but for that I quite like Lucky Braids. A little goes a long way so I still have the same bottle I bought several years ago. If I bathed more I probably would use human shampoo because anything for horses is overpriced.
For tail spray (conditioner/detangler) I use Infusium 23 leave-in conditioner. It works just as well as Canter Silk but costs much less.
Oh and for skin crud or minor rainrot type things, I found Head and Shoulders or a generic zinc dandruff shampoo works really well followed up by a zinc based diaper rash cream like Desitin.
And yes, feed helps shine! I feed a cup of whole flax daily in maresy’s mash. The wash water beads off her coat in summer and in winter on a field she looks wet but actually has a dry insulating layer next to her skin. She grows her own turnout blankets basically.
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I like the Lucky Braids shampoo because it rinses out easily. Yes, it’s pricey, but I don’t give a lot of baths so one bottle lasts a long time. I also use the purple shampoo for white socks. I’m not opposed to using Dawn or shampoos for people. They’re just not my favorites. I’ve never been a fan of Mane and Tail, but you should use what you like. Be open to trying different things though. You may like them better.
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Infusium 23 all the way. I dilute it about half and half with water and it still works great.
Agree with everyone who uses human shampoo. I am blessed with a gray mare. She gets a bath with Hibitane or Betadine scrub in spring after blanket season and usually doesn’t need much in the way of shampoo wash during the summer. She gets a purple bath for shows or special events only. For her tail, though, I use any purple shampoo on sale followed by a leave in conditioner from a discount store (Winners or Marshall’s). That seems to repel a certain amount of grunge. I don’t use special horse shampoo otherwise.
Vetrolin shampoo is my favorite horsey shampoo. As kids we always loved Suave’s super cheap shampoos and conditioners, they work great and they’re super cheap. We also use things like dawn when we’re dealing with crusties or anything like that. I recently bought a grey and he’s still 4 and very dark but god help me in the future I’m going to have to invest in stock for whitening shampoo. You can find bluing shampoo in the drug store too so I’m not picky about that either.
Also dilute vinegar is a great whitener, could be used on a tail.
I’ve always been a coconut suave with conditioner person for my horses and dogs, til my black and white pup’s breeder introduced me to color enhancing shampoo. Now I’m a believer in Vetrolin color enhancing shampoo - white and bright, maybe? It’s blue. Smells great. And good for dogs and horses. 
Agreed that the less you shampoo the better.
That being said, you didn’t post to ask about shampooing frequency. 
You were searching for shampoo feedback and reviews.
The smell and texture of the gallop shampoo is lovely. It rinses out very nicely. It happens to be the shampoo I prefer … and that small bottle is going on it’s third year. So yes, try it, pay the $2 or so more and see if you like it. I did! I didn’t notice any more magical colouring properties but my black horse still were, and are, still black. Lol
Ditto on use Suave. Cheap and does the job nicely.
Their conditioner is also good to assist in main and tail maintenance and de-tangling.
We tend to bath horses once or twice year (for the two major events we tend to go to each year). Shampoo removes the protective oils from the coat meaning after you remove the natural oils you have to replace with some artificial product. I’ve never completely understood the logic and/or utility of that.
G.
I am an Orvus gal; have been for many years. I don’t shampoo often, maybe three or four times over the course of the summer, but when I do, I use Orvus. A little goes a long, long way.
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