There is a barn in my area that is a national level/winning AQHA barn for 20 years running. They use the cheap Suave shampoo & conditioner on all the horses, year round. The owner/trainer says the price of the horse labeled stuff is ridiculous. 😊
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I am happy to send you samples of the UltraCruz Equine Shampoo and Conditioner. Just send me a PM.
https://www.scahealth.com/browse/UltraCruz-Equine-Grooming/_/N-1hitas9
I use whatever human shampoo I bought for myself and decided I didn’t like (smell, texture, lather, etc.). For conditioner, I buy cheap large bottle that looks hydrating at the grocery store. I bathe maybe 3x a year but even at barns where I washed a ton of horses, I couldn’t tell the difference between products.
I was never a huge fan of Mane N Tail but they recently came out with a new line called Ultimate Gloss and it is the bomb! I have a customer who works for Straight Arrow and they’ve acquired Cowboy Magic and Exhibitor in the last few years. I like them all and use them almost exclusively. The Cowboy Magic Rosewater like is also a favorite of mine!
However, when I make a soapy bath bucket for dipping scrub brushes in and sponges I put just a dollop of dawn in.
Cowboy Magic Rosewater just for smell. I have never owned or bathed a grey
I love the suggestion of Dawn for a poopy tail; I will get some of that. I’m not very picky about the shampoo otherwise, and will pretty much use whatever I have lying about. However, I love Mane 'n Tail conditioner and don’t use anything else and haven’t for a few decades. I find that after I condition with it and then add some sort of product like Show Sheen, the tail is good for a long time.
I’m also an Orvus person. I grew up at a paint barn and they used Orvus religiously and I’ve never seen whiter white on horses in my life.
I definitely use a lot of Suave conditioner after firebombombing my grey’s tail with Dawn or Orvus.
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If I want actual shampoo, I use Eqyss Microtek. They have both a medicated and non-medicated version that are fabulous.
If they’re having skin issues, the greatest thing is Cavalor Hygenic Wash. It isn’t technically a shampoo and doesn’t dry the skin, so you can use it more frequently. [h=3][/h]
I bought a giant gallon of the E3 Tea Tree Shampoo. A little bit goes away and I don’t bath often, so I will still be using it in 5 years.
For conditioner, I typically use Cantu in the Ethnic section or whatever I get cheap at the store.
I go to Costco and just buy a large container of conditioner for the tail. Since I have a palomino I still buy Quicksilver to keep mane/tail white, unless someone has a better suggestion. 
Sounds like I might just use human stuff on my boy! I don’t really bathe my horse unless it’s before a show/event/clinic etc. and when it’s really hot I just hose him down :). It’s been nice here though, so I might just test a little bit of my stuff on him so that if he reacts negatively it won’t be all over him.
I personally really like the way the Color Enhancing Gallop shampoo works on my palomino! I’m convinced it helps brighten his coat to the perfect shade of gold. It smells great, doesn’t irritate his skin and rinses out well- plus a little goes a long way! I have friends that also swear by the palomino-chestnut / black / bay formulas as well!
I do use a whitening shampoo on his mane / tail / sock though- usually whichever one was on sale and then heavily spray on a leave in conditioner to keep his tail extra soft.
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Huge fan of EQyss premiere shampoo. Does not strip oil, rinses clean, smells great and my horse’s coat is the shiniest in the barn! I wont touch M&T again.
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By far, the best stuff on the market! I just came back from the NRCHA World show and they had the Ultra Cruz products complimentary in the wash racks. My horse has never been so sleek and shiny! I will never use anything else. The price point is excellent as well.
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