Hi everybody!
It’s the Chronicle intern Katie!
I’m doing some research about how to keep your horse clean and show ring ready in the winter, so I was wondering:
What do you do to keep your horses clean and show ready when its far too cold to bathe? Do you have a favorite product(s) that you use: i.e. a dry shampoo, Miracle Groom, etc.?
Does anyone do hot toweling in the winter?
Do you body clip/blanket in any special way?
No special products, just good grooming. Horse stays body clipped and blanketed in winter. Daily grooming including vacuuming keeps him clean under his blanket. After riding his legs are washed and towel dried. I also make sure his tail is washed as needed to keep dirt clots and tangles out.
Body clip approximately every three weeks. touch up legs and face pretty much weekly.
Heavy turnout blankets in stalls.
Daily grooming with lots of currying with rubber mitt, especially legs.
I do not bath other than to clip, including legs. The legs/hooves especially I want to remain as dry/oily as possible.
Hot towel spot cleaning as needed.
Dry towels to finish after grooming.
Show sheen in tails once a week or so.
50/50 alcohol water mixture to clean off sweat marks
Well, I live in south FL now so its rarely ever too cold for a bath or at least spot cleaning. But when I lived in IL, it was all about keeping them clipped, and thoroughly groomed. Grey horses would get spot treatment on manure stains (Cowboy Magic Green Spot Remover and I think they used to have some kind of shampoo spray…not sure if they make it anymore though), but I always felt that, as long as they were clipped throughout the winter and groomed daily, they never got unmanageably dirty…except for maybe that one later-winter/early-spring semi-thaw where they’d find the nearest mud puddle and go for a dunk…
I keep horses that are showing in the winter months body clipped, and then blanket with a blanket and attached neck cover. Attention to blanket style and fit, or the use of a stretchy nylon shoulder protector will prevent blanket rubs on shoulders. Although the horse may be “clean” under the blanket, I still use a curry comb religiously to lift dandruff, spread natural oils, and to massage muscles. Then–and here’s the mainstay of my winter grooming regimen–I use a powerful grooming vacuum to lift out dust and dandruff from the fur.
As far as hot towels–I use hot towels on the head and face to get them clean. I might also use them as part of getting a stain lifted, or if the horse has a spot where the fur is laying funny from being slept on.
Products: I do wash tails in the winter, I use Head and Shoulders shampoo to keep dandruff down and and I use an extra liberal amount of Cowboy Magic Detangler. Head and Shoulders is also gentle and non drying and will help get dandruff out of the horse’s coat on their body as well.
Socks also get washed as usual before a show and are sprayed with Sheen to keep them cleaner. If a horse has sensitive skin and is prone to skin issues (scratches) on their white socks, I rub desitin liberally into the socks/pastern area when the legs are clean and dry. They will look dirty until your next show, but when you wash it out, it comes out easily, leaving clean fur with healthy skin and no scabs or irritation.
Winter or summer, there’s no substitute for these things:
ETA: I also keep Miracle Groom and extra clean rags at hand for quick removal of a stain or dirty spot that I missed.
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