Sun-bleaching question

[Dutchmare433]

So my horse is prone to sun bleaching. Fly sheet isn’t an option, as it will be forcefully removed by said horse.

He is generally, super duper shiny with a nice, soft coat. At the moment he is bleached out and icky looking…aside from his head which is covered in a fly mask, belly, and legs… i.e. the parts that don’t get a ton of sun. I managed to keep him looking pretty good until a few weeks ago when I went on vacation during a heat wave. Before that he was getting hosed off every day either after turnout or after a ride.

I got a question about it at a recent clinic, hence asking here.

So, I think I’m doing everything right, aside from night turnout.

He eats good quality hay, around 20lbs a day, more in late fall-early spring, 4lbs of Purina Strategy Healthy Edge per day (not my first choice but it’s what barn feeds and it seems to be working OK), and 1/2lb TC30 ration balancer per day. Supplements are MSM, Bioflax, and Vitamin E (about 4,000 IU per day). He’s been on the TC30 for only about a month, so no help for his summer coat this year.

With more hay in the late fall, he’ll get less of the Purina and move up to 1 lb of the TC30. I’m thinking the copper and zinc in the TC30 will help his coat next year (and the winter coat, but that doesn’t need any help).

So, am I right in thinking that he’s fine, just in need of more copper/zinc and/or is just prone to sun bleaching? His weight and energy are good, no other sign of poor health.

[silverdog]

My horse comes from a farm where all the horses are icky looking in the summer. He gets a glorious coat in the winter and sheds to a lovely reddish brown in the spring. Then he looks brown and tan blotchy all summer. His blotchy faded coat is soft and shiny after I groom him. He gets a forage based diet and some fat added to his night time meal. I used to worry about it. Could not care less any more…just how he is. His copper colored tail is just part of how he is too. Some horses just more prone than others I think.

[findeight]

The hair is deteriorating in quality in preparation for shedding as the days are starting to grow shorter. I noticed many years ago most horses get a bit of a dull coat this time of year, all of mine sure have and regardless of temperature and diet, Natures signal things are changing.

You can’t feed to prevent sunbleaching any more then you can take anything to prevent sunburn. All you can do cover up or stay out of the sun. Save your money.

[HunterMarc]

Sun bleaching is going to happen unless your horse is inside during the day and out at night. Some horses bleach a lot easier than others. My guy was bleached already by mid June. He is a bay and almost looks like a buckskin. Wears a fly mask and I have gone back and forth on the fly sheet multiple times. Personally I think they get too hot, or some horses do at least. He is on a good diet, good weight and nothing you can really do about it in my opinion.

[tazycat]

Faded out sun bleached coats are just part of summer time my black horse is now brownish looking. Palomino is gotten real light yellow color. It’s just the way it is coats look like crap and feet are chipping up,all cosmetic.

[kashmere]

Add my mare to the “looks kind of icky” club this time of year. She would probably kill me if I kept her inside, and she would sweat to death wearing a sheet (plus we get BIG horseflies that seem to have a knack for getting trapper under sheets).

She she just looks kinda faded and splotchy and blah. Still pretty to me

[JB]

Yes, copper and zinc. It’s not too late to start now, to affect the Winter coat. But start sooner rather than later. Take a picture of him now, and again this time next year, and compare, after 2 changes of coat with the added cu/zn

You absolutely can feed to reduce bleaching. Not (always) prevent, but for sure it can be reduced in most cases. Color and its quality comes from melanin. Melanin requires copper. The darker the color, the more melanin and therefore the more copper required. That’s why more darker bays, browns, and blacks, and the liver chestnuts, tend to fade more than lighter bays/browns and chestnuts.

Insufficient copper means less color richness and quality, which equals easier and more bleaching.

None of my 4 horses’ coats look rough or dull, and they are out 23x7. A bit faded? Absolutely. But they still shine and are smooth. It’s only been a month since the Summer solstice, and while days are shorter, they aren’t dramatically shorter, and while new coat production has started, it’s not in full gear, and neither is shedding. There’s no reason, barring nutritional deficiencies or health issues, for coats to look rough right now. Aug and Sept can start looking rougher as the old coat is letting go and not getting the full benefits of the body oils.

The same goes for the Winter coats. There’s no reason a horse shouldn’t have a shiny shaggy Winter coat in Jan.

[Marla_100]

I found the secret to keeping coats from fading…feed Alfalfa Hay. I worked on a breeding farm that had all colors of horses that stayed shiny and dark all year, even the black ones. Coincidently, they fed large bales of alfalfa hay in the
paddocks. After awhile, they decided to tighten up the huge feed bill and went to mixed grass hay, still good quality but
no alfalfa. Black and bay horses started fading just like normal horses. Watched the process over a 3 yr. period.

My black mare used to fade so bad, she was a buckskin by July-Aug. every year. Magically after adding alfalfa hay,
she stays jet black all year. I’m telling you it works. even my palomino does not fade-at all.

[JB]

If only many of us could feed enough alfalfa lol

[WNT]

Sweat and fly spray are also incredibly bleaching. Even fly sprays that claim to have sunscreen don’t protect the coat, in my experience.

As usual, my pasture kept TB shed out to his beautiful mahogany coat for about two weeks before it got disgustingly hot here, and as soon as he got regularly sweaty he faded promptly to yellowish. His feet are in great shape, and he’s a shiny yellow after a thorough grooming. I don’t stress about it any more. Even when he was on a copper and zinc-heavy hoof supplement the only thing that kept him from fading was staying in during the day.

[TWH_Girl]

@kashmere

Add my mare to the “looks kind of icky” club this time of year. She would probably kill me if I kept her inside, and she would sweat to death wearing a sheet (plus we get BIG horseflies that seem to have a knack for getting trapper under sheets).

She she just looks kinda faded and splotchy and blah. Still pretty to me

My guy fades too and Black as Knight did not work for him, lol. I agree that they are still pretty to us. Being faded never stopped him from giving me a great ride or a blue ribbon

[Absolut_Equestrian]

After moving to Southern California (hello constant sunshine!) I was dismayed at how much my horse’s coat bleached. I don’t think you can do anything once that season’s coat is bleached, but I was determined to prevent it for the next season. I changed two things:

1.) Started feeding Glanzen GL (Flax based, and includes Copper and Zinc)
2.) After daily hosing following our morning ride, I spray body lightly with Healthy Haircare’s Sunflower SunCoat (contains sunscreen)

He has an in/out stall, and spends most of the day out in the sun. Here are pictures from the last season and this season. It’s almost August, and I don’t think any bleaching is happening this year. :yes: “https://tinyurl.com/y7lcthct”>