A friend who shows Arabians told me that other people in her barn (with the trainer’s ok) spray WD-40 on the tails to help untangle them after the tails have been braided and in a tail bag.
She doesn’t use it, and I’ve never heard of using WD-40 on a horse for anything.
So, just wondering…anyone use WD-40 on your horse ?
I’ve “heard” of it but would never do so…not when they are non-toxic and better smelling options. Like Infusium 23 for humans from Wal-Mart. Works great to detangle, smells awesome and makes even the thickest tail soft and easy to manage.
[QUOTE=Mardi;4135876]
A friend who shows Arabians told me that other people in her barn (with the trainer’s ok) spray WD-40 on the tails to help untangle them after the tails have been braided and in a tail bag.
She doesn’t use it, and I’ve never heard of using WD-40 on a horse for anything.
So, just wondering…anyone use WD-40 on your horse ?[/QUOTE]
Heard of it; wouldn’t do it.
G.
With so many products on the market…what could be the benefit ?
one word: chemicals.
no thanks!!
Sure, I’ve used it to detangle manes and tails, and know many others who have. I usually use Show Sheen, though.
Ingredients are quite harmless- one colleague who uses it routinely is a water quality specialist in his ‘real’ life, so he knows from harmful ingredients!
What could be the benefit? Well, usually, when you have an ‘off’ use of a product like this, it’s cheaper than the fancy stuff sold for the specific use.
How many people use DMSO and MSM on their horses? Like WD-40, those were developed for industrial use and have no ‘recommended’ veterinary or medicinal use. Heck, I buy supplements containing MSM for me now!
BTW ‘WD’ stands for water displacement. If you google the stuff you will find the official web site containing history and ways people use it.
I have heard of using it for tails, though I have not personally tried it.
The main ingredient is fish oil…
Water Displacement #40. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a ‘water displacement’ compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that
would hurt you.
Seems to me that it is just thinking out of the box and finding a cheap alternative. Might even seal the hair shaft against yellowing, etc…
So other than being cheaper than Show Sheen, there’s no added benefit ?
Well, now, back in the day, we did use used motor oil for a variety of topical applications on horses. Haven’t done that since my few years in the petroleum industry…there ARE carcinogens (and sometimes radioactivity) in petroleum products…so yeah, I can believe it’s effective on flies and ticks!
[QUOTE=MeggieMoe;4136017]
The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their Atlas missile parts. .[/QUOTE]
I believe the name of the company is CONVAIR. It was a large aviation company in San Diego for many years (my dad was a pilot for them). Then they got into the aerospace business.
Yes, I have
I used it in desperation, as a last-ditch effort to untangle and save a clydesdale stallion’s mess of a tail. It had been neglected for a long time (just the tail - not the horse!) and turned into a combination of bird’s nest/dreadlocks. Literally, nearly the entire tail was one huge ball of massive tangles. And, it was a very, very thick tail, as you can imagine.
I had tried all conventional methods and products with no luck. So, before I cut it off, I figured it was worth a try with the WD-40. And, it worked great!
I sprayed it in liberally and used the standard bottom to top detangling method with a sturdy brush. Although there was some breakage, the tail looked phenomenal afterwards. It took a while (maybe an hour or so of brushing) but it did enable me to get through that mass of hair when none of the other products could.
I immediately washed it out and then did the standard conditioning, show sheen, etc. to maintain it.
I wouldn’t use it for regular amounts of tangles or even winter dreads but if I had a last-ditch situation, I’d use it again.
Best of luck.
A TB farm in my area uses it, and I have since used it.
My gelding worries about the aerosol can behind him, but the tail combs out beautifully.
Gross. With all the other products out there that are NOT petrochemical-based, why would anyone choose something that’s this nasty, polluting and potentially toxic, not to mention FLAMMABLE?
WD-40’s main ingredients, according to U.S. Material Safety Data Sheet information, are:
Fish oil, huh? Hmmm, those are some very strange fish. :lol:
Since the last thread we had on Luster’s Pink Sheen Spray, I have tried it and loved it. And it is not a horse-y product so it too is a money-saver. I got a can for under $5.00. Even my horses that don’t like fly spray have no problem with the quiet aerosol. And it works incredibly well.
So I can pretty much say I won’t resort to WD-40, if only for the smell. Last summer, my Appy developed a huge knot in his tail out on pasture… friend who was coming over to ride him a few times a week said “oh don’t worry about it I’ll work on it”. Next I knew the knot was gone. Found out he had used WD-40 and I had mixed feelings, but mainly I was glad the knot was out and I didn’t have to deal with it!
WD 40 works fine, that is all we had many, many years ago.
Works on tangles and sale barn paint on rumps.
Some of the race colts we got came right off the big end sales, with their number still there.:yes:
Today, we use Vetrolin concentrate detangler, that is really a miracle product, better than anything else we have tried, ever.
use baby oil it last longer and hasnt any nasties in it
haven’t used it on mane and tails but do use it to get pine pitch out of the horses coat. as well as keeping feet free of snow balls in the winter. never had a problem with it. and now will have to try it on tails/. .
now will have to try it on tails
Why? Because someone said they did? 
Many years ago I worked in a barn that used WD-40 (it was an Arab barn)… I stopped using the stuff when I found out how nasty it really is… :dead:… Why save a couple of pennies on that stuff when you can use something designed for the job… I mean really, how often are you de-tangling monster knots?
[QUOTE=deltawave;4136182]
…why would anyone choose something that’s this nasty, polluting and potentially toxic, not to mention FLAMMABLE? [/QUOTE]
That was one of the concerns brought up by a client in the barn (it’s flammable).
I guess if you don’t light a match around the horse…all is well.
So if people have used it on horses’ tails, have they used it on their own hair ?
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