Horse Shampoo

Equine shampoo for mane and tail

Most days, horses can stay clean if their caretakers use normal grooming techniques. Unlike humans, horses don't need to bathe every day. In fact, you only need to get out some equine shampoo if your horse has gotten excessively dirty (extremely muddy or dusty) or it will be participating in a horse show or some other event where you want it look its best.

Cleaning Your Horse

The first step is to find a very grassy spot or pavement where you can tie your horse to a post and not turn the ground into mud.

Follow the directions to combine the recommended amount of water with the amount of shampoo you'll be using. Gently hose the horse from bottom to top until he's wet. Then lather the horse, from bottom to top again, and rise well. Any remaining soap will leave the coat looking dull and grimy – it's best to rinse twice for every lather of soap.

The hardest part will be selecting the best horse shampoo for your animal, because of the variety available. The best guideline is to get a shampoo that is formulated specifically for horses and is gentle enough to maintain the delicate pH balance that keeps a horse's coat and sensitive skin healthy. It's also possible to create homemade horse shampoo, made from simple ingredients like mild dish soap, glycerin and vinegar.

Horse Mane Shampoo

Many horse owners use specially designed shampoo for the horse's mane and tail. This shampoo can be applied just like you would apply conditioner to a human head. Keep in mind that horses typically dislike having their head wet, so shampoo the horse's mane with care, and use less shampoo than you normally would so you don't need to rinse the head area multiple times.

Most specialized horse mane shampoos are designed to promote thicker hair, which helps to prevent split ends and hair breakage during regular horse grooming.

Equine Tick Shampoo

Most horse owners find an occasional flea and tick treatment around the horse's legs will be sufficient in warding away pests, but for those who live in areas with a significant tick problem, it's important to keep your animal's health protected by getting an equine tick shampoo and using it regularly. Grooming is a good time to keep an eye out for ticks, so you know as soon as you have a problem.

When using most of these tick-repelling shampoos, the most important step is to leave the mixture on the horse for a couple minutes (taking care not to let it get dried out) so that it leaves a lasting protection on your horse.