MADE IN THE UKStraight Arrow, the team behind Cowboy Magic and Mane n Tail shampoos and other grooming products for horses, shares tips for keeping grey horses spotless:
You ideally need a daily routine for basic cleanliness, and a weekly (or at least biweekly) bath and touch-up system that stops stains from setting.
Daily Routine
To minimise the amount of stain removal you have to do and the energy you have to expend, check for grass stains when he comes in from turnout. Groom your horse daily with a curry comb and brush, finishing off with the towel.
As you curry, use extra elbow grease on any manure, mud or grass stains you find. Especially if his coat is toward the darker end of the “grey” range, that may be enough to get most stains out. But if, after currying, he still has a stain or two, what you do next depends on whether you’ve bathed him within the last couple of weeks.
If you have bathed your horse recently and he’s still clean, put warm water on the stain, apply about a teaspoonful of shampoo (more if the stain is large), scrub the area with your scrub brush (back and forth on the body, up and down on legs), and rinse. But if he’s dirty or hasn’t been bathed in a while, such spot-cleaning will leave him looking streaky; instead, you’ll need to work on the stain as part of a full bath.
Cold-weather modification: Substitute hot toweling for spot cleaning.
Weekly/Biweekly Routine
Ideally, you should bathe your grey horse at least every other week. But if your water is cold, at least shampoo the spots where stains tend to build up: hocks, elbows and tails on most horses. Be careful to scrub the tail all the way down to the roots of the hairs, because when you braid, any lingering dirt will be obvious.
Cold-weather modification: In the very coldest weather, your horse may object strongly to your washing the base of his tail. In that case, concentrate on his legs and the bottom of the tail, where most stains tend to happen.
As a final touch on show (or event) day, after the horse is dry, use spray detangler on his tail.
Horse owners love Cowboy Magic Rosewater Shampoo… it is easy to use and is formulated to Gently dissolve dirt and clean hair. Furthermore, it conditions the hair and skin. In addition, it is easy to rinse. To be used full strength or diluted up to 20 to 1. It works instantly: The fast working ingredients break down dirt and unwanted matter quickly without damaging hair.
READ ALL OUR BLOGS ON SHAMPOO AND BROWSE THE PRODUCT RANGES AVAILABLE TO THE TRADE HERE – HORSE SHAMPOOS. #equine #cowboymagic (Check out consumer grooming tips here too.)
