If you have a horse, odds are you need to groom it. Bathing and grooming are a part of life when you care for a horse. Whether you’re showing or just riding for fun, grooming your horse will help you create a better bond and keep them happy and healthy.
Once you find a good place to tie your horse for a bath, you can get started. Find a place that won’t get muddy with the water. Gravel or concrete pads are the best. Some barns might even have a wash bay that you can use. Make sure to clean up after yourself if you have a shared space for grooming.
Here are some products and tips to keep your horse looking its best.
Every good grooming session will start with a bath. Most people will use a garden hose with an attachment to get this done. If you really want to keep your horse comfortable, you might look into getting a portable water heater. Most horses will be okay with cold water, but especially in the colder months, they will appreciate warm water. You never want to leave a wet horse outside in the cold.
Tankless Water Heater
Whether you are using water from the spigot or a water heater, you will want a hose attachment. This will make a world of a difference when it comes to getting the soap off and getting your horse clean. Find one that shuts off when you’re not using it and has multiple spray options. There are options made especially for grooming a horse. These can be helpful but are not totally necessary. Things like a spray wand or a nozzle with an automatic soap dispenser can help evenly disperse soap and easily rinse it off.
Garden hose attachment
When you’re washing your horse, start by getting them all over wet. You might need to start slow if your horse is not used to being sprayed with water. The shower option on the hose attachment is best for this. Avoid spraying their ears and face directly with the water. You might opt to use a bucket with a sponge to do those more sensitive areas.
After your horse is nice and wet, you can go in with soap. There are endless options for soap to wash your horse. Look through the options to find what works best for you. If you have a white horse, look for a whitening soap. If you have a horse with sensitive or damaged skin, you might look into soap that is medicated. No matter the soap you choose, the goal is a clean shiny horse. You might need to work soap in and wash it out a couple of times to get out all of the dirt. Make sure you rinse out all of the soap or you could dry out your horse’s skin or cause other problems by leaving soap behind.
My favorite soap
When you are lathering the soap, you can use your hands, a brush, or find a mitt that will help you work it in and get all of the dirt and loose hair out. I would recommend either a brush or mitt. You will find a lot of dirt and hair coming off into your hands and it can get messy. With a brush or mitt, you can easily rinse it off and keep going.
Bathing mitt
Don’t forget the mane and tail when working the soap in. Dirt and manure pile up in there too and cleaning it out will help their mane and tail grow long and shiny.
If your horse is out on pasture, their legs and feet might be extra dirty. Use the full or jet option on the hose attachment to help remove the dirt. You can use your glove or mitt to work the rest of it out. If they are especially dirty, you can soak the legs and feet first while you work on the rest of the body.
Once you lather and repeat until there is no longer dirt and hair coming out. Rinse everything off. Like I stated before, make sure you get out all of the soap. Leaving any behind might create irritation for your horse. To remove water, you can use a scraper to squeegee all of it off.
Scraper
Weaver Leather Deluxe Sweat Scraper
contoured plastic sweat scraper
features a curved rubber blade that easily removes sweat and water
Assorted colors. Color shipped to you may vary from photo.
Price: $4.99
Now that your horse’s body is clean, you will want to pick out their feet. Use a hoof pick to get everything out from their hooves. It should be easy to get them clean now that they have been standing in water.
Before you are done with the water, don’t forget to wash the horse’s face. For this, you can fill a bucket and use a sponge to rinse it off. Be gentle around the eyes, but make sure to get any boogers from around them. Their nostrils will often collect dirt, so gently clean those out, too. Soap isn’t always needed on their face, but if you do need to use it, be aware to not get any in their eyes. Move the halter around in order to get underneath it on all sides. You can loosen it a few notches to make this easier.
Now that you’ve washed and rinsed every inch of your horse. What do you do now? While your horse’s body dries, go ahead and brush the mane and tail. If it is knotted, use a detangler to help get through the tangles. With a detangler, a little goes a long way. When you’re brushing their tail, stand off to the side to avoid being kicked. Try not to tug too much on their mane and tail. This could cause them to grow weary of being groomed.
My favorite detangler
Absorbine ShowSheen Detangler Gel for Coat, Mane & Tail, Moroccan Argan Oil, Tackles Toughest Knots on Horses, Dogs & Livestock, 4oz
ARGAN OIL: Advanced detangling and deep conditioning featuring Argan Oil of Morocco
EASILY TAMES: Work out tough knots, tangles, mats, burrs, debris in manes, tails, & coats
NO GREASY RESIDUE: Leaves soft, shiny, and tangle-free for days
Price: $10.97
Mane and tail brush
WAHL Professional Animal Equine Grooming Mane & Tail Horse Brush (#858709-100) – Horse Brushes for Grooming – Horse Grooming Tool – Tail & Mane Horse Brush
Premium Horse Grooming Brush: Wahl's Mane and Tail Horse Brush detangles your horse's mane and tail, making it easy for braiding and show preparation
Designed with a comfortable rubber grip for an enjoyable grooming experience for both you and your horse
With its patented ergonomic design, this horse brush is easy to grip and fits comfortably in the groomer's hand
Price: $8.95
Once you’re done with their mane and tail, their body should be close to dry. Now, you can go in with a soft dry brush and smooth out their hair. Brush with the grain of the hair and revel in the shine.
If you are worried about them getting dirty again, use a horse blanket or sleazy to keep them clean. Many people use tail bags to prevent breakage or to keep dirt out of the tail.
Sleazy
Tail bag
Harrison Howard Stretchy Tail Bag Breathable Horse Tail Guard Slip on Design Protect Horse Tail 2 Strand Closure Straps Keep Tail Clean & Protected 22″ L Tail Bag Length Makes Grooming Easy
Unique & Dynamic Pattern Range: Crafted from a smooth stretch fabric and uniquely designed with a range of vibrant patterns, this tail bag not only wears comfortably, also allows you to better tailor your horse’s overall look.
Breathable: High level of breathability allows healthy airflow while keeping your horse’s tail clean, tangle-free, and lasts in all weather conditions.
Protection Over Tail: Effective way to prevent dirt, manure, or the horse chewing the tail, keeping the tail neat, clean, and off the ground. Let your horse’s tail grow longer.
Price: $9.99
Now you should have a nice clean horse and your horse will be thankful. I like to finish off with some bug spray to keep off the bugs and keep them from having to swish their tails or roll. Happy cleaning!
