It’s bath time! After a ride in the hot summer sun, giving your horse a bath will feel great for them - and yourself when the water splashes at you. Here are a few steps of giving your horse the bath they deserve.
Before you even begin the bath, make sure that your horse is tied up with their halter; cross ties are preferable. Once they are all ready to go, make sure that your hose has good water pressure that will be strong enough to get the dirt and sweat out of your horse’s coat. Also, make sure that the temperature is not too hot or too cold.
Once you’ve determined the pressure and temperature, you’re ready to start. Begin spraying close to your horse’s hooves - this is where their frog is located which controls the horse’s temperature. When spraying close to this area first, the horse’s body can adjust easier to the temperature change to avoid shock. Once you sprayed their feet, move on to the top of their neck, spraying downwards. Remember to always spray the water in the direction of their coat.
Once your horse’s body is completely sprayed, you can get their face wet by putting the hose on a very light setting such as a mist, or dampen a washcloth to wipe their face with. A lot of horses also like to play with the water coming out of the hose by drinking it - see if your horse likes this!
If you’re just rinsing your horse off for the day, you can stop here and let them air dry or by walking on the hot walker. If you want to deep clean your horse, proceed with shampoo and conditioner with options of washing their tail and mane. When applying the shampoo and conditioner, be sure to massage it into their coats evenly throughout their body. Be sure to rinse out all of the soap by spraying downwards in the direction of their hair growth. Each horse should get their tail washed once per month and show horses always get their tails put up into tail bags to keep the hair from getting damaged.
Bath time is a great time to grow your bond with your horse. It’s a fun activity that’s perfect for a summer day.
