Tips & Tricks for keeping your horse clean
Written by Bella Francis
Hello Everyone, I’m Bella Francis and I’m lucky enough to be a part of such an amazing team and to be an ambassador for Hampton and Harlow Equestrian. By doing so I hope to encourage many others, I hope to be a good role model for the Equestrian Industry and to help anyone out in need. I would love to share with you all on how to keep your horse clean for competitions or even just at home to help anyone out.
My horse Zip is a Maximum White Chestnut Overo and my Mums horses is a Maximum White Tobero, we also have a Rabicano with Big white socks named Whites. So, Whites and my big girl Queenie the grey, are definitely a thing in our house! You might think we are crazy but… YES!! Washing horses happens very often and it is very needed. So with my own experience in owning horses which are very hard to keep clean, I have almost nailed down the process. Well hopefully….
My top tip would be to not waste a lot of money on fancy expensive brands, as there are other cleaning products which work just as amazing that I think have been kept a secret.
The first part of cleaning Zip that I do is the main and tail, I do this so I can let the products sit and soak in for a better result whilst cleaning the rest of my horse. I will try and wash my horse at the very last minute so I can minimize rolling time, but usually this is not the case, it’s worth a try though!
Then, I love to use a high-pressure hose where you literally can see the dirt rinse out, it doesn’t stop there…. Next, find a good soap which works best for you and your horse. My favourite would be a purple shampoo or even a wool wash which may not typically be used for horses, but plenty have said it is fantastic and leaves their horses smelling amazing.
The biggest task I think is the legs since they are the first to get dirty, so by scrubbing the legs first, then leaving your shampoo to soak in, the results are going to work in your favour. Another trick I recommend is Sard’s Wonder Soap, it is great for socks for removing stains because it honestly works a treat. For Zip’s body I use a diluted solution and a soft brush, I then brush all over Zip’s body making sure not to miss a spot. Don’t forget, the judges love to see if you’ve missed a spot.
Then it is time to rinse out all the hard work you just put in and hopefully you can reveal a clean horse! Don’t waste a minute before getting your horse a clean rug on, even some boots or bandages. Though the best thing for sparkling white socks is a product called Sock-em or any other white powder for horses, this is a life saver ! if I could paint my whole entire horse in it I would, but just stick to the legs, bandage them, then unwrap and brush them off the morning after.
*HINT *HINT I also like to give Zip some food whilst he is drying off, this focuses his mind on food instead of rolling in the mud.
I hope sharing my Tips and Tricks on your horse clean has helped you out
Thank you for taking your time to read my Tips and Tricks
TIME TO GET SCRUBBING!!!
