As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, your horse’s hair begins to grow. And as all horse owners know, this always presents us with a unique challenge. We still want to ride regularly and keep our horses in training, but a thick winter coat makes caring for the horses a little more difficult.
Even when the temperatures are cooler, horses sometimes sweat more than in the warmer months because their coat is simply denser and thicker. And even after training, they continue to sweat because the dense hair that is designed to keep warm allows the heat from inside the body to pass through to the outside only with difficulty and with a delay. That’s why the horses don’t cool down quickly. After training, horses need to be brushed thoroughly to remove dirt and sweat. And when we wash them, they take ages to dry. We also don’t want our horse to start to freeze.
The level of difficulty you face depends on how thick your horse’s winter coat is. Some horses grow little additional fur in the winter. Other horses, especially the older they get, develop such a thick winter coat that they begin to resemble mountain goats. Tools such as horse brushes that have been specially developed for winter include a rubber curry comb, a spring curry comb and brushes with coarse bristles. Another great piece of equipment is a thinning brush, which is actually designed for long-haired dogs. All of these winter grooming tools are designed to penetrate thick fur. It is important to groom your horse thoroughly before riding or any other form of exercise. Sweat and dirt beneath the surface can cause skin irritation. Additionally, the cleaner your horse is before training, the easier it will be to clean after training. Pay particular attention to the areas around the ears, under the chin, behind the elbows, in the girth and saddle area. You also need to make sure all equipment is clean. This is the only way you can avoid irritation. Dirt and sweat in the girth area and behind your horse’s elbows (above) can cause painful sores if this area is not thoroughly cleaned before and after training. In addition to cleaning the belt layer using brushes, it is also recommended to clean this area with warm water and a sponge. Use plain water and a thick, absorbent sponge.
Here are some additional tips to help you get your horse clean and looking good through the winter:
1 After thoroughly brushing, wipe your horse’s face with a damp cloth. This removes dust deep in the fur.
2 Spray a damp cloth with Cowboy Magic Super Bodyshine and wipe your horse with it. The Super Bodyshine ™ gets out the dust deep in the fur that the brush couldn’t reach, creates a protective film over the fur and also prevents the hair from becoming statically charged.
3 Spray Super Bodyshine™ into your horse’s tail if it is statically charged.
In the winter months, the goal when brushing your horse after training should be to get him as clean as possible – and with as little water as possible. If it’s not too cold outside and/or you have warm water available to wash it, then do that. Use Cowboy Magic Rose Water Horse Shampoo to remove sweat and dirt from your horse without leaving streaks, without affecting the skin’s natural oils to remove. Follow with Cowboy Magic Rosewater Conditioner to loosen the hair and remove mineral and chemical buildup from the fur. Both products contain panthenol and silk proteins, which nourish and moisturize the skin and give it a shiny coat. Just like their owners, horses get dry skin in the winter! If you have a sweat rug, use that. The sweat blanket helps to transport moisture away from the body. Stand or move your horse in the sunshine until he is dry. If it’s not sunny and warm enough to stay outside, put your horse in the stable in a place where it’s protected from drafts. Drafts would give your horse a cold very quickly. If your horse cools down too quickly after washing, keep him moving and walk around with him. This serves two purposes: It will help repel dust and dirt, making the next cleaning easier. Finally, brush the fur again with a soft brush. If it’s too cold to wash your horse thoroughly after training, or if you don’t have warm water, you can still clean the sweaty areas with a damp sponge. Squeeze out excess water from the sponge and rub vigorously on your horse’s sweaty areas. Don’t put too much water on your horse. Work in small areas and rub them as dry as possibleThen spray it with COWBOY MAGIC ® Super Bodyshine ™ and brush the hair straight.
Another great tool for cleaning your horse before and after training is the Cowboy Magic Greenspot® Remover . Spray a small amount onto the desired area, massage with a damp cloth to activate the ingredients, then repeat with a dry towel to absorb dirt, dead skin and sweat. The Greenspot Remover is an all-natural, non-foaming cleaner. The shea butter makes your horse shine. And of course, if you want to remove crap stains, this product works wonders!
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