How often should I bathe my horse?

Question

What if it's cold? My barn doesn't have a water heater.

Answer 1

its better not to bathe your horse when it is cold. if you have a show horse then i would suggest just spot bathing it. when its not cold out, then you can wash your horse everytime you ride afterwards if it builds up a good sweat. remember to wash your horse starting with the feet and working your way up, so that he doesnt go into shock.

Answer 2

It depends on the person (and the horse!). Some people bathe their horse every other week, some, once a year, I know one person who refuses to bathe his horse at all, insisting that it needs to "retain its natural body oils"!

My advice would be to bathe them once every other month. I do this with my horse and he has a pretty, shiny coat.

Also, it doesn't matter if the water is cold. You can still bathe your horse with cold water, as long as its not too cold. If you try to bathe your horse in cold water and he reacts violently, try buying a water heater. It is typically recommended that you have hot water because hot water cleans better, and also kills any bacteria that mey have been in it. (It also akes your horse enjoy bathes more, too! ;)

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Don't bathe your horse if you can help it when its cold... there are oils on the skin that helps his hair act as a blanket.

In the Hot sticky summer months, I wash mane and tail every week so they don't get to itchy, but thats not a problem in the winter. If you have a mare bring warm water from home and clean her udder every week or two.
Otherwise, horse just need good brushings.

Answer 4

i would not bathe during the winter months, because it is to cold for the horse. you can buy a water heater and then you can bathe him/her. the best thing is to ask your local feed store about alternative bathe items. i have horses and i never bathe them during the winter months. during the summer months i bathe once a week. as long as you keep him/her brushed really good you won't have to worry about him/her being dirty bad. but if you want to bathe him/her in the winter then you can use a blower for dogs( what groomers use). good luck

Answer 5

I never liked the dry powders..very messy..but that's only my opinion. As for your question...I would suggest not bathing too often...wet or dry. Your horse has natural oils in their skin that help protect them. Washing frequently can destroy these essential oils and cause skin/hair problems. The best way to clean your horse is with a good scraper, brush, towel and lots of elbow grease.

Answer 6

As little as you have to, if its a show horse its a bit harder but in the cold months its not good for there skin, and can cause many problems. I good stiff brush should take care of any caked on dirt or mud and a softer brush to get the dirt away from the skin will work just fine.....

Answer 7

We just didn't bathe our horses over the winter and never had any problems with not doing so.

Answer 8

YOU CAN GET A DRY POWDER "SHAMPOO" THATS PERFECT IN THE WINTER. WE USED TO BATHE OURS ABOUT ONCE EVERY 6-8 WEEKS. EXCEPT FOR WHEN WE HAD SHOWS.