# How often do you wash your horse?



## Orangehorse (21 June 2010)

I mean with shampoo and all over.  Most people would before a show, but is that every week or occasionally?  And if you don't go to shows, how often do you wash them?  Also, is it really necessary?

I can remember being told at Pony Club camp by an ex army person (yes I can remember those) not to wash the horse's saddle area as it  "weaken the skin."  But now people wash down all over.

Apparently in Germany it a sackable offence for a groom to use cold water to wash a horse, yet in the UK some people just use a cold hose pipe.

My horse doesn't like being washed, although he will tolerate it if the water is hot, and quite hot.  If I try to use cold he looks very miserable and shivers and kicks out.


----------



## abbieandfiona (21 June 2010)

my 2 with sweet-itch once a week with shampoo to help stop them itching as much, they dont care about cold water, with the shetland i used hot water first as was told she is bad to bath but she is fine with cold water doesnt care. And the normal pony before we go to a show and once a month.


----------



## maletto (21 June 2010)

Extremely rarely. I will only wash him the day before dressage if he's exceptionally grubby and if it's warm. I just fill a bucket with some water & a touch of baby shampoo & sponge him with it. Then I rinse him with the hose. 

The only other time I will make a point of bathing him properly (i.e. with soap etc, as you describe, rather than just wave the hose at him!) is if he seems especially itchy. It's usually his tail that shows this the most as sometimes I find him rubbing his bum along the stable door and it looks like a loo brush!!

This hardly ever happens though. I suppose I'm quite lucky in that he's very dark with no white bits though!


----------



## miss_c (21 June 2010)

In the summer the girls get a bath before shows - for Genie this is at least every other week, and for Titch about once a month.  Over the winter I have the dry shampoo that doesn't require water.


----------



## Kub (21 June 2010)

I only tend to wash my hairy when he's going to a show. His body doesn't take too much considering it's white, but his feather takes ages to bring it up. I tend to leave his body alone so I don't wash out the natural oils and luckily, he keeps that bit of him mostly clean lol!


----------



## foraday (21 June 2010)

Interesting thread!

Wash down pony as and when using effol sponge and shampoo dispenser and I only use baby bath as well in the shampoo dispenser-so only have to use 5mls of baby bath for the whole of the horse!

In the summer I use the cold hose with shower attachment which they adore!

In winter and cold days use warm water and just wipe them down

Pony is so shiney as his oils in his coat aren't affected by this


----------



## sonjafoers (21 June 2010)

Probably two or 3 times a year ( during the summer ). There used to be a girl at my yard who washed her horse almost weekly with a cold hose pipe all year round, & if the water was turned off for any reason she would wash her in the river instead?!? Like you I was always taught not to wash them often so I do it during our first hot spell of the year to clean away the winter grime, and then I may do it again once or twice over the summer if the weather is continually hot.

We do only have a cold water supply at our yard but my 2 really don't seem to mind it if the weather is very hot. I don't do their faces though, I just sponge them.


----------



## ilovecobs (21 June 2010)

I bath before every show (twice a month in summer) and sometimes inbetween.

I use a hose pipe and if it isn't a hot day my horse then goes in the solarium. 

I also wash her off if shes wet through with sweat after a hard schooling session (this happens often)

EDIT: I use tesco value baby shampoo lol


----------



## stencilface (21 June 2010)

I will do it before an important show, but most likely only 3-4 times a year properly.  He gets spot washed with a hot cloth all year round if we're going anywhere as he's a dark grey with filthy habits 

He gets hosed off most days when ridden in the summer to remove sweat as he is a very hot bod, and this is cold water, and no he doesn't really like it. 

He does get clipped all year round though, and is due a clip any week now


----------



## NicoleS_007 (21 June 2010)

On average i would bath mine about once a month with a cold hose and clean poo stains off weekly. He would also get bathed before being clipped in the winter. He prefers a bath than being groomed even though they are always cold lol


----------



## turkana (21 June 2010)

Never but I'm lucky enough to have a bright bay who doesn't show the dirt, she's also very shiney so I never wash her. I've had chestnuts & a dark bay in the past & they were never bathed either.
But I do wash them down with pain water when they're very sweaty.


----------



## martlin (21 June 2010)

Umm, I seem to be bathing them all the time... I have 4 greys and a coloured and I think I should buy some shares in a shampoo company
They get showered with cold water all year round - I assess the dirtyness, consider if I can be bothered to brush it out, more often than not decide that I can't and off they go for a shower
I do have an indoor washbay and a solarium though, and if I feel very kind, I use buckets with warm water


----------



## Tinker_Belle (21 June 2010)

Probably about once or twice over the Summer. Before a show, I just give her a thorough groom and because I stable her the night before, spone off any marks. I don't think it's good for the horse's health to bath it once a week. I don't like the thought of the coat being stripped of it's natural oils and condition.


----------



## Spider&Me (21 June 2010)

My pony Spider is black, and has one white sock.   He shows the dust more than anything so i bath him before every show, which is usually every other Sunday.   he doesn't mind the cold hose, but he tends to stand on the hose which really annoys me


----------



## L&M (21 June 2010)

Never in the summer - 1 bay and 1 dun and only jump so don't need to worry too much! I do give them a cool rinse if sweaty, but only use shampoo and warm water after a muddy hunting day.


----------



## flojo1 (21 June 2010)

I wash mine before every show, about every other week in summer or when she seems to be getting a bit grubby/smelly through the winter.  We have a hot water shower at our yard therefore its relatively quick and easy to shower the horses with that even in winter.


----------



## Spyda (21 June 2010)

I wash mine at the starts of the hot weather to remove the winter's grime and to refresh her skin and coat. So I only perform a FULL wash once a year. 

In between I cold hose her neck and chest when she's hot and sweaty, and use Lavender Wash and a sponge to clean off the bits of her that need it the rest of the time.


----------



## Kellys Heroes (21 June 2010)

Very rarely - I got told that too much bathing can strip the coat of its natural oils and they are more susceptible to flies etc and they tend to start looking less shiny - I don't know how true this is but Kelly isn't the greatest lover of baths  I tend to hose her with cold water when its extremely hot and I bath her before show day (with shampoo and cold water!)


----------



## Abbeygale (21 June 2010)

My mare will get hosed off if she is sweaty after work, but I don't very often wash her off entirely - I haven't washed her yet this year. 

The pony gets washed more often, as she does get a bit itchy, which if she isn't washed off she will scratch into sore bits. 

My little arab probably gets washed the most as he is white grey, and is a filthy wotsit!  He also has swallows nesting in his stable at the moment, and so often has yucky bird poo over his back and bum! 

Baby chestnut gets washed only if we are going to a show - i.e. not very often at all!


----------



## Lanky Loll (21 June 2010)

No shampoo involved but they do get hosed down with cold everytime they're driven as they get a wider spread of sweat for want of a better phrase than when they're ridden.  Paddy grumbles but puts up with it, Maggie loves it


----------



## Letslip (21 June 2010)

Again a lucky person with a bright bay who rarely shows any dirt, so very very rarely for a "shampoo and blow dry", however always washed down after work with clean water, warm if in the winter or a dull day and cool if been a hot day, thankfully we have hot and cold water from hose at the yard so can adjust temp easily to suit the day and then depending on the weather and time of year popped into the solarium for drying.


----------



## Katie__Connie (21 June 2010)

Every time I compete as she's a grey so I have no choice... Use warm water unless it's a really really hot day


----------



## rhino (21 June 2010)

Mine has a proper 'shampoo' bath about 3 times a year probably, one at start of summer when his coat is nearly through and then a (warm) bath before clipping. He does get a 'shower' of cold water most days if it is hot/he has been worked which he absolutely adores!


----------



## Toffee44 (21 June 2010)

I washed new mare today as her grimey mane was driving me insane. she was a star, will prob wash her again over the summer hols. 

Bathed foal as well-was not intended but he kept getting in the way lol he loved his little scrub and made sure I didnt loose the hose, I knew where to find it....in his mouth  only did his bum and chest be he wasnt fazed at all --how the hell am I gonna sell him now!!


----------



## Prince33Sp4rkle (21 June 2010)

mine gets done before lessons and shows so that averages out about once a week and if for any reason iv got a lull in shows and lessons he gets done once a week anyway, cant stand dirty greasy horses.

mums is grey so gets an all over bath once a week even though he doesnt show and gets spot washed every day!

ETA-with warm water!


----------



## Hoofprints in the Snow (21 June 2010)

Very rarely!!!! once a year if they are unlucky.  Elbow grease to get them clean and tidy. Mind you I am of the old school and think a good all over grooming session is best for the horse (not for me tho my joints aren't what they used to be).


----------



## Orangehorse (21 June 2010)

This has been very interesting, thanks.


----------



## MagicMelon (21 June 2010)

I wash mine only for events (and if I can get away with spot-washing I will!), he's grey/white though sadly! I compete him about every fortnight at the moment.


----------



## BeckyX (21 June 2010)

well when its warm like now about twice a week and always hose down after   say a long ride or jumping, as she gets so sweaty and she loves the cold hose pipe!! also i wash of the stable stains everyday (she's grey and lays face down in the po :O!!) i so try to keep her looking nice although she doesn't make it easy!!


----------

