Saturday, May 22, 2010

Grooming Advice for White Horse?

I have a white horse and he usually turns yellow-brownish when I don't bath him all the time. Any grooming tips on keeping him sparkley white or close to it? He is starting to get sick of me giving him bubble baths.
Answers:
Cowboy Magic Green Spot Remover is great stuff. Works wonderfully and will get green, brown, yellow, and any other color stain off your horse.

Its tough to be in school and own a horse at the same time. Just remember to thoroughly and patiently groom your horse each time you see him.
Try baking soda on him, dry of course... And there are shampoo's out there specifically for white horses..But baking soda on dirty spots helps...As does baby powder and it smells nicer! Good Luck...
groom him well daily to keep his coat clean, use showsheen or another coat conditioner, this way stains are less likely to set in. For quick touch up at shows use baby power or chalk on areas that are still not perfectly white. Use Shout spray (which is harmless for getting tough stains off places like their knees/hocks, just dont use it in large ammounts or on the body.) for small areas on his legs, scrub it in then rinse it off. Also QuickSilver shampoo works well for all over their body, just make sure not to leave it on for too long (just a few mins is fine) if you leave it on too long you will have a purple horse.

It will be nearly impossible to keep your horse white every day if he is going outside, keeping him in all the time would be the only way to eliminate daily stains. For shows just groom really well, use whitening shampoos and like I said before, chalk %26 baby powder are amazing for white horse touch ups. Use a sheet, leg wraps and a slinky hoodie (made of spandex) to keep him clean before shows.

Also on days when you want to clean him up but bathing isnt an option try vaccuuming. It sounds silly, but it gets the dirt out very well. It wont do much for stains though, try vaccuuming your horse, then spot clean any stains he may have.
I have a palamino that has a white tail and mane..Its a battle to keep it white..When I go to bath, I use a product called whiten n' brite and I order it through country supply catalog...Its a purple shampoo which works pretty well...But first I soak his tail and mane in a mild bleach soak..Clorox works well...Not straight up but mixed with a pale of water and about a cup of bleach..That takes the brown and yellow out. I then put the purple shampoo on him and let that set a bit then rinse.I dont think I would use the bleach of his body though..just the tail and mane..You really cant keep a horse white all the time, unless hes penned up all the time, and that is not fair to the horse..They need there space to play and graze...
Something that might help is: Stop The Baths! Yes, he will get tired of baths, so stop.
Also, you should groom him at least twice each day, or more if he is outside all night, or if he rolls. Groom him good or eventually there will be no hope of keeping him clean. If you don't know how to groom him, you need to learn. If you take riding lessons, get info on taking care of him.

By the way, there is no such thing as a white horse. No matter how white it looks, it is ALWAYS considered gray.
Yes there is a such thing as a truly white horse. They're called paints with maximum expression of the color genes.

Anywho, on my 2 I use a whitening shampoo once or twice a month and use a product like ShowSheen all over them afterwards. There are actually a couple products that are better than ShowSheen, try LaserSheen. A thin rain sheet with a hood or a Sleazy will keep him pretty clean while he is turned out, the most you will have to clean is his legs, neck and face. The face is the hardest part!
I've gotten so I don't mind the dingy color they get in between baths. I love them any color they are!
I suggest using the curry comb longer and take out alot of dirt! U dont neccesarily have 2 give him a bubble bath just wet him then dry and groom it would work! U could also use a squgee brush!
You're lucky you have a gelding...I've got a white mare...sooo messy when she's in heat!

Anyway, the first thing I had to do when I got my horse was come to the realization that she isn't going to get perfectly clean and stay that way for more than a day. I only give baths before I go to a show, or if I am at the showbarn in the afternoon during the summer.

Second, don't buy the shampoos for white horses. I don't know about them all, but we tried White-N-Brite and it didn't work at all. The regular shampoo worked just as well.

Also, try to invest in tail extensions. That way you can cut the tail shorter (use a thinning comb, don't just hack off the end) and it won't get as messy. With that being said, also try to keep your horse's tail tied up, or in a tail bag. this will keep all that nasty gunk from staining the tail.

A quick brush everyday keeps dust and dirt from settling in and keeping your horse trimmed will also keep him fron staining as much!

Hope this helps and good luck!
Bleach will affect the hair structure (same as it does your hair), rather use calcium carbonate products.
See the Quicksilver range here:
http://www.equineman.com/exhibitor_labs_...

For how the genetics of colloring work, please see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/horse_coat_...
I had a white horse before, and we used Quic Silver on her. Its a purple shampoo, so try not to leave it on for too long. Also I heard that using VERY diluted bleach on their coat can make them whiter, although I have never tried it. Cowboy magic works on those yellow stains also that they tend to get around their hocks. :)
Groom him as much as you can! If you are only making it to the barn 3 times a week, try and see if someone who's there while you're not can just quickly run him over with a brush.
Look for specified white horse shampoos. Don't overwash him, horses don't need a bath unless they sweat a lot, or because it's getting warmer from winter, or you're going to a show with him.
Here's a good thing for white horses, or people who own horses that have white. I use it on my horses stockings.
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?...
I use a product called CT18 (in Aust) I discovered it worked well when my white horse rubbed his wither/mane on a fully greased turntable (semi) Dad had it to wash his truck so I gave it a go. It was magic. Tail and all was shiny, silvery and it didnt damage the hair. I have used it for years and never had a prob. People always ask "how do you get him so white?" Its cheaper than horse products.
You can always buy sprays such as Quick Groom,or a grooming supply from Cowboy Magic. thoose both are easy to use.or sometimes if you want to cheat i have used Baby Powder
Please do not use BLEACH on your horse. There is a whitening shampoo available at Petsmart. Good Luck to you.

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