# How to get shine



## socks (Dec 28, 2009)

so i was looking into buying coat supplements to help my boy shine even more. but i'm pretty sure there are things you can give your horse from around the house but i do not know what they are. does anyone out there have any ideas what to give them to make them shiny.


----------



## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

I know a household remedy!

It's called ... grooming!!

Okay, all jokes aside 
I do mean it though. Every day, I bring the horses in and brush them, pick their hooves. We have had one abcess in 2 years, and the ponies are super shiny  I have heard things like cooking oil in their feed, but I've always been scared to put things in my horsies systems  I don't have any recent pics, and It's dark now, but I'll post pics later!


----------



## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

I've always heard flax seed is good for their coat. I've never fed it though.
Our kids are pretty shiny even though we don't really do anything special.


----------



## Lexiie (Nov 14, 2011)

Honestly, a supplement won't help unless you keep your horse SPOTTLESS to begin with.
It might make them softer, but not much shinier than they are to begin with.
The natural oils they have make them glitter (I'd know)
I don't have enough money for a coat supplement ontop of joint supplements
I've seen lots of horses on supplements, they were super soft but not shinier than my horse


----------



## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

You can use vegetable oil, flax seed, black oil sunflower seed. Those are some that i know of.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Sophie19 (Apr 13, 2009)

I find a high quality feed is all it takes for my boy to shine. I switched back to Purina Strategy recently and he is glowing.


----------



## MyHorsesGurl (Apr 9, 2012)

Healthy coat and petroleum jelly


----------



## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

I to only feed a good feed. And my horses shine amazing. But those are supplements that i know of.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

Late last summer I made a pact to groom Casey. Every day. Have been for 6 months. HUGE DIFFERENCE! Only times I have broken it was I was really sick (and I still usually would hoof-pick) or was gone. Sometimes when I dont have a lot of time I will just brush off mud and hoofpick, which happens 2-3 times a month.


----------



## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Lexiie my horse is blinding white, so clean but he isn't shiny. He has a bit of sheen but actually adding omega 3s into your horse's diet can make their coat shinier.


----------



## Fowl Play (Sep 22, 2009)

My daughter leased a red roan paint last year for 4-H. She brushed him 5-6 days a week and at fair HE, a red roan, was glossy and shiny. The trick is regular brushing.


----------



## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Grooming on a regular basis with a lot of elbow grease + a great balanced diet = beautiful horse.

Supplements alone will do nothing. Brushing alone will help but still nothing if your horse isn't getting everything that they need!


----------



## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

A little oil in the feed, good quality feed, daily grooming and keep them out of the sun as much as you can.


----------



## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

But horses need sun. Sure they "bleach" but that's the equivalent of keeping snow white in her castle. She's going to miss out on all the vitamin D!


----------



## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

Skyseternalangel said:


> But horses need sun. Sure they "bleach" but that's the equivalent of keeping snow white in her castle. She's going to miss out on all the vitamin D!


They can get plenty of light in the early moring and early evening.

They do not just "bleach".

The little hairs die.


----------



## WesternBella (Jan 7, 2012)

_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## MakeYourMark (Feb 10, 2012)

First off, a good coat starts from the inside out. Make sure that your horse is getting a good, complete, and nutritionally balanced diet, and is regularly dewormed. SmartShine is a very nice supplement that works very well – but is not a substitute for a healthy and complete diet. What is your horse's diet like?

Secondly, another great way to maintain a healthy and shiny coat is to curry it daily, then brush off all excess hair until the coat is smooth and clean. Every time I see my horse, which is daily, I groom her. First, you thoroughly curry the horse, starting at the top of the neck and working to her gaskins, and all down her legs and under her belly. Curry as hard as you possibly can – it's like a massage, and horses love it, save for on the horse's tendons, because we must be careful around those.  This will not only keep the coat clean and nice, but will also increase circulation to the surface of the horse's skin and you will get healthier, softer, and shiner hair. Washing the horse regularly with a quality horse shampoo, like Cowboy Magic's Rosewater Shampoo or Mane N' Tail's Shampoo, will also help – scrub it in with a curry comb and rinse thoroughly.

It's not one or the other that makes a horse's coat have that healthy shine, but both combined.


----------



## littleredridinghood (Jan 5, 2012)

Groom! Groom! Groom! My horse is on a 14% feed. No supplements and is in the sun allll day. I groom him for about an hour a day every day and he shines like the sun!


----------



## taken4walk (May 11, 2012)

i groom my horse daily and she is super shiney! it is also good bonding time for you and your horse! i take time to groom before and after riding.... just a ritiual we have


----------



## ARTEMISBLOSSOM (Apr 3, 2011)

I brush my horses every day and I also add a bit of flax to their grain. Their coats are very shiney and soft, much nicer then when I got them. I dont know if it is because of the flax or because they have good food and I brush them a lot but they seem to just glow.


----------



## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

Okay, I revise my post  Here is exactly what I feed one of my horses, and their nightly rutine. (Let's do Cowboy, the 4 year old black gelding I show, as our guinea pig.)

.:Feed:.

2 lbs. Horseman's Edge, 12% Protein
1 Scoop Farriers Friend, (He has thin walls, barefoot)
1 Scoop MSM, Joint Supplement

.:Routine:.
Morning -
Fly Sheet/ UV protector on,
Fly mask on

Night - 
Fly stuff off,
brush ... brush ... brush
pick hooves
stalled for night. 

And he is Mr. Super shine. I have actually recieved comments from JUDGES at shows, complementing me on how shiny and healthy he looks. You just have to really .want. the shine, and really want a healthy pony


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet, don't bathe too often. Using any form of soap on a horse will strip away the natural oils from their coat and make them look dull and lifeless.


----------



## Calming Melody (May 20, 2012)

I have 2 horses and Scooter is shiny as can be , but Cash I can't get to shine! He is like an almost black , and they are only eating on pasture right now. Do I have to feed them grain to get them to get or keep their shine ?


----------



## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

my horses shine solely from good nutrition. i swear they look better before i attempt to brush the dust off than after. good nutrition should be the base for all things you do with your horse, including getting him/her to shine.


----------



## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

I rarely ever brush my two pasture puffs, and both of them shine like nobody's business. They're on 24/7 pasture with one feeding of a senior feed each day.


----------



## MyBrandy (Jan 19, 2011)

This is what works for mine really well:
Max-E-Glo Stabilized Rice Bran Meal & Pellet | Manna Pro

It's stabilized rice bran, I mix it in with their feed. Love this stuff.. It's also good to add it in for horses that need to put on weigh.. it's good FAT for them..


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I worked with a young gal with a pasture pony. 10 days before her first show she and her sister groomed this pony daily until they felt their arms would drop off. At the show we were given many compliments on how shiney the pony was. I told every one that the girls deserve all the credit for all their hard work. Their ages were 10 & 11.


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

My colt gets brushed maybe once a week if he's lucky. But I've been feeding him Manna Pro's "Sho Glo" because it is a vitamin/mineral supplement and he's a growing boy and I want to make sure he isn't lacking any nutrients. So he gets Sho Glo, alfalfa hay and maybe 1 cup of oats to put the Show Glo in and viola, major shine when he shedded out this spring! 

I know it's not brushing because he hardly gets brushed and he's always a dusty mess. But he still shines! I really think shine is a result of proper nutrition. 

These photos are of a dusty, barely brushed horse. :lol:


----------



## MyBrandy (Jan 19, 2011)

trailhorserider
I really agree... My horses MannaPro's ride bran mean about 1 cup 2x daily mixed in their feed. They get Kent's SBP 14-10 (about 2-3 cups 2 x daily for each horse), 1 x daily they get soaked alfalfa cubes - I take 1 scoop of dry alfalfa cubes, soak them and split between my 2 horses. Then 2 flakes of good hay, 2x daily, sometimes I will split them a flake during the middle of the day. I am attaching picture of my 3 yo filly, she was just brushed, she has had no bath since last summer.. we got cold well water, I am waiting for it to get a little warmer. But you can see how shiny her coat is. I brush my horse every 1-2 days, pick their feet 1-2 x daily.


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

My homozygous black gets 1 lb 2x daily of senior's and even without grooming his coat has a brilliant shine with dapples galore. His forage is timothy hay and pasture.


----------



## candandy49 (Jan 16, 2011)

I know it sounds a bit bizzarre, but it works. Mix a slighly beaten raw egg in one of the daily feedings. I admit I never tried it though with my horse. The first time I heard of it was from a man who raised and showed Appaloosas. His Appy Stallion was a National Appaloosa Show Champion and lived to the ripe old age of 26. I had since read an article that suggested putting a raw egg in a once a day feeding.

I found that using a dry terry cloth rag and going over the horse's coat would bring out the natural oils and created a terrrifc shine.


----------



## ahalleyscomet (Dec 12, 2011)

Lots of elbow grease with the curry has helped make Bo super shiny


----------



## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Bo looks great! He really glows!


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

Corn Oil added to a senior or hard keepers feed is for the fat content. My older horses require it for the fat calories. Healthy horses have shine, grooming / brushing makes coats shine. Some horses are shinier than others. Over bathing takes away the shine. Flax seed is mainly used for horses that have problems shedding out, but should only be used sparingly. Always research any supplement you give your horse.


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I would not feed raw eggs to anything. You better speak to a VET before adding raw eggs. 26 is not that old for a horse. Many of my horses are 30 + yrs . Yes they are registered with papers with their age, and most registrys consider a horse dead at this age.


----------



## Calming Melody (May 20, 2012)

Yesterday at when the sun was going down I groomed my horses and put baby oil and water in a spray bottle and rubbed them down and today I can tell a difference! Would have never thought of that if I hadn't read it on here!


----------



## Thoroughbred Lover (May 10, 2012)

You can rub them down with a chamois once or twice a day, this really helps!


----------



## ahalleyscomet (Dec 12, 2011)

Thank you Cacowgirl ^_^


----------



## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

Flax seed. We buy it ground. All our horses shed earlier and have shinier coats. Also have great feet. 1/4 cup in their evening feed.

I was selling a mare last year who was out to pasture for almost a year, just come in for the odd ride and a little bit of flax everyday. Every buyer comented on her coat, one even said she was shinier than a relitives spoiled, blanketed show horse.


----------



## BarrelRacingLvr (Feb 26, 2012)

Good feed and brushing....

Cell phone pics so not the greatest but they catch the shine 

JJ









Polly









Scrat










Mine are performance horses so they get other Supplements with their feed to maintain. But the horses that are not on the supplements, grain, ect and just on good old hay or grass they too are shiny as ever. So if you brush your horse and they are getting the proper nutrients from their feed then they should shine no matter what.


----------



## Tmonts65 (May 23, 2012)

It can be expensive adding supplements and trying different fixes. Two great ways to add shine and improve your horses health is by using these two products. 1st: Try adding 1 to 2oz 100% Organic Industrial Hemp Oil (100% THC Free) to your horses feed AM & PM. Besides seeing improvement in the skin, coat, mane, tail, and hooves, it will also help with joint health, digestive health (Ty up, colic, etc.), metabolic heat production, weight management, and several other benefits. It contains a 3:1 ratio for Omega 6 to Omega 3 (optimal for mammals) , Omega 9, and GLA for additional anti inflammatory aid. Use it externally on the hooves as well!

2nd: Try Organic Extra Virgin Raw coconut oil. It is a natural aintifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, and has many internal benefits used in feed including lusterous coat, main, tail, and hooves. I can be used externally on cuts, scrapes, and irritation. Unlike other oils, Coconut oil absorbs into the hairs instead of encapsulating them keeping moisture out. Great for showing and everyday maintenance. It can also be used on hooves externally. Horses love them both!


----------



## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

Tmonts65 - where do you find your coconut oil? i'd like to try it but honestly, i have no idea where to start looking for it. :/


----------



## MakeYourMark (Feb 10, 2012)

crimsonsky said:


> Tmonts65 - where do you find your coconut oil? i'd like to try it but honestly, i have no idea where to start looking for it. :/


I've been trying to find it, too, with no luck... :?


----------



## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

You can find coconut oil at the grocery store! We use 100% organic coconut oil. It may be in baking goods, I think...


----------



## Tmonts65 (May 23, 2012)

I agree if you can find virgin or extra Virgin Organic Raw coconut oil, you can get it at a whole foods, grocery, or health food store. Stay away from processed coconut oil as it does not have the benefits of the above listed kind. By the way, Raw is just cold pressed and not heated above 118 degrees in the making of the oil which keeps all of the vitamins and healthy benefits in tact. The above listed outlets are fine to try it, but if you want to get it from your local feed or pet supply store, ask them to stock it. I will be more than happy to put them in touch with a wholesaler I know who sells it in the pet industry. It is a lot cheaper in gallons than in pints and quarts. Hope this helps!


----------



## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

woot! i'll have to ask when i go to the feed store this weekend. i figured if you knew a place that would be great seeing as you're not that far from me.


----------



## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

crimsonsky said:


> Tmonts65 - where do you find your coconut oil? i'd like to try it but honestly, i have no idea where to start looking for it. :/


 We get ours from a food coop in bulk...For food/cooking/recipes sometimes it's cheaper then buy a quart at the grocery store! 

I'll add my 2 cents worth...

It seems to me if my horse is in good health she will shine. And not only that, but if she's in poor health she "browns up" a bit, but in good health? She's coal black _and _shiny...

I've heard corn oil, a Tbsp a day can work wonders but I've never tried it for that purpose... As others have said I've also heard flax can help too...


----------



## Tmonts65 (May 23, 2012)

You can get it from a whole foods store or health foods store or grocery section to try it out. I know someone who wholesales it to feed stores and Vets. If you have a favorite feed store and they are interested, let me know and I will get you or them the info. Best of luck!


----------



## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

candandy49 said:


> I know it sounds a bit bizzarre, but it works. Mix a slighly beaten raw egg in one of the daily feedings. I admit I never tried it though with my horse. The first time I heard of it was from a man who raised and showed Appaloosas. His Appy Stallion was a National Appaloosa Show Champion and lived to the ripe old age of 26. I had since read an article that suggested putting a raw egg in a once a day feeding.
> 
> I found that using a dry terry cloth rag and going over the horse's coat would bring out the natural oils and created a terrrifc shine.


I just broke an egg in my show gelding's grain.


----------



## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

EmilyJoy said:


> We get ours from a food coop in bulk...For food/cooking/recipes sometimes it's cheaper then buy a quart at the grocery store!
> 
> I'll add my 2 cents worth...
> 
> ...


We give our show dogs corn oil.

It will work for horses.


----------



## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

Wouldn't the corn oil, like corn, make the horses hot? It may not be a problem for people living up north, but it's definitely a problem in southern Texas where we get triple digit temps for a couple months.


----------



## Failbhe (May 8, 2012)

I give them flax seed, and I can notice a big difference after just a few weeks. Hemp or Coconut oil sounds interesting though... I'll probably stick to flax seed though, since my husband is a grain farmer I can snag some for free!


----------



## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

forgot to ask - with the coconut oil, do you feed that like you would the hemp or are you using it solely externally?


----------



## Tmonts65 (May 23, 2012)

EmilyJoy said:


> We get ours from a food coop in bulk...For food/cooking/recipes sometimes it's cheaper then buy a quart at the grocery store!
> 
> I'll add my 2 cents worth...
> 
> ...


 
Oil is definitely a great supplement to add to feed. Unfortunately, most vegetable oils like soy, canola, and corn are processed at high heet and hexane (petroleum by product and neurotoxin) is used to extract the most oil from the seed/kernel. It is then bleached and steamed to remove odor, and synthetic vitasmins and stabilizers are added. Its been used for years but only because a lack of alternatives.

Flaxseed is good but contains a high concentration of Omega 6 which counteracts the Omega 3 for anti-inflammatory purposes. !00% Organic Hemp Oil (0% THC non -psychoactive kind) has the perfect balance (3:1) of Omega 6 to Omega 3, includes Omega 9 and GLA for added anti-inflammatory benefiits. Great internally for skin, coat, mane tail and hooves as well as externally for hooves. It aids in absorption of supplements and nutrients, lubricates joints, maintains gut and digestive health, decreases metabolic heat production, reduces aggressive behavior (the Tryptophan...not THC), no enzyme inhibitors like soy, builds immune system response, etc. etc.. Sounds like snake oil, but you can google hep oil for horses and read about the benefits from multiple sources. Former USEF Vet Tim Ober did a study for high performance jumpers in 2009. He found it improved stamina as a result of muscle glycogen sparing. Too much to tell here but my same friends feed it at 1 to 2oz am & pm in their horses feed. :wink:


----------



## Tmonts65 (May 23, 2012)

crimsonsky said:


> forgot to ask - with the coconut oil, do you feed that like you would the hemp or are you using it solely externally?


 
Feed it like hemp oil. 1 to 2oz in AM & PM. unlike hemp which is 80% unsaturated fat, Coconut oil is a saturated but good fat. It metabolizes in the liver and increases metabolic response. Not stored in the fat cells but is extremely beneficial.


----------



## BarrelBunny (Jan 15, 2012)

Brush, brush, brush!!! Both of these two are in completely different states, they have completely different jobs, but are both brushed daily.

Annie:















Freebie:


----------



## Tmonts65 (May 23, 2012)

Brushing is definitely key! They look GREAT!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## BarrelBunny (Jan 15, 2012)

Thanks!


----------



## New_image (Oct 27, 2007)

There is shine 









And then there is shine










My horses are always groomed daily but I wanted to keep the Perchie, who lives out in the weather (sun) 24/7 along with everyone else, as black as possible. The difference between the pictures was 1/4 cup flax in her feed.


----------



## Superhorse8 (Sep 5, 2011)

*Shine for your horses hair*

Seabuck Complete made from seabuckthorn berries is SO healthy. When it was discovered thousands of years ago, it was called hippophae rhamnoides which translates to "shiny horse" www.buildasuperhorse.com/horse-feed/seabuck


----------



## equine711 (May 28, 2012)

Feed a quality feed, groom daily, and flax seed are things that I do or use/have done. You will get no where if you do not groom your horse on a regular basis.


----------



## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

equine711 said:


> Feed a quality feed, groom daily, and flax seed are things that I do or use/have done. You will get no where if you do not groom your horse on a regular basis.


I disagree with that, actually. My horses haven't been groomed in months, are only fed senior feed once a day, and are on 24/7 turn-out and they shine even through the dust.


----------



## MakeYourMark (Feb 10, 2012)

Ripper said:


> We give our show dogs corn oil.
> 
> It will work for horses.


Corn and wheat are incredibly unhealthy for dogs, and slowly destroy their liver. Not the best idea you ever had!! 




Kayella said:


> I disagree with that, actually. My horses haven't been groomed in months, are only fed senior feed once a day, and are on 24/7 turn-out and they shine even through the dust.


'Daww, she's so shiny and FAT!!! :}


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I like Seniors for the extra oils. My boys get about 1/2 lb 2 x daily. The black, I couldn't get him any shinier if groomed daily, He's dappled from neck to hip. The bay looks good too. Both have plenty of sand to roll in and that will put a good shine on a horse.


----------



## JustAwesome (Jun 22, 2011)

Correct balanced diet, roughage 24/7 good grazing and grooming everyday..

MODERATION NOTE: Removed picture due to copywrite.


----------



## Terre (Oct 23, 2011)

I feed Captain Primglo from ADM. He shines even when he is dirty._ I will try to put up some pictures of him later today_


----------



## HighonEquine (May 11, 2012)

Honestly, a lot of it is nutrition. If your horses body is not receiving the proper amounts of needed nutrients, it will put what it is receiving into more important parts of the body while the skin and coat are left out. Lack of proper nutrition can stem from what you are feeding, or what the horse is eating, or if De-worming is not a consistent thing, that can also make an impact on your horses coat and more. Consistent grooming is also obviously helpful!  A good hay, pasture, and an overall feed or supplement can do wonders.


----------



## BigGirlsRideWarmbloods (Mar 28, 2010)

I agree with Kayella; Grooming starts from the inside out. 

If you spray on enough silicon based products like Show Sheen, you can get a horse to shine. But it takes nutrition to get them to GLOW.

On top of that, horses that are fed and supplemented correctly, need to be groomed LESS and are easier to groom when you do. This is typically because a dull dry coat is a natural indicator that something is missing and they are simply not healthy. Once the diet is corrected the skin is better hydrated and sheds less skin cells. The horses coat will have a natural gloss to it, which in turn naturally repels most dirt and dust.

If fed properly, and I mean weighing hay versus assuming flake weight (A "flake" is not an accurate unit of measurment, its an approximate unit of measurment. Use a scale to measure feed and feed by actual weight) your horse will groom its self through food.

I highly recommend using FeedXL.com It has **** near every suppliment, grain and feed ever. You enter in a *very* detailed profile of your horse then enter in their diet and it gives you a report with graphs telling you what you are over feeding that could be dangerous or where you're just plain wasting money in supplements, or where you have a serious nutritional gaps that need correcting.

Even before big rated circuit shows, I never have to groom my mare very much. Never more than the softest rag or body brush. I primarly groom her for fun, bonding and massages because as much as I could curry, nothing is ever going to come up, unless its shedding season.

I highly recommend trying to incorperate FSO Flaxseed Oil by Animed:
Performance, Nutritional and Health Care Supplements for animals.

Feed it with your grain and supplements and its like putting a layer of teflon on your horses coat.


----------



## Critter sitter (Jun 2, 2012)

good feed is the best and Grooming .. when the spring shed started I add one egg and a 1/4 cup of veg oil to evening feed the shed the winters Coat and Shined up so Pretty.. I will Post Pictures soon when I get my laptop back.


----------



## Amberish2002 (May 26, 2012)

Ok, here goes the crazy-old-school-lady again... After grooming, Rub down with an old bath towel... Supposed to bring the oils up from the skin. But any way your horse will prob love it and it will improve shine, whether its just taking off the last of the dust. Takes a few times to be really effective.


----------



## shep8851 (Jun 8, 2012)

Elbow grease and the right brushes, I use plastic or rubber curry combs to get the winter coat off then wash the horse removing the surplus water with bailer twine followed by vigorous brushing with a dandy brush (also good for removing mud) then a clean body brush with lots of wieght behind it, for every brush stroke clean the brush on a clean curry comb, all this creats a good base, regular repeatition makes it easier to mentain shine, using a goat-hair brush for a realy fanastic shine.


----------



## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

As someone has mentioned good indepth grooming helps spread the oils all along the hairs making them shiny. Also good internal health will make the horse shine. Feeding Flax seed is one of the easiest methods. Buy it fresh as whole seeds and grind it daily in a coffee grinder. Freshly ground it also helps the joints so has a double benefit.

1 cupful for a horse is fine daily.


----------

