# Is it ok to bath my horse with shampoo?



## myhorseisthebest (Dec 4, 2013)

Sorry I know it's a really dumb question
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

There are no stupid questions. As long as it's a mild shampoo sure it is. You don't want to bathe often period and you want to make sure you rinse well. 
Is it the best choice? Some will tell you it doesn't matter some will say use only horse specific ones. We bathe our horses in liquid tide, it does an amazing job and they have glorious coats. 
I particularly like African American hair care products for manes and tails.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Most newbies ask this question bc they want to cut corners. The cheapest and safe "Human" shampoo is Mane and Tail, sold at drug stores and readily available. Buy and use THAT on your horse. =D


----------



## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

cakemom said:


> I particularly like African American hair care products for manes and tails.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I thought I was the only one! It makes their tails so nice, especially if your horse has curls.


----------



## Ale (May 8, 2013)

Corporal said:


> Most newbies ask this question bc they want to cut corners. The cheapest and safe "Human" shampoo is Mane and Tail, sold at drug stores and readily available. Buy and use THAT on your horse. =D


Question. How would using human shampoo and conditioner cut corners? I would assume that it would just save some money in the pocket. Unless thats what you meant by cutting corners. :3 lol.


----------



## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

If you know where to shop and can get it online at a place when they have a free shipping special, you can get a deal like these.
Horse Shampoo | Horse Wash & More - Statelinetack.com
Otherwise, MY local farm supply stores sell shampoo for horses and livestock that start at ~$8.00 for a comparable sized container of product.
I believe in using animal products for animals. Some of us have tried Pink, for instance for detangling, but I've run the numbers ShowSheen is cheaper where I live. I also keep a bottle of corn oil for super tangles.
I go to both farm supply stores AND shop online for my horse's need. Why do you want to just shop for your animal needs at a WalMart?


----------



## Ale (May 8, 2013)

Well as long as those products are safe for animal use, I do not see in any harm saving yourself a few dollars on products. I know around me whitening shampoo can cost upwards to $15 for a small bottle. Show sheen can be $20 and more. I am just curious because as a bargain hunter, I don't mind finding out about savings :3

I have heard of many people using Wool Lite for white horses. I have tried it a few times and it really does seem to help. Plus, it makes Dixies mane, tail and coat feel wonderful.


----------



## myhorseisthebest (Dec 4, 2013)

Ale said:


> Well as long as those products are safe for animal use, I do not see in any harm saving yourself a few dollars on products. I know around me whitening shampoo can cost upwards to $15 for a small bottle. Show sheen can be $20 and more. I am just curious because as a bargain hunter, I don't mind finding out about savings :3
> 
> I have heard of many people using Wool Lite for white horses. I have tried it a few times and it really does seem to help. Plus, it makes Dixies mane, tail and coat feel wonderful.


Thanks, I used 95 ¢ shampoo and conditioner (for tail and mane). I use it on my dogs as well and they never get irritated skin.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## myhorseisthebest (Dec 4, 2013)

Is once a month for the summer too often?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## AnrewPL (Jun 3, 2012)

I lived with a Bedouin tribe in Jordan, they wash EVERYTHING, goats, camels, donkeys, mules, horses, cars, chickens, doves, houses (inside and out) and themselves with_ Golden_ dishwashing liquid, it never seemed to do anyone or anything any harm, I'd say human shampoo is probably a step up from dish detergent.


----------



## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Mane and Tail is a horse brand that human stores sometimes sell.

It's totally okay to use the cheapie Suave and V05 if you wanted to. I've even used dish soap for sticky stuff. I use Dawn in situations like that because if it 's safe enough to get oil off a wild animal then it will be plenty fine to get sticky junk off my horse.

Once a month is fine. Once a week with soap is fine too. Don't overestimate the value of soap though. If you're not showing and there's not a big spot or something you want off the coat, soap really isn't necessary most of the time. A thorough hosing with plain water works great. I Jose my horse off after every ride in the heat - no soap - and he's good.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## AnrewPL (Jun 3, 2012)

DancingArabian said:


> Mane and Tail is a horse brand that human stores sometimes sell.
> 
> It's totally okay to use the cheapie Suave and V05 if you wanted to. I've even used dish soap for sticky stuff. I use Dawn in situations like that because if it 's safe enough to get oil off a wild animal then it will be plenty fine to get sticky junk off my horse.
> 
> ...


You serious??? it is actually horse shampoo?? I have been teasing my girlfriend for years about using it and she convinced me that its really human shampoo just called mane and tail.


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

DancingArabian said:


> Don't overestimate the value of soap though. If you're not showing and there's not a big spot or something you want off the coat, soap really isn't necessary most of the time. A thorough hosing with plain water works great.


This I thoroughly agree with. Unless you've got a horse with a lot of white (or a gray horse) or a big really nasty stain, then just rinsing them with water through a regular pressure nozzle like this








will make any horse clean enough....and you don't have to worry about "overdoing" it and drying their coat/skin out. That can happen if you use the wrong kind of soap or if you use soap too often.


----------



## Indiana2 (Mar 30, 2014)

I agree; I always used to buy animal-specific shampoo but then I read a study about ph levels and found they vary hugely in different for animal products..sometimes in the SAME product, they vary from batch to batch. So I just use whatever I like best at that moment but not too much and rinse really, really well. So far so good!


----------



## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

If i dont give my horse a shampoo bath at least 2 times a month she gets absolutely disgusting. She will have dirt and sweet down to the skin and it causes her hair to start falling out on her but. I have to hose her off a cuple times a week if i want her to look like a seal bay instead of a light bay covered in manure and sweet.

I use suave 99 cent shampoo and conditioner most of the time. Never had an issue.


----------



## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

AnrewPL said:


> I lived with a Bedouin tribe in Jordan, they wash EVERYTHING, goats, camels, donkeys, mules, horses, cars, chickens, doves, houses (inside and out) and themselves with_ Golden_ dishwashing liquid, it never seemed to do anyone or anything any harm, I'd say human shampoo is probably a step up from dish detergent.


Um, OT but YOU ARE AWESOME!! A Bedouin tribe in Jordan?? How cool is that?? 



back to the OP... I use suave on every horse I bathe and it works so much better then any horse shampoo I've found. Plus it's only a dollar at walmart, win! Also, I would really like to hear from anyone who has over bathed their horse and irritate their skin. I showed a paint at a 2 week show who loved to roll in his poo. I bathed that sucker every morning carefully watching for any sign of irritation and NOTHING. Shampoo bath every morning for 2 weeks and he was just fine! Our barn shows quite a bit which means our horses get bathed A LOT. Never once seen a horse with irritated skin, dry coat, etc. Not saying it can't happen, but I'm really curious to hear from anyone who has experience with over bathing and how much it took.


----------



## nrchacowhorse (Jun 13, 2014)

Try treseme (i dont know how to spell it) it works great for me!


----------



## QuarterHorseGirl12 (Apr 30, 2014)

Probably. It depends on how sensitive your horse's skin is. My horse, for instance, has extremely sensitive skin, so I only bathe her before major shows and at the beginning of summer, to get the last of her winter coat off. Just to be safe, I would only bathe your horse when necessary. And always make sure to rinse super well, as leftover suds can cause skin irritation.


----------



## quinn (Nov 8, 2013)

I'm with the just use water bunch. Honestly, the girls are so shiny without a bath they don't need it to stay clean. I only do it when they're really hot and sweaty...they love it!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## GeorgiaGirl (Jun 16, 2014)

Off topic but Ale! Your Avatar is scaring me, lol!!! J/K - is that from the Red Dead Redemption game? I didn't know you could ride a dead horse around hahahaha


----------



## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

I love coconut suave for bathing


----------



## danicelia24 (Jul 16, 2013)

GeorgiaGirl said:


> Off topic but Ale! Your Avatar is scaring me, lol!!! J/K - is that from the Red Dead Redemption game? I didn't know you could ride a dead horse around hahahaha


lol its from the Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare. where almost everything is dead and you can also ride the 4 horses of the Apocalypse and a Unicorn.


----------



## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

quinn said:


> I'm with the just use water bunch. Honestly, the girls are so shiny without a bath they don't need it to stay clean. I only do it when they're really hot and sweaty...they love it!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 Very true! For the most part you can use just plain water except for the worst like grass stains. You can rub some normal cheap shampoo (human or horse) into them before their "water bath".

What will get them really clean with water is to keep soaking them and squeegee the water off them with a sweat scraper, then do it again as many times as it takes. You can even use the scraper at the same time as the hose. When you see the water you are scraping away become really clean you know he's done!


----------



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I think it depends a lot on your horse. If you use it and notice no negative effects, you should be good to go  Just like people, not all shampoo will work on every horse the same way xD


----------



## Ale (May 8, 2013)

GeorgiaGirl said:


> Off topic but Ale! Your Avatar is scaring me, lol!!! J/K - is that from the Red Dead Redemption game? I didn't know you could ride a dead horse around hahahaha


Hehehe I love my avatar just for that reason :3 But yes, its from Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare. Its an entire spin-off from about halfway through the main game where the undead rise from their graves and stalk the old west. You can in fact ride an undead horse, which is awesome. Usually it happens when your mortal, living, flesh horse dies and you whistle for a new mount. It will alert you something like "your whistle has attracted the attention of an undead steed" or something like that. There are also the four horses of the apocalypse and a unicorn that you can obtain. I adore both those games <3


----------



## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

^^^Now, I have to Google that!
I use Suave or Baby Shampoo, but I only actually bath about once a month if that.
Usually, I just use water and rinse them off really good. I think you can over do it and dry their skin out if you wash them too often.


----------



## dkb811 (Oct 15, 2013)

Dawn dishwashing liquid diluted in a bucket of water works very well. For the most part our horses are just hosed off with an occasional "real" bath.


----------



## Ale (May 8, 2013)

I also like using Head and Shoulders, unscented for manes and tails. It makes them feel wonderful and gets rid of the dandruff.


----------



## ZaneyZanne123 (Nov 9, 2013)

I used Mane and Tail shampoo and conditioner for years on my horses and then I switched to Baby Shampoo and stuck with Mane and Tail conditioner. The Baby Shamppo doesnt strip off all of the good sebacious oils and is gentle and wont harm eyes if it accidently gets in them. Plus is rinses out very easily. If you have a white horse or a horse with alot of white you will want to use a shampoo with a bluing agent in it though. Baby shampoo wont get the whites, white. 

I have also used Suave Clear but be careful when purchasing some of the more fragrant shampoos for some will increase the bug effect. Some human shampoos are harder to rinse out and some will strip off to much of the good oils. I dont use polishers on my horses coat and rely more on good nutrition and natural sheen from sebacious oils. So I dont want a oil stripper unless I have a oily problem.


----------



## nyancat (Jun 30, 2014)

ya I use ivory dish soap as shampoo and human head and shoulders conditioner and it's safe. My coach actually recommended me to use it. for shows though I use horse shampoo and colour enhancer.


----------



## Ale (May 8, 2013)

nyancat said:


> ya I use ivory dish soap as shampoo and human head and shoulders conditioner and it's safe. My coach actually recommended me to use it. for shows though I use horse shampoo and colour enhancer.


*high fives for head and shoulders* I use the green apple scent on manes and tails


----------



## Clava (Nov 9, 2010)

Ale said:


> I also like using Head and Shoulders, unscented for manes and tails. It makes them feel wonderful and gets rid of the dandruff.


 
That is also good for the scabby areas behind the knee heavy horses with very thick feathers get.

I use dish detergent such as Fairy for skanky tails and very greasy manes, gives my haffies lovely white locks.


----------



## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

When using shampoo, remember you don't need a lot! ;-)










I personally only shampoo horses for a spring clean or a horse show. It strips the natural oils out of the horse's coat, and I don't want to do that too often. If I shampoo, I condition afterwards. Washing in plain water while scrubbing with a plastic brush gives very good results for at home, like when muddy with a sweaty crust after a long ride.


----------

