10 Steps to Improve the Skin and Coat of your Horse

1. Health from the Inside Out

One of the key elements to maintaining a healthy horse is a balanced diet. To determine the optimal nutritional program for your horse and its requirements, engage a qualified equine nutritionist. If that option is off the table, your local produce store provider can be a wealth of knowledge, and so can you! Do your homework and analyse feed bag labels to determine the right program and fit for your horse.

2. When Oils Ain’t Oils

It is well known that feeding oil as a supplement can offer significant benefits to your horse, from reducing inflammation to the quality and health of the horse’s skin and coat. When sourcing the right oil, aim for a high-quality oil with omega-3 and 6. 

3. Worming/Parasite Control

A horse with a worm burden will not have healthy skin and coat; therefore, practise a routine worming program throughout the year. 

4. Rugging/Temperature Control

A horse that is over-rugged will not only drop condition, but their skin and coat will suffer too. The same applies to a horse under rugged in cold conditions. Check the weather temperature daily and rug according to the conditions. Reduce sun bleaching using a light cotton rug and neck rug during the summer months. 

5. Grooming

Your horse will love it, and you will reap the rewards with a clean horse and a healthy coat. Groom before riding and start with a curry comb or grooming gloves to stimulate the skin and remove the dust and dirt, then move to a dandy brush and finally a soft sheepskin mitt.

6. Lights and Action

Stabling a horse under lights mimics the summer daylight hours and, therefore, stops the horse from growing a winter coat. Use a timer on the lights to set the daylight program for your horse.

7. Clean Rugs

To maintain a healthy skin and coat, change cotton rugs (the rug next to the skin) weekly. When laundering cotton rugs, use a mild washing detergent to decrease the chance of any reactions to the horse’s coat. 

8. Washing

Overwashing will strip the natural oils from the horse’s skin; however, if you have to wash your horse frequently, use a mild shampoo specific to horses. Thoroughly rinse without leaving any residue.

9. Following Exercise

After exercise, remove all sweat, paying particular attention to the saddle area, under the girth area, the horse’s head and between the horse’s hind legs. If hosing, once the sweat is removed, scrape off the non-sensitive areas with a scraper, and for the sensitive areas, use your hand. Then dry with a clean towel before re-rugging. 

10. Spray Shine for Coats, Manes and Tails

There are some super coat spray shines on the market that finish the coat, mane and tails off nicely for that glossy, healthy shine. Coat sprays are also an excellent dust repellent, but excessive use may cause sun bleaching in darker-coloured horses. (Don’t spray on the saddle area as saddle may slip).

Article: Kerri Cock

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