Step 1: Nutrition
A pretty coat starts with what's on the inside of your horse. No quantity of grooming will make your horse look beautiful if he doesn't get the proper nourishment. A diet loaded in Omega 3 and Omega 6 trans acids is the first step in realizing a healthy coat. There are numerous paths to achieve this, and you must consult a vet before making any changes in your horse's diet. Your horse should be fed a quality type of forage (sometimes either alfalfa or timothy hay), along with a concentrate (grain) that contains at least 7% fat and 14% protein. I recommend a pellet with 9% fat if you can find one.
To this, you are able to add daily one cup of black oil sunflower seeds, one cup of brown flax seed, one half to one entire cup of corn oil, and one to two tablespoons of paprika. (Warning: Paprika may cause a false positive on some drug tests, so use with caution.) Paprika serves the goal of forestalling your horse's coat from fading in direct sunlight, so a horse that's not turned out to pasture throughout the day may not need this supplement. As well as these, do not forget to provide your pony with a trace mineral block containing zinc and copper, both of which affect coat condition. If your horse is eating only timothy hay, it could be helpful to add a touch (about a half cup) of alfalfa pellets to your horse's feed ration.
There also are some commercially available products that may do the same as the above recipe. I personally am a massive fan of "Dac Oil" which is one of the best kept techniques of the halter industry. This stuff is totally amazing and I can't say enough nice things about it! Nu-Image and Super 14 also work fine!
Step 2: De-Worming
No pony can have a glossy coat if his stomach if full of bugs leeching away his nutrient elements! It is vital that all horses be kept on an acceptable de-worming schedule. Your vet can assist you with developing a parasite control program appropriate to the area in which you live. Most top show barns either employ a regular de-worming product in their horses ' feed, or a give their horses a de-worming paste every 4-6 weeks.
Step 3: Brushing
A good pony should flicker in the sunshine even if he never feels the touch of a brush, but daily grooming will considerably multiply your results! Top show horses get groomed as much as two hours a day. Fortunately , that isn't precisely required. 15 to 20 minutes of daily brushing should be adequate to get rid of dirt and dust from your horse's coat and excite his oil glands to provide healthy, shiny oils. You need to first curry your pony employing a rubber curry brush. This is a very important step as it removes dead hair and mud. This also brings the oils in his coat to the surface. Follow this with a hard bristled brush used to remove all of the mud and hair you simply loosened. After, employ a softer brush to remove any lingering traces of dust and "polish" your horse's coat. Lastly, you can rub your horse's entire body with a soft cloth/towel. This could spread all those oils around and make his coat super glossy and soft. If you have access to an equine grooming vacuum, this may also greatly improve the appearance of his coat. The blower attachment of the vacuum helps remove all the dust particles and the suction of the vacuum will further stimulate his oil glands.
Step 4: Caring For The Coat
Now that you have your dream coat, make sure you protect it vigilantly. For a perfect coat, it is often best to keep your horse inside between the hours of 9am and 5pm, as the bright, direct rays of the sun can bleach your horse's coat awfully. If this is not possible , keep your horse covered with either a light sheet (in cooler climates) or a mesh fly sheet (in hotter areas) to prevent sun damage. I suggest you spray him daily with an equine moisturizing product incorporating a sun lotion. Avoid using any silicone based "shine sprays" on your horse's coat. These are satisfactory for occasional use at shows, but are not counseled for day-to-day use as they really seal the hair follicle and forestall it from absorbing moisture. Keep soapy baths to a minimum (no more than once per month, or before shows), as these futilely strip oils from the coat. If your horse gets sweaty, be happy to hose him off with clean water (as this sweat can dreary the coat as well) but do not use shampoo or soap.
If you follow these straightforward instructions, your horse should be shining like a champion in almost no time. You can bet at your next show, competition, or trail ride all eyes will be on your gorgeous, lustrous horse and you'll have everyone asking you how you managed to make him so. Lovely! Good luck and ecstatic riding!
A pretty coat starts with what's on the inside of your horse. No quantity of grooming will make your horse look beautiful if he doesn't get the proper nourishment. A diet loaded in Omega 3 and Omega 6 trans acids is the first step in realizing a healthy coat. There are numerous paths to achieve this, and you must consult a vet before making any changes in your horse's diet. Your horse should be fed a quality type of forage (sometimes either alfalfa or timothy hay), along with a concentrate (grain) that contains at least 7% fat and 14% protein. I recommend a pellet with 9% fat if you can find one.
To this, you are able to add daily one cup of black oil sunflower seeds, one cup of brown flax seed, one half to one entire cup of corn oil, and one to two tablespoons of paprika. (Warning: Paprika may cause a false positive on some drug tests, so use with caution.) Paprika serves the goal of forestalling your horse's coat from fading in direct sunlight, so a horse that's not turned out to pasture throughout the day may not need this supplement. As well as these, do not forget to provide your pony with a trace mineral block containing zinc and copper, both of which affect coat condition. If your horse is eating only timothy hay, it could be helpful to add a touch (about a half cup) of alfalfa pellets to your horse's feed ration.
There also are some commercially available products that may do the same as the above recipe. I personally am a massive fan of "Dac Oil" which is one of the best kept techniques of the halter industry. This stuff is totally amazing and I can't say enough nice things about it! Nu-Image and Super 14 also work fine!
Step 2: De-Worming
No pony can have a glossy coat if his stomach if full of bugs leeching away his nutrient elements! It is vital that all horses be kept on an acceptable de-worming schedule. Your vet can assist you with developing a parasite control program appropriate to the area in which you live. Most top show barns either employ a regular de-worming product in their horses ' feed, or a give their horses a de-worming paste every 4-6 weeks.
Step 3: Brushing
A good pony should flicker in the sunshine even if he never feels the touch of a brush, but daily grooming will considerably multiply your results! Top show horses get groomed as much as two hours a day. Fortunately , that isn't precisely required. 15 to 20 minutes of daily brushing should be adequate to get rid of dirt and dust from your horse's coat and excite his oil glands to provide healthy, shiny oils. You need to first curry your pony employing a rubber curry brush. This is a very important step as it removes dead hair and mud. This also brings the oils in his coat to the surface. Follow this with a hard bristled brush used to remove all of the mud and hair you simply loosened. After, employ a softer brush to remove any lingering traces of dust and "polish" your horse's coat. Lastly, you can rub your horse's entire body with a soft cloth/towel. This could spread all those oils around and make his coat super glossy and soft. If you have access to an equine grooming vacuum, this may also greatly improve the appearance of his coat. The blower attachment of the vacuum helps remove all the dust particles and the suction of the vacuum will further stimulate his oil glands.
Step 4: Caring For The Coat
Now that you have your dream coat, make sure you protect it vigilantly. For a perfect coat, it is often best to keep your horse inside between the hours of 9am and 5pm, as the bright, direct rays of the sun can bleach your horse's coat awfully. If this is not possible , keep your horse covered with either a light sheet (in cooler climates) or a mesh fly sheet (in hotter areas) to prevent sun damage. I suggest you spray him daily with an equine moisturizing product incorporating a sun lotion. Avoid using any silicone based "shine sprays" on your horse's coat. These are satisfactory for occasional use at shows, but are not counseled for day-to-day use as they really seal the hair follicle and forestall it from absorbing moisture. Keep soapy baths to a minimum (no more than once per month, or before shows), as these futilely strip oils from the coat. If your horse gets sweaty, be happy to hose him off with clean water (as this sweat can dreary the coat as well) but do not use shampoo or soap.
If you follow these straightforward instructions, your horse should be shining like a champion in almost no time. You can bet at your next show, competition, or trail ride all eyes will be on your gorgeous, lustrous horse and you'll have everyone asking you how you managed to make him so. Lovely! Good luck and ecstatic riding!
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