Survive your horse's shedding season
It's that time of year again! Horses are losing hair everywhere they go. By the time you are done grooming and riding, you are covered in more hair than your horse! Or so it appears and feels.
Here are some tips to help your horse shed:
1. Daily brushing
This will help speed up the process. Remember to use a curry first then a shedding blade just to remove the crud and dead hair. Finish with a hard bristle brush and soft brush if you wish. Putting some grooming oil on a cloth also helps pick up loose hair.
2. Feed supplements
There are some supplements that help with the horse's coat and speed up the time it takes for the horse to shed. It may sound weird but it is true. Increasing your horse's protein and fat content in their diet can help speed up the time it takes from start to finish to drop that old coat on the ground.
3. Wear anti-stick clothing
For the lack of a better name, it's time to don some clothing that the hair won't want to stick to as bad. Wind pants and jackets made from nylon are great for repelling the ick. They are easy to wash and dry. So are hospital scrubs if that is a better option for you. You could also spray on some anti-static spray to help the hair fall off easier. There are products that you can use in the laundry when drying that help repel the hair and fuzz.
4. Vacuuming
If you have a livestock vacuum, you may consider it for cleaning off your horse. The horse will get used to it over time but the initial training can be tricky. Take your time.
5. Clipping
Much the same as getting the horse used to the vacuum, the clippers can be just as daunting for some horses and handlers. However, the benefits can be beneficial, especially if the horse is undergoing lots of exercise. Sweat will build up on the coat, making the horse colder (ironically) and the coat more dungy. Try a clip in certain areas to keep the horse happier during exercise. Remember that the horse may need a blanket in certain weather once clipped.
6. Lighting
This is a tricky subject save for last because you have to understand that process. Horses shed their coats at approximately 16 hours of daylight. Count the outside hours and make sure that when putting your horse into a stall for the night that the rest of the hours are made up of artificial light. This does not always work as the horse can sense the cold and may hang on to that coat.
At the end of the day, it's a lot of elbow grease needed, but so worth it to have a happier horse!
Here are some tips to help your horse shed:
1. Daily brushing
This will help speed up the process. Remember to use a curry first then a shedding blade just to remove the crud and dead hair. Finish with a hard bristle brush and soft brush if you wish. Putting some grooming oil on a cloth also helps pick up loose hair.
2. Feed supplements
There are some supplements that help with the horse's coat and speed up the time it takes for the horse to shed. It may sound weird but it is true. Increasing your horse's protein and fat content in their diet can help speed up the time it takes from start to finish to drop that old coat on the ground.
3. Wear anti-stick clothing
For the lack of a better name, it's time to don some clothing that the hair won't want to stick to as bad. Wind pants and jackets made from nylon are great for repelling the ick. They are easy to wash and dry. So are hospital scrubs if that is a better option for you. You could also spray on some anti-static spray to help the hair fall off easier. There are products that you can use in the laundry when drying that help repel the hair and fuzz.
4. Vacuuming
If you have a livestock vacuum, you may consider it for cleaning off your horse. The horse will get used to it over time but the initial training can be tricky. Take your time.
5. Clipping
Much the same as getting the horse used to the vacuum, the clippers can be just as daunting for some horses and handlers. However, the benefits can be beneficial, especially if the horse is undergoing lots of exercise. Sweat will build up on the coat, making the horse colder (ironically) and the coat more dungy. Try a clip in certain areas to keep the horse happier during exercise. Remember that the horse may need a blanket in certain weather once clipped.
6. Lighting
This is a tricky subject save for last because you have to understand that process. Horses shed their coats at approximately 16 hours of daylight. Count the outside hours and make sure that when putting your horse into a stall for the night that the rest of the hours are made up of artificial light. This does not always work as the horse can sense the cold and may hang on to that coat.
At the end of the day, it's a lot of elbow grease needed, but so worth it to have a happier horse!