It may seem like mission impossible, but bathing your horse in winter can be done. Mostly! 

 

When to give your horse a full bath in cold weather:

 

If you have an indoor, draft-free wash rack with unlimited hot water and a solarium, you are set. If not, there are still several ways to give your horse a deep-cleaning grooming session.  

 

Sometimes, winter will grace us with an unusually warm day. Take advantage of this if you can! Focus on drying time and if the weather and your horse will be able to dry comfortably. 

 

How long is your horse’s coat? Longer fur means a longer dry time, especially on the belly! You may be doing a lot of towel drying. 

 

Is there a lot of wind? Wind may help your horse dry, or it may chill him. 

 

The same goes for sunshine! Can you use it to your drying advantage, or will you run out of daylight?

 

How many coolers do you have? After a bath, you may need to rotate coolers to wick moisture away continuously.  

 

 

How to bathe your horse in winter, without really bathing. 

 

 

There are other options if the weather doesn’t cooperate! Always start with grooming to lift as much dirt and dander as possible.

 

Spot cleaning is the quickest way to bathe parts of your horse.

 

Treating smaller areas, as needed, is bathing your horse on a much smaller scale. It’s fast and easy!  

 

This method is great for stains. Create a steamy towel by wringing out a cloth or sponge after dunking in hot water. Remove as much moisture as you possibly can before lightly rubbing the stain.  

 

Keep things as dry as possible! Add spot remover or no-rinse shampoo sparingly. Wait a few minutes, then use a fresh and dry cloth to buff the area.  

 

 

Hot toweling your horse takes spot cleaning one step further.  

 

Scale up the process by preparing a bucket of hot water alongside a rinse bucket. Dunk several washcloths or rough textured sponges in the water to soak. Adding some of your dry shampoo to the hot water also helps lift stains and deep-down dirt.

 

Wring out a cloth, and start using that to curry and brush your horse against the direction of growth. His coat should not get wet. When one rag is cool or dirty, toss it into the rinse bucket. Repeat this process in sections, covering them with a cooler as you work.  

 

Hot toweling a horse takes time! And a bit of oomph from your muscles, too. 

 

Another option is to “hot brush” your horse.  

 

Similar to hot toweling, hot brushing replaces your washcloths with a stiffer brush. Barely dip your hard brush’s bristles into steamy water. Shake things out, and then brush against the direction of growth. Repeat, repeat, repeat! 

 

Alternatively, use steamy towels as a surface to swipe your brush. By creating barely damp bristles, you give your stiff brush some added cleaning power. Find a “swipe and wipe rhythm” to get your horse clean.  

 

 

More help for grooming winter coats!

 

What makes horses more waterproof and stain-resistant is the natural oils found on their skin. Winter’s dry air combined with longer coats often create dullness and crispiness to the hair, manes and tails included! 

 

Using a deep conditioning treatment on your horse adds moisture, reduces static, boosts shine, and doesn’t strip any of those oils. When used sparingly, grooming oils and conditioners will soak into your horse’s coat to provide luster.  

 

It isn’t easy to spray thick grooming oils. Applying with a rag, medium-density brush, or your hands works best. Start with a quarter-sized dollop for one side of the neck and see how that goes. Adjust accordingly. If you use too much, wait a bit and go over the area again with a dry rag.  

 

Deep conditioning treatments also serve to create a hair shaft that is more resilient to stains, making future grooming easier!

 

Bathing manes and tails in the winter.

 

All of these techniques work for manes and tails, also!  

 

For spot cleaning, spray a dry-shampoo directly on the area. Allow the stain remover to rest for several minutes before wiping away.  

 

If you need to wash larger areas, use a hot toweling method. Section the mane or tail into pieces about as wide as your finger. Use the hot towel to wipe the sections down.  

 

With superior hose aiming skills, a complete shampoo and condition of the tail are possible. If cold water is your only option, limit the washing to below the tailbone. You can easily save some time, too, by shampooing and then using a smaller amount of conditioner as a leave-in.

 

You may not be actually bathing your horse in winter, but the results can be the same!