Say Goodbye to Your Horse’s Dry Skin

Winter can be hard on your horse’s coat and skin. Be prepared to give them the extra support they need with these tips.Don’t let your horse be a dirt puff this winter!

Grooming

Winter is a great time to brush up on your grooming skills. Taking more time to curry your horse helps loosen up dirt and sweat that can get trapped under your horse’s coat. When you blanket your horse regularly it doesn’t allow his skin to breathe like it normally would. Using long bristled medium brushes will help you get through their dense coat to get as much dead skin and dirt off as possible. Long bristled soft brushes will help spread the natural coat oils around on the skin so they don’t cake up and cause skin irritation. You might also want to consider investing in a grooming vacuum. This will cut your grooming effort in half by sucking up all the hard to reach dirt.

Skin irritants

If grooming alone isn’t helping your horse’s coat, consider skin infections that could be causing the issue. Infections such as rain rot can be easy to treat if caught early. There are many treatments out there for such ailments but most can be prevented with proper nutritional care and grooming. A horse’s immune system can usually prevent these infections. Look into their diet and general stress level to ensure your horse is in tip top shape and in turn you will see an improvement in their skin and coat.

More Moisture

Horses in dry winter climates usually need extra moisture introduced back into their coat. Moisturizing conditioners and sprays are an excellent addition to your winter grooming routine. Switch to moisturizing shampoos but also limit how often you wash. The coat’s greatest ally is your horse’s natural oils, shampooing your horse can strip those oils and leave the skin exposed and unprotected. 

Keep your horse feeling and looking great this winter!