To ensure a healthy horse coat and improve your horse’s health, you need to be aware and pay attention to everything related to your horse’s health. One of the indicators of horses’ health is their coat.
Brittle and dry coats, lack of shedding, and dull colors are signs that your horse is not feeling their best. That’s why it is very important to make your horse coat extremely shiny.
Your horse’s coat is the key to know how your horse is feeling inside and out. Once again, a shiny coat is a sign of a healthy horse. Just like human skin, a horse coat and skin health depend on the nutrition.
So, if your horse is missing out any key nutrients, his coat will lack shine and gloss. Make sure that your horse is getting enough minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and protein.
However, you don’t have to be worried about the ways to keep
your horse’s coat shiny and healthy. Here are the brilliant tips you can do to
take care of your horse’s coat.
- Give them the Essential Nutrients
As being stated before, the horse’s coat and skin health depends on the nutrients he gets. Your horse needs to stay healthy in order to have a shiny and glossy coat.
Remember that your horse isn’t able to produce essential fatty acids, such as Omega 3s and Omega 6s, so they must come through his diet. His diet should also consist of vitamin A, Zinc, and sulfur which lead to a healthy and glowing coat.
You may consult to your vet about the best sources of these nutrients. Vitamin A is readily available in green grass and it is important for his healthy skin.
Make sure your horse doesn’t have any fleas. If he does, then you may follow these tips on get rid of horse fleas. It is very important to keep your horse away from fleas as it is one of the causes of swollen leg in horses.
Your horse surely needs daily grooming. It is really important, specifically in the summer when your horse might be shedding more. You can use a range of accessories to groom then, such as damp cloths, dry wool mittens, brushes, mane and tool combs, sponges, and hoof pick.
Comb out any tangles and knots in the mane. Inspect the hooves area and find any irregular wear patterns or cracks. You can also use your grooming mittens to remove any dirt, mud, or grit from your horse’s coat.
Daily grooming will stimulate the sebum production and distribute the skin’s natural oil evenly. As a result, it leads to an even shine.
A horse with clean coat will be able to keep their skin cool, especially during the hot summer. It is because the perspiration will evaporate more freely.
Horses will sweat more during the summer, and the sweat can damage the coat as it can be bleached by the sun.
Bathing your horse during the summertime is important to keep his coat in tip-top shape. However, make sure to use the right shampoo.
If the shampoo is too harsh, then it will ned up striping the sebum which is secreted by the sebaceous glands. Make sure to use an equine shampoo which is specifically formulated for coat care.
In addition to the use of the right shampoo, the use of
conditioner may also bring out the shine. While you select a conditioner for
your horse make sure to avoid the products which leave behind residues,
especially silicone residue.
- Deworming your Horse Regularly
When your horse has worms, it may lead to a dull coat. You
should consult with your veterinarian for a regular worming program. Besides
dull coat, a horse which has a high worm may have low energy level too.
- Be aware of any Skin Issues
Starting from now, make sure to examine your horse for any underlying skin conditions, such as dermatitis, bacterial, or fungal skin diseases, especially rain rot. All these conditions may cause serious skin problems and need more than a bath to address.
Keep an eye for these conditions, such as summer sores, sweet itch, bug bites, weepy and watery eyes. Consult with your vet if any of these conditions appear.
Exercise is also an important key to healthy coat. Besides
building muscles, preventing boredom, and burning off extra energy, exercise
also helps to maintain your horse’s coat health.
Exercise boosts the number of blood vessels and capillaries which deliver essential nutrients and oxygen to your horse’s skin.
Sweating helps your horse naturally release toxins and sebum secreted by hair follicles also help give your horse’s coat a glossy and healthy shine.
If you’re a horse parent or owner, make sure to know horse breeds for horse riding and useful tips to make sure you ride a horse properly.