S P E C I A L B AT H I N G S E C T ION Sure, the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man, but is that shampoo or brace really good for your horse’s coat and skin? A Baths, Braces & Bubbles: by L.A. Pomeroy


horse’s skin is its largest organ. When it comes to applying soluble products, do you really


know what’s best?


“Rich, glistening coats not only look beau- tiful, they indicate well-being,” says Ruth- ann Smith, grooming guru and developer of Lucky Braids Coat Care Products.


BATHS AND BUBBLES “Less is best,” says Healthy Horse Hints author, Shari Frederick. “Some owners over-bathe, which can lead to dandruff from leftover shampoo and conditioner buildup. If you shampoo, rinse well to eliminate dead skin and hair.” For horses with dry skin, dandruff, or hair loss, try washing with an infusion (basted in hot, not boiling, water) of nettle and rosemary.


“Commercial shampoos,” warns Smith, “use petroleum for shine and salt for lather. Tese elements dry hair and irritate the skin. Some horses look less shiny after a bath because natural skin oils have been washed off.”


Holistic Horse 7.25x4.75" april 28_Layout 1 28/04/10 3:58 PM Page 1


“Companies think you won’t wash with a product that doesn’t foam,” says John Collet, vice president of eZall plant-based shampoos. “Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are common and effective cleaning agents. Tey’ve been an industry standard. However, they can be abrasive and must be buffered.”


Or, for a “waterless bath,” sprinkle the coat with baking soda and crushed/powdered lavender, lifting dirt as you brush.


Another option is green surfactants (surface active agents). “Combined with water, non- ionic plant-based surfactants ‘lift’ dirt so it can be rinsed away,” says Collet.


Plant-based surfactants reduce lather but not shine, and since petrochemical-free shampoos are gentler on hair, they offer an efficient and economic bonus: requiring little to no follow-up conditioner.


BALANCE W


hat’s your horse’s pH balance? pH balances measure acidity or


alkalinity on a range from 0, very acidic, to 14, very alkaline, with 7 as a neutral midpoint. A low or high pH will irritate skin, i.e., sulfuric acid is a highly acidic pH 1; liquid drain cleaner is a highly alkaline pH 14.


Shower your horse with love


Leave the bathing to SORE NO-MORE® Massage Shampoo


� AwardwinningArnica liniment in a Sodium Laurel Sulfate-Free plant-based shampoo


� Cool, refreshing spa treatment in a bottle


� Rinses out easily, leaves coat sparkling clean


� Soothing for dry, itchy, irritated skin.


1- 800 -942-5483 Call to find the dealer nearest you.


What You Need to Know Before Washing Your Horse


Member of the Arenus Family of Products ©2010 Novus Nutrition Brands, LLC. All rights reserved. AD# APA04105-2


www.arenus.com www.SoreNoMore.net www.equilite.com 26 | www.holistichorse.com Holistic Horse™ • June/July 2010 • Vol.16, Issue 67


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