S P E C I A L B AT H I N G S E C T ION
“Over-use of improperly balanced shampoos can harm your horse. What’s put on skin can be absorbed into the system,” says veterinarian and founder of Healing Tree Products, Eric Witherspoon. “A healthy horse’s pH is 7.0 to 7.4. Human pH is 6.7 to 6.9. So most ‘pH-balanced shampoos,’ to rinse more cleanly, need a slightly acidic pH.”
Alkaline products penetrate hair’s cuticle/outer layer and reach the cortex (center), leaving hair dry and prone to breakage. Mildly acidic solutions do the opposite: they flatten the cuticle, making hair shinier and easier to brush. To increase shine and manageability naturally, rinse with vinegar.
“Sweat and dirt raise pH to the alkaline, so a neutral-to-slightly acidic pH is ideal,” says Dr. Witherspoon. “Alkaline products may seem to clean better, but strip natural oils and open cuticles to damage, fungi, and bacteria.”
“If you are going for the bucket of water, scrubbing and sponging method, then our pH-balanced formula cleanses without stripping natural oils,” says Devon B. Katzev, president of Straight Arrow, makers of the Original Mane ‘n Tail Shampoo. Fortified with moisturizers and emollients that enhance coat health and appearance, this 40- year favorite among horsemen has an optimum 6.3 pH. A Pro-Tect Medicated Shampoo is their answer to skin or coat issues: the anti-microbial shampoo helps prevent and heal skin problems associated with bacteria, yeast, mold, fungi and viruses.
Te pH of your water is also important, Collet adds. “Soft water
creates more suds, hard water creates less.” BRACES
SA_HolisticHrs_ShmpProtect_June10.pdf 1 5/4/10 12:03 PM W
hen liniment is added to bath water, the result is a brace. Braces
are refreshing rinses that help increase circulation and stimulate healing in sore muscles or swollen legs. One ‘homemade
recipe’ combines apple cider vinegar with salt, sprayed liberally on affected areas like the back or legs, but to avoid the drying effects of salt, there are commercial herbal options that will not burn, blister, or irritate sensitive skin.
One natural liniment is Equilite™ Sore No-More®, which includes the herbs arnica (for bruises/strains), rosemary (to enhance circulation), lobelia (for muscle cramps), and circulation-enhancing lavender.
Or, you can reward a hard-working horse with all the benefits of a brace and shampoo in one bottle: the unique Sore No More® Massage Shampoo is a gentle, vegetable cleanser combined with the arnica-based liniment to create a light lather while delivering an invigorating massage, and is SLS-free.
BOTTOM LINE “Te best cleaning is the least invasive,” Collet concludes. Keeping what’s good for the outside of a horse gently and safely where it belongs can be best for every body.
C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
Holistic Horse™ • June/July 2010
• Vol.16, Issue 67
www.holistichorse.com | 27
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