Your Horse

Brushing and Sweat
It's not complicated. Working your horse to a sweat and brushing, brushing, brushing are the best things for a horse's coat. You can spend plenty of money on feed supplements but the best thing is working your horse to a sweat, your own elbow grease and a $2 brush.

Bathe Your Horse
Save your Money! Guess what? There are no special shampoos or conditioners – go with what's the least expensive and just use it! Healthy Hair Care is great. Add water and spray on liberally. We also use a general alcohol absorbing liniment mixed with water and, again, spray it on liberally.

Manes and Tail
Take care of your horse's mane and tale. We hear all the debates – use a brush, don't use a brush. Do what works for you, but make sure you pay attention and keep your horse's mane and tale clean, thoroughly rinsed of shampoo, and conditioned. Cowboy Magic® or Xtreme Design® both offer a great line of conditioners.

Quick Tip: When a horse rubs, we like to use Corn Huskers® Lotion because it's greaseless and won't attract or absorb dirt. It's the dirt that makes the horse itch and rub, so the more dirt, the more a horse will rub.

Clipped
Take your time and be careful with the clippers. Not everyone is an expert with the clippers so be conservative. For a show, make sure the bridle path is freshly trimmed, the whiskers around their muzzle and eyes are done and don't forget to run the clippers underneath your horses chin for a nice, smooth appearance.

Shine
Depending on where you show and in what discipline, there are rules for just what kinds of topical shines you can apply to your horse. At U Rock ‘n Ride, we like keeping it real and don't like to see a horse where the glare from the sun reflecting off his coat is blinding. If a horse is too shiny, I'm always wondering if the exhibitor is overcompensating for some other flaw. A little Ultra Touch® is fine – but it doesn't take the place of elbow grease and your brush.