These quick and easy feather hacks have helped the team at H&H keep their horses spotless over the years
Whether you own a mountain and moorland, a traditional cob or a heavy, like many horse owners you spend a lot of time wondering how to keep your horse’s feather clean. It can seem like an uphill battle, as well as a thankless task. For one thing, you might spend half a day washing your horse’s legs with your best horse shampoo. Then, feather gleaming, you turn him out through a muddy gateway into a boggy field, and all your work is undone. What’s the point?
If this sounds like you, don’t stress. As someone plugged in to the Horse & Hound network, I can bring you the very best advice from the inside. And trust me, these owners, breeders, competitors and producers really know what they’re doing.
So, if you want to know the processes and products to use that will not only get horse feather clean but also keep them that way, read on.
Five steps for clean feather
1. Use purple shampoo on white feather
For that initial feather wash, make sure you opt for a powerful shampoo (like this one on Amazon). As products editor Franchesca Slack told me, purple and blue shampoos are a must for whitening. “They will remove brassy tones in the hair,” she says. “Make sure you use warm water to lift dirt better”.
While it can be tempting to reach for washing up liquid, it’s not ideal for feather. “It cleans well but it dries the hair out,” says showing editor Bethan Simons.”
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Use warm water to lift stains.
(Image credit: Phillip Barker)
2. Don’t forget to condition
“We use hair masks for humans on the feather to keep them well-conditioned,” says Bethan. There are plenty of horse-specific conditioning shampoos on the market too, however, such as the Carr & Day & Martin Gallop, which comes recommended by deputy website editor Georgia Guerin.
“It’s tricky through the wetter months, but try to keep your horse out of the mud and wet as much as possible,” adds Bethan. “It damages the hair and can stop them having good cover over the hoof.
“Using turnout pens or the school for periods where you can will help,” she adds.
4. Prevent stains setting in
Keeping horse feather clean is much easier when you apply one of the best coat shine sprays or pig/showing oil, such as this oil product on Amazon that Bethan loves. “I get through loads of this!” she says.
It works by making the hair shaft smoother and, therefore, harder for mud to stick.
“In the summer especially, I apply it at night so that it soaks in and doesn’t contribute to any burning during the day,” adds Bethan. She also makes sure to apply to oil to dry legs.
“Through winter, I wash my horse’s legs off at night and oil them before turnout to stop mud sticking.”
Spot cleaning will help you keep on top of your horse’s feather. Photo: Findlay/Alamy
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
5. Add a little touch-up
To achieve brilliant white legs, apply a little chalk – this will neutralise yellow areas and give a brilliant finish.
I spent more than fifteen years keeping white legs and feather clean for shows. Here’s what I learned:
Stable your horse if possible on a deep, clean bed
Skip out as late as possible the night before your show to minimise the chance of poo stains
Bandage your horse’s legs – but ensure the legs themselves are washed, conditioned and dry beforehand. Bandaging damp legs increases risk of skin irritation and other skin problems, but can also cause any missed dirt at the root of the hair to be absorbed by the bandage, compromising the clean feather
Use clean bandages so there’s no risk of transferring dirt
If you plan to bandage the legs, avoid using too much oil or coat shine after washing them, as the bandages may slip. However, you can apply it above the bandages at the knees and hocks
If you can, keep the bandages on while travelling and fit travel boots over the top
Take a spot-cleaning kit with stain removers and chalk in my grooming bag for touch-ups before my classes
A horse owner and rider with more than 20 years experience, Bethany has been writing for equestrian publications since 2017. Over the course of her career, she has reported from major British Riding Clubs and British Dressage championships, covered Badminton Horse Trials and interviewed equestrian sport’s best athletes. Her work can also be found in Country Life, The Field and Breathe magazine.
