Grooming

Four Legged Furies

Blog: 11/20/20

Are you struggling with shedding season? Wondering when you’ll stop brushing hair out? Look no further because I have some tips to solve your furry-est problem. 

Let’s start with the basics on what can seem very common, blanketing. Most frequently people who blanket their horses often take them to shows all year round or earlier in the Spring when un-blanketed horses typically haven’t shedded out yet. Another reason could be that the horse is too young or old and has a hard time keeping weight on because of shivering during low temperatures. Older and younger horses also may not grow in or have a full winter coat like middle aged horses do. Lastly, blanketing can be a great way to keep your horse a little bit cleaner during the muddy/dusty seasons. Using blanketing does come with a price, however. Blankets are just like coats for humans. From my own example, I have different coats for different times throughout the year that are thicker or thinner in material. It’s the same for horses. It’s important to consistently watch the weather and determine when you will need to swap blankets so your horse doesn’t become sweaty or get too cold. If the horse does become cold they may grow in a bit of fur, so be prepared to shave your horse in the Spring or ready for a bit of shedding. Below I have attached a link on how to measure your horse so you know exactly what size to purchase. 

If you decide not to blanket your horse you will have other options. Body clipping can be your simple solution but you will, again, need to pay close attention to the weather to decide when your horse will be the most comfortable with his/her new haircut. If the weather decides to suddenly change you will want to have a light to medium weighted blanket/sheet ready to cover your horse. Another option you have is to obtain the right tools when brushing out his/her coat. I, myself, use a standard curry comb but finding the best choice of weapon will help in your personal situation. One thing I recommend is checking out brushing/shedding tools on smartpakequine.com. They also have a variety of supplements such as “Smart Omega 3 Ultra” and “SmartShine Ultra Original” to promote a healthy shedding procedure and then enhance your horse’s coat with a bright shine. This can also be found in the second link below. I’m going to let you in on the best kept secret about producing a quality coat shine in the Spring. Feeding your horse black oil sunflower seeds, found in the bird seed aisle at your local farm/hardware store, can act just the same as some shedding supplements. You can give your horse a cup or two during your daily feeding time or even as a treat.