Skin & Coat

There are many ways to get a horse’s coat shiny. If you want it to be shiny for a show or temporarily appear healthier than it is, applying baby oil or coconut oil will be very effective. Giving your horse a good wash with a high quality horse shampoo will also help the coat to look more shiny. It is possible to get your horse’s coat to be shiny and glossy day in and day out without the addition of lotions and oils because a truly healthy coat and skin comes from within. Feeding a supplement that supports keratin production and healthy hair growth as well as hydrating the skin and helping with skin suppleness will be very effective. Getting your horse’s coat to be shiny all the time can be achieved by feeding a product such as a Revive ’n’ Shine daily.

A horse with a healthy coat will appear smooth and shiny. Their coat will be full and have a rich colour. If they are dappled, the dappling will be strong and obvious. A healthy horse coat can be said to be ‘glowing’ and shouldn’t need any lotions or oils to make it appear that way. If your horse’s coat is healthy, it will be free from bald patches and the hair density will be even across their body. Usually, their mane and tail will also be full and strong.

Sweet itch is a condition caused by an allergy to the saliva in mites which are prevalent through the summer. This allergy causes extreme and unrelenting itching in horses and causes them great discomfort and irritation. They tend to rub themselves raw particularly around their run and tail dock and up their neck along their mane line. You can help your horse with sweet itch by providing an antihistamine prescribed by the vet, by protecting them with a mesh rug 24/7 to reduce their likelihood of getting bitten and by using spray on repellants. Feeding garlic will also help to keep the midges at bay by repelling them from your horse.

Skin allergies in horses are common and can cause horses a lot of discomfort and annoyance. They may break out in lumps, bumps or hives or may just be extremely itchy. The skin may become red, hot and sensitive where the allergy has taken hold and horses can rub those areas excessively leading to bald patches. You can help a horse with skin allergies by applying sud-cream to any area of the skin that is broken. Ensure they are not exposed to weather extremes which may add to their discomfort. If you know what has caused the allergy, remove the culprit (or your horse from where the culprit is), If your horse has allergy warmth or itchiness run a cool hose over them and apply a calamine lotion to settle the itching. The vet may prescribe an antihistamine which should help to settle reactions. If your horse is prone to skin allergies, it will important to ensure their skin is in the best condition possible before allergy season hits and to support their immune system. A comprehensive nutritional supplement such as Revive ’n’ Shine can be very effective for promoting good skin condition and providing a boost to the immune system.

Chronically dry, flaky skin can be common in horses. Dry, flaky skin in horses can result in itching, bald patches in the coat and is unsightly. It’s also an indication that your horse’s skin isn’t in very good condition. It can be tempting to apply oils and lotions to help to resolve it and they might offer temporary relief, but the problem will likely continue to occur if a deeper resolution isn’t found. A healthy coat and skin come from within which is why a dietary change and providing a supplement specifically to help with skin health is important. Adding a healthy, high quality oil to your horse’s diet (such as linseed/flaxseed oil) will make a big difference. Even better is to feed a dedicated skin product such as Revive ’n’ Shine which will help to repair damaged skin from inside and nourish the skin, which will help to resolve those dry, flaky patches and ensure the health of the coat as well.

Some horses will naturally have a fine or thin mane and tail, which will be more prone to damage and falling out. If that is your horse, you could find restoring a healthy, full mane and tail quite challenging. A healthy, thick mane and tail come from nutrition. Loss of mane and tail hair could happen for a wide range of reasons from your horse rubbing themselves, ageing, rugs rubbing to various fungal or bacterial infections. Whatever the reason, good nutrition is the best way to get your horse to grow back a healthy mane and tail. Ensure they are getting adequate high quality protein, that they have access to high quality haylage on a daily basis and consider feeding supplements that boost hair growth. You can feed individual herbs for example fenugreek, nettle or rosemary. Alternatively, you can feed a comprehensive supplement pre-formulated for skin and coat health to boost hair growth, such as Revive ’n’ Shine.