As spring approaches, we reach one of the messiest time of year: shedding season. Your horse’s thick winter coat will start loosening, making way for a sleek, shiny summer coat. Proper grooming and use of blankets can help ensure this transition is smooth leaving a glossy coat & healthy skin. Here are our Insider tips on how to help your horse shed efficiently.
Did you know?
Horses begin shedding their winter coats as daylight hours increase, rather than due to temperature changes alone. This natural process helps them regulate body temperature and adapt to warmer weather. While some horses shed quickly, others take weeks to fully transition, making consistent grooming essential.
Clipping: Myths, Pros & Cons
Some horse owners choose to clip their horses during shedding season in the hope of speeding up the transition to a sleek summer coat. However, there are many myths surrounding spring clipping. The most common myth is that clipping in the spring will ruin the incoming summer coat. This is not true. Horses can be clipped all year round and the natural cycle of hair growth will continue as normal, the coat will even out in the end.
Another myth is that clipping stops spring shedding. In reality, horses will still shed based on changes in daylight; the only difference is that the shedding hairs will be shorter. Choose to clip if your horse is in heavy work and is sweating profusely as a result. Clipping can help prevent patchy shedding and keeps the coat at an even length.
Considerations when clipping include the removal of the horse’s natural insulation. This means making more decisions around blanketing and ensuring your horse has sufficient warmth when the coat is removed. Opting for an Aloga liner to quickly and effectively add warmth to adapt compatible blankets to add more warmth. To get the best results when clipping, check out our How to clip with a Pro with International groom Kate Duffy.
Brush it out
While some of us will choose to do a mid-winter/early spring clip others will wait it out and allow the the coat to natural shed out to take it’s course. Grooming becomes an essential part of this transition. Using the right grooming tools therefore can speed up shedding and help enhance your horse’s coat quality. A shedding blade or grooming mitt can remove loose hair efficiently while rubber curry combs are great for massaging the skin to stimulate natural oil production. This will help promote shine and the quality of the summer coat. Grooming blocks can also be a great help to remove finer hairs.
Natural practices can also be effective in shifting large volumes of hair fast. Movement is one of the best ways to help your horse shed naturally. On dry warmer days allowing your horses to roll without a blanket can be a great natural way for your horse to shed effectively. Additionally, time your horses spend together with field mates allows them to groom each other and will see loose hairs stripped away.
Blanketing in Shedding Season
Using the right blankets during shedding season can help improve your horse’s coat quality. Aloga blankets are lined with anti-static, antibacterial lining that aids to enhance coat health and shine. For horses that are spending more time indoors opting to use the Aloga Pro Stable will keep coats clean and free from stable stains. The smooth nature of the lining helps reduce friction and helps prevent irritations during extended wear. Equally they are the ideal choice to keep horses warm and cosy during a season subject to varying temperature fluctuations.
The Aloga Liners can be an ideal solution for use during these changing seasons. Also lined with embossed anti-static, antibacterial lining. Liners can be added to compatible blankets acting not only an additional layer of warmth but can be easily removed and washed without having to wash the entire blanket. This helps keep the interior of your blanket clean and the fabric closest to your horse’s coat fresh, aiding in coat health.
Inside & Out
Bathing & washing, when ambient temperatures and drying conditions allow, also helps to loosen dead hair. A spring bath with warm water using a mild equine shampoo can have benefits in removing winter hair. When it is just too cold for an all over bath, hot toweling can also work well to remove winter hair as well as excess dirt provided you do not over-wet your horse.
Be sure to be monitoring your horse’s nutritional needs as the season changes. Feeding can have a big impact on the quality and condition of coat health. Adding oils such a Kentucky Karron Oil from Foran Equine will aid in promoting coat shine. Ensuring their diet is balanced correctly with sufficient amounts of vitamins A, E and biotin to support skin health and hair growth.
Shedding season signals the arrival of warmer weather and a fresh start for your horse’s coat. With the right grooming techniques, proper blanket management use and a well-balanced diet, you can help your horse transition smoothly into spring—less mess, more shine! Stay ahead of the shedding season by keeping your grooming tools handy and adjusting your horse’s blanketing needs as temperatures fluctuate.
1 Kommentar
Hello, I found your article on shedding very good. I have a 143cm Connemara. What rug would you recommend for her that I can use with liners for outdoor use from Autumn through to early summer? Thanks Una (Kildare)