Manage coat change, the easy way

Horses change coat twice a year, in spring and autumn, and it’s a particular problem at this time of year when they are growing a shorter summer coat at the same time as the longer, old winter coat is falling out. As well as not looking very pretty, coat change can also be quite uncomfortable for your horse.

So, what to do? Here are some of our tips – check out the full article in April Horse&Rider.

Get grooming: good old-fashioned elbow grease is key, especially at this time of year to get rid of loose hair and scurf. We let you in on the best tools for the job, from shedding blades to Super Groomers and explain how to give the best possible groom to a moulting horse.

TIP: Keep anything made of fleece away from moulting horses

Soap-free cleaning: Try as you might, horses sweat and it needs to be removed. Walking the last part of your ride will dry him to a certain extent, but not so much if the weather is very warm. We explain how to ‘hot-cloth’ your horse on those days when your horse is in desperate need of a bath, but the weather is too cold.

TIP: Use a summer sheet under your horse’s rug and change it regularly to prevent the loose hair becoming embedded in the lining of his top rug.

Step away from the clippers? You might think the simple answer is to clip him, but if you do this too late in the year, it can remove new, growing hair and potentially affect your horse’s summer coat. We give you tips on when to clip and when not to clip for the best possible results.