Greening your grooming

With his dull coat, sad mane and tail and sorry hooves, your previously proud horse is a sorry sight. To recover his shiny coat, magnificent mane, glistening tail and scintillating hooves, he needs a jolly good grooming session. The problem witht most shampoos, conditioners and detanglers is that they are usually full of highly objectionable chemicals, harmful to horses, humans and the planet.

Thank goodness, ô hippophiles of the world, eco-friendly, efficient and economical products are available. And, with a bit of luck, you might already be the proud owners of these treasures: Castile soap, cider or white vinegar and baking soda. If this is not the case, we don’t congratulate you and we invite you to adopt them as soon as possible.

Unless your beloved four legged-friend is sensitive to one or more natural ingredients in Castile soap, it is safe to use. It is always a good idea to do a patch test before using it. Simply apply a very small amount and wait 24 hours for any reaction.

Start this beautifying session by wetting your horse. Then, with a firm hand, pour a capful of liquid organic unscented Castile soap on your faithful destrier. This magic product, without the usual unwelcome chemical nasties, leaves the coat, mane and tail incredibly smooth and shiny without stripping the skin and coat of its natural oils. And it discourages parasites.

Give the dear creature a good rub with a cotton sponge or washcloth and rinse well. If your horse doesn’t like his face wet, dip a microfibre washcloth in water, add a few drops of Castile soap on it and gently stroke him with it, from the top down to the nostril area.

Should you come across some stubborn stains, grab the baking soda, dust some on your sponge and rub it on the offending spots. Rinse well.

Shampoo the mane with a tablespoon Castile soap. And use the occasion to give him a nice head massage to stimulate blood circulation and growth.

To wash the tail, put ¼ cap Castile soap into a small bucket, add water and mix well. Hold the bucket in one hand and dunk your horse’s tail in it with the other. Swish it around thoroughly, then rinse.

For the final rinse, add ½ cup cider or white vinegar in a bucket of water. Coat, mane and tail will sparkle like a million diamonds.

Hooves love Castile soap too and, after cleaning them, rub them with half an onion to make them scintillate under the sun.