SmartPaker Kit's Top 5 Bathing Tips for Spring
It might be a little early to start thinking about spring horse baths, but the handful of warm days we’ve had up here in Massachusetts has really inspired me to start dreaming of clean ponies in the future! As a person who is big on planning ahead, I already have grand ideas for the first spring bath for my horse, Truffles. Currently, she more closely resembles a feral pony than a Quarter Horse but come warmer days I’m going to get her back to shiny and stunning!
Here is what is going to be in my spring bathing cart soon:
Sensitive Scrubber
First things first, I need a good sponge for sensitive places and scrubber for tough dirt. Luckily, the April Power Shower™ Sponge with Tiger's Tongue covers both! I love that this combines the great dirt removing power of the Tiger’s Tongue with a sponge. The sponge means less dips into the bathing bucket for more soap, and an easy swap to one side or the other depending on which area you’re looking to get clean! These also are extremely economical and have a long life. I can easily get a whole season out of one of these sponges!
Shampoo & Conditioner
Now that my favorite bathing tool is picked out, it’s onto soap. There’s lots of options out there for horse bathing products. Personally, I like to have shampoo and conditioner separate. Though if you’re a 2-in-1 person there’s great options that combine both! For Truffles’ first bath of the year, I’m going with Cowboy Magic® Rosewater Shampoo. This shampoo has been a staple in my bathing routine for years. It’s gentle, effective, and smells wonderful. This shampoo contains silk proteins that help get rid of the winter grime and bring back a beautiful shine to the coat. Also, this is a concentrated shampoo, so a little of this product goes a long way!
In combination with this shampoo, I follow up with the matching Cowboy Magic® Rosewater Conditioner. You certainly can just use shampoo to do a good spring cleaning of your horse, but I love adding a conditioner afterwards. This conditioner in particular has some great ingredients to help with detangling, moisturizing, and strengthening hair. It’s wonderful for the horse’s coat and their mane and tail! This product is also concentrated and will last you a long while. Plus, it still has that wonderful rosewater smell. At this point, it’s probably a contender for Truffles’ signature scent!
Gentle Groomer
My next recommendation is a tool that I’ve used for years and recommend all the time! That is the Betty's Best StripHair® Gentle Groomer™. This little rubber groomer has a fantastic multipurpose design but is especially wonderful with spring baths. It’s super effective at peeling away water, and trapped dirt with it. This tool is also very flexible and has different edges and patterns cut into it making it useful for everywhere from the body to face and legs. It’s a true all-in-one useful tool for bath time, and outside of it!
Moisturizer
Finally, with products for a squeaky-clean horse laid out and a plan to remove all that dirt, my finishing touch product is equiFUSE® GLEAM® Moisturizer + Shine Serum. I love using this product as the final step in a bath to detangle, moisturize, and maintain Truffles’ mane and tail. It contains macadamia nut oil and vitamin E that gives an amazing boost to the hair health and quality. Just like the other products I mentioned, this one smells fantastic too. Finishing up a good fresh spring bath with this product helps maintain that hair integrity long after the inevitable post-bath roll.
That is everything that I’ve picked out for the first bath of spring! Each product helps to work dirt free from the coat, restore shine, and protect fur and hair going forward into warmer and better weather. Hopefully, with any luck, that weather is coming soon. In the meantime, I have a plan for that fateful spring bath day!