Getting horses used to baths

[Bleenie]

We recently acquired 3 rescue minis. I've been gettin them used to me an bring handled but 2 of them are still pretty unruly when it comes to bathing, one specifically with her rump. I am wondering if there's any ways I can get her more desensitized to water on her butt without having to soak her multiple times a week.

One mare loves baths, another isn't overly thrilled but tolerates it and the youngest is a beast for them, literally jumping all over the yard whenever you try to rinse her.

Also, we have a big mare we rescued from slaughter that any tips would be helpful for, she's much bigger but in desperate need of a bath.

 

[shorthorsemom]

For my sensitive horses during training.. I bucket wash with warm soapy water and a sponge and then I rinse well using sponges too and lots of clean warm water buckets lined up and I finish with a scrape with a shedding blade. Takes much longer getting them clean using sponges and buckets of warm water, but well worth it until they trust you.

It took years for me to wash using a hose on my one boy. He thought "flames" were shooting out of the hose.

Not sure how you are washing but many horses cannot stand a hose squirting and they really enjoy warmed water bathing. I fill a bunch of buckets and in summer I let them stand in the sun for awhile... or I use a water heater and just warm them all up one by one. Takes longer but well worth the effort to watch my boy enjoy his bath when I make it more like petting to be washed.

I don't have warm water hose option in my stable, my hose comes directly from the well and it is cold.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Just have to persevere. It might help to wet, put the shampoo on with a brush or rubber scrubber, then walk away for a few minutes. Then come back to rinse. Start with the legs and work up.

I saw a youtube about rinsing with white vinegar using a hose-end sprayer. The vinegar raises the ph of the skin to inhibit insects/fungus, rinses the soap out better, and I think it feels good on the skin. I fill the sprayer with vinegar then rinse.

You might have lots of horse experience, but I always like to suggest that handlers be careful with silly horses, as the pressure of the halter on the poll and nose can cause damage when the horse is acting up.

Good time of year to have to do this before the weather gets too cold.

Also, I use a vacuum on mine quite often. You might see how yours take to that.

 

[Riverrose28]

I first like to make sure that the horse is used to being tied, and I use a lead rope they can't break. I also like to wear boots the first time in case I get stepped on. Warm water is a must, as I can't stand a cold shower. I'm lucky and have a hot water hook up, but rarely use it as I prefer to hook up a couple hundred feet of hose and turn the water on, the sun will heat the water in the hose. I use an end that has different amounts of water coming out and the first one I use is mist or shower and lightly spray the legs then move up to the chest, sometimes if the youngster is acting scared I will talk to them or stop squirting and give scratches. Sometimes for the first bath it is just a partial one like wet the legs and chest and lower neck and then scrub witch they love and rinse. Then the next day try to give a full bath. Some young horses take to it better then others, you need to be more determined then them.

 

[Miniv]

We also use warm water. Our laundry room sink has a faucet that allows for a hose and we run the hose outside.

We turn down the water low and gentle and everything is done slowly.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

If they are good with their ground work and you have done some densitizing then giving baths shouldn't be a real issue once you desensitize them to the water. First of all I would not tie them up, just hold the lead in your hand and they can move around but they must keep giving you two eyes. Instead of spraying the body start spraying the air around them. If they stand still reward them by taking away the hose and rub them. If they seem to be getting along with that then start by spraying the legs again follow the steps above, retreat and rub. Once you get both sides of the body real good then start working on the head but just start off with a light mist.