Supplements & Shampoos to Enhance Color

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Coming from the world of dog grooming I do know that certain supplements and shampoos can help enhance certain colors (like blacks and whites in particular) but I am wondering for those of you who show, what supplements and shampoos do you find work best for enhancing color?

I know keeping them indoors for the harshest part of the sun during the day will keep them from fading but I would like to know if you feed anything extra or have a favorite shampoo for certain colors.

Also, does Paprika really make a horse pop hot on a drug test? I fed it to my palomino QH daily for open shows (not rated breed shows) so never had to worry about it although I have some palominos and buckskins that I may try it on but definitely don't want to feed it if it comes up on a drug screen! Is it just a myth?

 

[disneyhorse]

Since minis are body clipped so often, I don't think color enhancing is as big a deal in this breed. A good diet does a lot more good than a single supplement in my opinion. Supplements, even black oil sunflower seeds, can be a waste of money in an otherwise balanced diet.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Disneyhorse, thank you for replying. See I was thinking the opposite - I went to AMHA worlds for the first time this year and saw a lot of "washed out" looking palominos and buckskins, the pintos you could barely tell were pintos!

My girls both have pretty rich color in their summer coat but I am afraid that when I clip her I will lose that color and wanted to try to prevent it.

 

[disneyhorse]

Unfortunately if you clip (and lots of people clip close) you will lose color as most is in the shaft. People who show color classes don't always show in halter, where clipping means a bit more than performance classes.

 

[Casey0Lee]

Equifuse bathing system. Let me tell you what, it impressed me!! My g/f sells it. She came out last summer and did a demp on my pally paint mare. WOW

I have never seen white get so... white!! The next day, dirst and poop stains (of course she laid in it over night) literally brushed right off!! Thee stuff keeps working for days after bathing!!! There are a few steps to the bathing process and you're really supposed to bath twice, but wow. Just wow. That's the only word I have for it.

I think my friend sells the starter kits for like $100. She said the product lasts for quite a while b/c of the small amounts you use. I'm DEF buying the kit this summer. FOR SURE!

 

[Casey0Lee]

Unfortunately if you clip (and lots of people clip close) you will lose color as most is in the shaft. People who show color classes don't always show in halter, where clipping means a bit more than performance classes.

I'm curious (I know nothing about showing Minis).... why is it so important to clip Mini's for halter classes? Why don't people just let them shed/slick out normal? In the QH world we use UV lights and blankets to get them to start shedding in time for show season.

Their color is so much shinier and more radiant if you don't clip.

 

[disneyhorse]

Minis, being basically small ponies, usually grow proportionally more coat to stay warm. So they (a few have fine-coat genetics but not most) never get that summer-coat-so-tight look. Plus most people don't show only may/June/July and you clip for the early shows and clip for shows towards Nationals when the winter coat starts coming in.

A clipped horse will ultimately look more refined and sculpted, so most are clipped and some even clip with a #30 blade to really show the horse. (I clip with a #15 or #10 depending on the horse and color).

They are simply a different animal than a QH or a thoroughbred when it comes to hair coat.

 

[Casey0Lee]

Minis, being basically small ponies, usually grow proportionally more coat to stay warm. So they (a few have fine-coat genetics but not most) never get that summer-coat-so-tight look. Plus most people don't show only may/June/July and you clip for the early shows and clip for shows towards Nationals when the winter coat starts coming in.

A clipped horse will ultimately look more refined and sculpted, so most are clipped and some even clip with a #30 blade to really show the horse. (I clip with a #15 or #10 depending on the horse and color).

They are simply a different animal than a QH or a thoroughbred when it comes to hair coat.

I was just curious b/c in the past I had a Shetland that shed out beautifully.

 

[Crabtree Farm]

Shetlands, depending on type will also shed differently. Moderns/Modern Pleasures typically have a different coat than foundations and some classics. And especially with those with a hackney influence, will have a finer coats that slicks out.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I clip once at the beginning of the year, but always have whatever the horse with the exception of the Arabs. I found it was just easier to clip in the middle of February and bypass the whole shedding process. I could have a full summer coat on anything by the beginning of April- LOADS of blankets (this a few years back- I can get wonderful blankets now) keep the horse as warm as toast, leave the light on (does not have to be UV- I used ordinary lights) til 11 and back on at 4-5 and Robert is your mother's brother......

 

[Marty]

I'm perfectly happy shaving my stay at homes with a #10 during the summer two or three times as needed for maintenance. There are two I don't shave at all because their coat is tight. But that's pretty rare. Disney is spot on. If you are showing, you'll be body clipping with a #30 and then other sizes for facials because that is how its done. And yes, you will be shaving them off for every show with their color indeed. Showing a horse who nicely shed to you, even with a nice tight hair coat, in your eyes, would not usually be acceptable in the show ring in a halter class. Not saying some don't but most don't. They clip them all off. Drastic? Yes, I think so and I don't like it one bit, but when in Rome.....You can start them on some Farnum Super 14 which is a wonderful supplement which works from within on the hair coat so when you clip them off, they will shine like a son of a gun.

 

[Casey0Lee]

^ I won't be showing and my mare doesn't seem to get too much hair. She will shed out OK for a pet =)

My yearling... wow. The hair is.. INSANE lol I will def be clipping him. There's no way all of that hair is shedding off. It's unbelievable! But, I'll just clip him with a 10.

No showing or anything.... maybe just a fun local show with the baby, but just for fun. Nothing serious. I just hate how all the color clips off!!

 

[Hayley~Diaz]

A well balanced diet should promote healthy coats. I actually read an article in our recent Horse & Pony magazine about the link between horse's diet and coat bleaching. Basically it was to do with even levels of Copper and Zinc.

A copper-dependent enzyme called tyrosine is responsible for the production of melanin, brownish-black pigments synthesised from the amino acid tyrosine. Sufficient copper is needed to produce the pigment in buckskins and chestnuts, and both copper and zinc are needed for black/brown/grey coats.

The purpose of the pigments is to act as a sheild against light. The fading is caused by ultra-voilet light oxidising the pigments.

Its not enough to simply ensure sufficient levels of copper and zinc in the diet. The balance must be considered between the two. Too much zinc has been shown to interfere with copper uptake, known as secondary copper deficiency. Meanwhile too much copper is believed to interfere with zinc uptake...The ideal ratio for copper to zinc is 1:3

Thought that was interesting. There is more to it but thats the jist that I read