Grooming to Keeping White and Grey Horses Bright, Clean, and White
Keeping a white horse looking white can be a challenge. Here are some tips to keep your white horse white, while still allowing them to live as horses.
The first line of defense is the area the white horse(s) live in. To keep a gray or white horse clean while still letting them live normally, you need to minimize their contact with manure, urine, clay, and particularly lush grass. That means extra shavings in their stall to absorb urine and frequent stall cleaning if/when they are in. Try to keep the white horse out of a pastures made up of red or clay soil. If you have the option, have a load of sand dumped in the middle of your pasture. (far from where the horses eat) Most horses will gravitate to the sandy spot to roll because it feels good, but it will also prevent grass and mud stains and may actually help clean the coat.
If you are unable to provide a clean sandy space to roll in the pasture, you can do the same with well timed turnout in a clean area such as a roundpen or arena. After you've ridden and untacked your horse, allow them 5-10 minutes in the roundpen or arena before you groom and turn them out. Most horses will roll while sweaty and providing them after-exercise turnout in a clean space may prevent them from running to a mud puddle as soon as they are turned out.
One frequently used trick for keeping white coats brialliant is Mrs Stewart's Laundry Bluing, which can be added to an all-over coat conditioner- such as Equss's "Coat Rehydrant" spray. We prefer this spray because it doesn't contain silicone and is meant for the entire coat, not just mane and tail. Dilute 50/50 water, and add 2-3 drops of laundry bluing. If you apply it every time you groom the white coat will be absolutely brilliant and the coat very healthy. (you can add tiny amounts of bluing to almost anything- including most fly sprays, for the same effect) Be careful not to add to much bluing, bluing is a dye and can color hair and/or irritate skin if used in too strong of a concentration.
On show mornings both cornstarch and chalk will help cover any spots you can't shampoo out. There's also a new product by Tail Tamer called "Pony Paint" It's a liquid form of chalk and is easier to apply and more natural looking than the blocks of chalk.
