Sign in Pro
Best Horse Shampoos Reviewed & Rated for Quality
Standout Picks
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Effectiveness
Criteria Used in Choosing the Best Horse Shampoos
Regular bath times are important for the health of your horse which is why you need to pick out a high-quality horse shampoo. You should always be on the lookout for shampoos that will help to promote the overall health of your horse when they are used regularly. This can mean that you will want to look for a shampoo that will promote skin and fur health and kill microbes such as bacteria and fungus as well. When you keep your horse clean, the fur and the skin will look and feel great which will help to promote the health and mood of your horse.
As you may have noticed, there are a large variety of horse shampoos that you can use. Some shampoos are general purpose shampoos while other shampoos are targeted towards a specific outcome. It always pays to do your research in order to help find the horse shampoo that will work the best for your needs. The better job you do at understanding your horse’s needs, the better job you can do at matching a shampoo for your horse. The best shampoos will always help your horse look its absolute best which can mean the world to your horse.
Skin Considerations
Generally speaking, horses have sensitive skin which is why you will need to make sure that the shampoo that you pick out is going to work with your horse’s skin. When you are trying to pick out a brand of horse shampoo that will work for your horse, you should start by purchasing a small bottle of shampoo and trying it in a small area on your horse. If you horse breaks out in hives or develops other skin conditions in the treated area, then you should not use the shampoo. On the other hand, if your horse has no reaction to the shampoo after waiting a day, then you should be fine to use the shampoo.
You should try and look for shampoos that will help to protect and moisturize the horse’s skin. Some products contain aloe which can be a great choice since aloe will naturally moisturize and protect the skin on your horse. You can also look for shampoos that do not lather much as these will be easier to rinse off when you are done washing the horse and tend to be easier on the skin. If your horse has particularly dry skin, then you can also look for a shampoo that also includes conditioner as this will help to moisturize the skin during bath time.
When it comes to picking out a horse shampoo, it pays to know your horse and what it needs. If your horse has dry and flaky skin, then you should lean towards shampoos that contain more moisturizing agents in them as this will help to relieve skin conditions. Other horses only require a general purpose shampoo and can start to feel oily if they are too moisturized. The more you know your horse, the better job you can do at picking out shampoo for it.
Enhancing
Some horse shampoos are formulated to enhance the color of your horse’s fur. They will either do this by adding a dye to the shampoo or by adding agents that the hair will absorb so that it reflects more light and looks shiny. You may also see whitening shampoos that will help to enhance the white areas of the horse as well. However, not all horse shampoos contain such properties so you will need to decide if you need coat enhancing features first when you are picking out a horse shampoo.
Most people will not need to enhance the look of their horse. For example, if you are someone who is a casual rider and just likes to own horses, then it is unlikely that you will need to own such horse shampoos. Enhancing shampoos tend to be used in situations where you intend to show off your horse to other people. For example, you may enter your horse into a competition at your county fair where your horse will be specifically judged on how it looks. In this case, you will want to look for a shampoo that will help make your horse more attractive.
If you are looking for enhancing shampoos that contain dyes, then it is important that you pick out the proper color for your horse. In other words, you do not want to use brown dye on a white horse since that would take away from your horse’s appearance. You will also want to apply dyed shampoos only to the areas that you are trying to enhance as well. However, if your horse is a single color or you are not working with dye shampoos, then you should be free to apply the shampoo all over your horse.
Stain Removal
Horses that have white markings or horses that have a light fur color may sometimes develop stains in their coat that will need to be removed. If you need to remove a stain, then you will need to look for horse shampoo that has been formulated to remove stains out of a coat of a horse. The more severe the stain, the more you will need to work to remove the stain so it is best for you to get to the stain as soon as you discover it rather than waiting for it to get worse.
If you have a horse that is prone to getting stained, then it is a good idea to look for a horse shampoo that is specifically formulated to remove stains from the coat of the horse. You will find shampoos that are the traditional rinse type of shampoos where you lather up the horse and then rinse off of the shampoo. For tougher stains, you may want to look for a no-rinse horse shampoo that will allow you to rub out the stain with a towel rather than using water.
Since removing stains naturally requires additional cleansing agents, you will need to make sure that any stain removable shampoo contains moisturizing agents that will help keep the horse’s skin from getting dry after applying the shampoo. Some horse shampoos will even help to prevent your horse from developing stains in the first place, which can be a great way to make life easier on yourself and your horse since you will have fewer stains to deal with in the first place. It also worthwhile to know that no-rinse stain remover shampoo is great to have in the winter time when it is too cold for bath water.
Medicated
At some point in time, your horse will get sick and will require medication. Many horse shampoos are used to treat conditions such as ringworm, hot spots, or other kinds of bacteria and fungal infections. Like it or not, your horse’s coat is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and fungus which can lead to your horse developing an infection or a skin condition. Due to these concerns, many horse shampoos are antibacterial and antimicrobial which will help to keep your horse from developing a condition in the first place. There are also plenty of medicated shampoos that can be purchased without a prescription and will treat horse conditions as well.
If your horse does not have a specific health condition, then you should look for shampoos that are antibacterial and antimicrobial. This will go a long way in preventing your horse from getting sick in the first place which will make life easier for yourself as well as your horse. When you are washing your horse, you should do a good job of following the directions on the shampoo bottle properly so that all of the bacteria and germs are killed in the bath. If you fail to follow the directions, then the bacteria and germs may become resistant to your shampoo and it will no longer be effective for this purpose.
There are times where you need to treat a specific health condition such as ringworm. In this case, you will need to look at the bottle of the shampoo and make sure that it is formulated to treat the condition that you are looking to cure. If you are not sure, then you should consult with a veterinarian to make sure that you have the correct product for your needs.
Hair Growth
Some horses have hair issues in their coat that can be addressed with the proper horse shampoo. If your horse has matted, tangled, or damaged hair, then your horse may benefit from one of the many different products that are available to promote a healthy mane, tail, and body. Some horses may have thin or bald spots in some areas as well that can help when you use a horse shampoo that promotes the growth of hair. If any of this applies to your horse, then you should consider looking for a horse shampoo that will help with your horse’s hair.
Sometimes horses can get tangled and matted fur and you will need to brush out the fur. However, brushing too hard can pull the hair which can cause the horse to feel discomfort and further damage the hair. If you are trying to brush out tangles or mats in your horse’s hair, then you should consider treating it with a horse shampoo first. A horse shampoo can help to strengthen the hair and help it detangle which will make your job easier when you go to brush the hair.
You may also want to look for horse shampoo that can help to restore split ends, broken hair, or damaged hair as well. Many of these shampoos contain proteins that will get absorbed by the horse hair and will help to restore the horse hair. This will help improve how your horse looks and will make it appear healthier. You can also get horse shampoo that promotes the growth of hair when applied to the horse which can be used to make a thin area look thicker or help to get the hair to grow in a bald spot as well.
Top 10 Picks
1. Miracle Coat Horse
There’s something to be said for more. While there is a surprisingly large selection of horse shampoos out there, what we’ve discovered is that there is a certain uniformity to the product and that left us looking for add-ons and large sizes as a way to thin the herd (no pun intended). What we found is that this Miracle Coat is not only a good product but you get lots of it for a great price, and that’s why it tops our list.
Built-in Conditioner
This is something you don’t always see but just like human hair, your horse will benefit from a good conditioning now and again. That’s why we like the Miracle coat so much. Not only will the built-in conditioner add that model in the commercial like luster to your horse’s hair and mane, but will help fix damaged hair. And who wants damaged hair?
Soothing Mixture
The Miracle coat does a lot more than clean your horse's hair and mane, it also will soother their skin and promote faster healing of skin irritations caused by fungus, flies, ticks cuts and scratches. And just for the record, we tried to make sure this is an element of most of our picks so don’t settle for less.
Cost and Value
On the high end but your horse is getting an awful lot of product here for a one-time payment. Point is you can pay a lot now or pay a lot over time later. Miracle Coat with conditioner also promises to keep your horses coat looking good for a long time after washing so that hopefully means you’ll use less of it.
2. Vet One Ketohex
This is a scented shampoo that is perfect to use for horses for a variety of reasons. You can trust that your horse will have had a clean and refreshing bath after you lather up your horse and rinse it off using this shampoo. The Vet One Ketohex has everything that you would expect to find in horse shampoo which is why it's a great choice.
Antibacterial
Bacteria can be harmful to your horse and if your horse has any cuts or sores on its skin, then bacteria can enter its body. This shampoo kills harmful bacteria.
Deep Cleaning
Your horse has long hair and short hair in different areas of its body which is why you need a deep cleaning shampoo to make sure that your horse is completely bathed.
Cost and Value
The Vet One Ketohex is sold at a price that is average for horse shampoo making it an excellent value for its cost since you get high-quality shampoo without spending much.
3. Dr. Muller Keto-C Shampoo
Dr. Muller Pet Solutions offers a therapeutic horse and pet shampoo that is great for grooming and will help your horse to look its absolute best. You can use this shampoo as an aid for grooming but the Keto-C included in the shampoo is specially designed to relieve all kinds of skin conditions and prevent them from coming back. So use this with abandon to keep your horse looking great and feeling comfortable.
Therapeutic
The shampoo will provide your horse with a therapeutic bathing experience by moisturizing the skin and deep cleaning your horse's fur. This will help improve the horse's mood and help it feel great.
Keto-C
Dr. Muller Pet Solutions also contains Keto-C which is an ingredient that will help to fight skin irritations which will help improve the health of your horse's skin after bath times. Not only will it help heal all kinds of skin conditions like dandruff and ringworm, but it also will fight yeast and other bacterial infections and promote quicker healing if your horse is already afflicted with any of these problems.
Cost and Value
This is a premium horse shampoo that is sold at a price that is higher than the average price for a horse shampoo. The higher price is due to the higher quality.
4. Dechra DermaBenSs
If you have a horse that has bacteria infections than you can use this shampoo to help treat those areas. The DermaBenSs is a great choice of shampoo thanks to additional antimicrobial and antibacterial cleaning agents as well as ingredients that will help to repair damaged skin after you have washed your horse. This makes it a great choice to bath a sick horse.
Kills Infections
The shampoo is highly antibacterial which makes it a great choice for a shampoo to use to wash a sore or some other area that you need to pay attention to.
Soap-Free
The shampoo does not contain soap so it will not dry out the horse's skin when you are using it. This will help keep sore areas from itching after you have washed them.
Cost and Value
You will see this shampoo sold at a price that is lower than the average price. The low price turns it into a bargain buy since you get a great shampoo without spending much.
5. Nootie Dermatology Solutions
This is a shampoo that works on dogs, horses, and cats and is a great choice for when you need a medicated horse shampoo. The shampoo lathers well and allows for good coverage of your horse so that it can feel clean and refreshed after a bath. You can trust the shampoo to remove dirt and kill all harmful microbes on your horse.
Concentrated
The shampoo is highly concentrated so a little bit of shampoo will go a long way. This allows you to save because you can use less shampoo on each wash of your horse.
Aloe added
What does aloe do for any kind of shampoo? Well, it does a couple of things, it naturally moisturizes your horse's skin, it soothes any irritation and helps rebuild and rejuvenate a horses skin. The essential oils that are already in the Nootie also help provide nutrients to the surface of the skin to keep it healthy
Cost and Value
You will see Nootie Dermatology Solutions sold at a price that is slightly above the average price. The higher price is justified by the fact that the shampoo lathers richly and lasts longer.
6. Pet MD
Pet MD is a medicated horse shampoo that treats a variety of skin conditions such as hot spots, acne, and even ringworm. This is a great shampoo to use for when you are helping your horse to recover from a harmful skin condition because it will treat the cause of the condition and help to repair the damage caused by it.
Skin Treatment
This shampoo contains antibacterial as well as antifungal agents that you can use to treat skin conditions on your horse. You can use this shampoo to relieve ringworm, hot spots, and acne.
Healing
The shampoo is also great to use when your horse as a light cut, insect bites, or even abrasions on the skin because it kills bacteria which helps to prevent infection.
Cost and Value
You will love the fact that you can purchase a medicated horse shampoo at a price that is around the average price. This makes it into an excellent value for the price.
7. Mane 'N Tail Combo Deal
While many horse shampoos are designed for use in horses, dogs, and cats, the Mane 'n Tail and Body Shampoo has been designed exclusively for horses. You can trust that this shampoo will have the best ingredients for your horse since it has been designed with horses in mind. That means your horse will be cleaner and more refreshed after bathing when using this shampoo. And since we like to buy in bulk when we can, we also came across a new version of this product that gives you almost three times the regular 12-ounce bottle of shampoo, plus another 32 ounces of conditioner, for just a bit over twice the price.
Moisturizing
The shampoo has been formulated with moisturizers and emollients that will help your horse's skin feel soft and moist. This will help your horse feel comfortable and it will be less likely to scratch.
Protein Formula
It also has a unique protein formula that has been micro-enriched to provide your horse with a deep down clean and help to promote soft and healthy hair on your horse.
Cost and Value
This shampoo is sold at a price that is well below the average price. The low price allows you to get a high-quality horse shampoo without having to spend a lot on it.
8. Shapley's Original M-T-G
Here is another great brand of horse shampoo that you can use to treat a variety of different skin conditions on your horse. It contains a formula that will help to promote skin and fur health on your horse by killing microbes and fungus as well as strengthening fur and moisturizing the horse's skin. This will help keep your horse good and healthy.
Treat Skin Conditions
You can use this shampoo to treat a variety of different skin conditions. Some of the conditions include things such as dry skin, girth itch, rain rot, scratches, as well as mane rubbing.
Promotes Hair Growth
The shampoo will also help promote the growth of new hair in the groom, mane, and the tail of the horse which will help your horse look better and healthy thanks to a thick coat.
Cost and Value
The Shapley's Original M-T-G is sold at a price that is average for the price of horse shampoo which makes it into an excellent value for a medicated horse shampoo that treats skin conditions.
9. Eqyss Mega-Tek
If your horse has hair that is breaking, splitting, or damaged, then you should consider using the Equyss Mega-Tek Equine Rebuilder. This horse shampoo will help you repair the hair on your horse which will help your horse look and feel better. You can use it to remove harmful toxins and other residues on the horse and it will even help to detangle mats in the hair.
Promotes Hair Growth
This shampoo has been specifically formulated to help promote hair growth and restore hair on your horse. You can apply it to thin and balding spots to help them fill in or use it on damaged areas.
Palm Oil
Some of the ingredients in this shampoo come from natural palm oil. Palm oil is great for both the hair and skin on the horse and this works to promote horse health.
Cost and Value
You will see this horse shampoo sold at a price that is much higher than the average price for horse shampoo. The higher price is due to it being a premium shampoo product.
10. Aloe Advantage
As you might suspect from the name, Aloe Advantage is a horse shampoo that has been enriched with Aloe which helps to restore the skin and the hair. This helps the shampoo to promote healthy skin and fur on your horse by moisturizing it naturally. You will also love the fresh scent that helps your horse to smell clean after a bath.
Aloe
The shampoo contains aloe, a plant that is known for its ability to restore and moisturize the skin and the hair which help to promote a healthy look in your horse.
No Detergents
Many horse shampoos have harmful detergents that will strip away the natural barrier of oils in the skin and fur. This shampoo does not contain such detergents or dyes to help promote skin and fur health.
Cost and Value
Aloe Advantage is sold at an average price for horse shampoos which makes it into an excellent value since you get a high-quality shampoo without having to pay a premium price for it.
