Here’s How To Give Your Horses Coat The Ultimate Shine

Apart from its majestic look and strength, what makes a horse look so attractive is often its incredibly shiny coat. A healthy glint on the coat speaks volumes about the equine’s overall health, not to mention it adds a lot from a beauty perspective.   

Many a time, a shiny coat is associated with specific coat colours like black or chestnut. And if you have stood near a hores with a coppery chestnut or dark bay coat, you will have surely fallen in love at first sight.

So to start with, let’s understand what makes a horse’s coat shine so you can achieve the same finish yourself. The three major factors are:

Diet

Genetics

Grooming and hygiene

Diet

Just like human beings, a healthy horse will sport a healthy coat. It is advised that you feed your horse sufficiently so that it receives the correct amount of nutrition that it needs.

Eating healthily will secrete oils that will result in a vibrant, smooth and shiny coat. If you have no idea what your horse’s diet should comprise of, speak with a vet or do some research online. There are plenty of reputable horse blogs and forums out there offering tried and tested advice.

Genetics

You might be thinking that there’s something about dark horses that means they have the most fabulous coat - or that they maybe even possess a ‘shiny gene’.

Truth be told, there are some factors that contribute to the shine that glints offthe coats of horses that are darker shades. The University of Delaware mentioned in one of its studies conducted on human hair that the amount of Pheomelanin (red tones) and Eumelanin (brown tones) determines the hair colour of humans.

If the quantity of eumelanin is less, the hair will sport a light-blonde colour. If the eumelanin quantity is more weighted, the hair will sport a much darker shade. People who have a lot of pheomelanin end up with red hair that ranges from a pale red (hello to all the strawberry blonde bombshells out there), to bright red or auburn shades.

Similarly, the biochemistry for the hair on horses is the same. The study explains that there are some genetic aspects that are associated with having the “perfect coat” which is why there are such strict guidelines with breeding horses.

Grooming and hygiene

Now comes the factor you do get a say in. The way the light reflects your horses coat also depends upon its finish. The smoother the surface, the more the coat will reflect - and therefore shine.

This is the reason why an uneven or textured surface does not reflect light as gloriously as smoother surfaces. So with that in mind, it’s necessary that the surface be as smooth as possible to create the lasting shine and finish you’re looking for.

How to achieve that? Well, keep in mind that you have to clip your horse according to the season we are in. The amount you ride your horse will also determine how often you need to clean it and ultimately, your horses surroundings will be the difference between a nice gleaming coat and one that constantly needs to be washed.

A horse’s skin has small oil glands at the root of each hair which contributes to the shine of their coat. So to get more shine, you will have to do the following two things:

Clean the coat regularly (thought not too much - speak with your vet).

Smoothen the coat with quality horse clippers and the right horse grooming accessories.

To give your horse’s coat a smooth finish, you need quality accessories that will deliver the best results each and every time. At Masterclip, we have mastered the art of manufacturing the best solutions when it comes to the grooming needs of our customers. Get in touch with us today to achieve the flawless glossy finish you’re hoping for.