What is the Best Horse Shampoo? [12 REVIEWS Below]

Horse Shampoo and Horse Grooming Supplies

Horse care is demanding, particularly if your horse gets dirty frequently and needs regular washing. The best horse shampoo is one of the most crucial requirements. However, picking one might be difficult because there are numerous varieties, each claiming to be the greatest. 

You can discover more about the differences between the top 12 shampoos by reading our horse shampoo reviews.

Horse bath

Our Top-Pick for Equine Shampoos

Our top pick for the best horse shampoo is the Mane N Tail Shampoo For Horses. It is mild, and you can also use it on cats and dogs.

At a Glance: The Best Horse Shampoos on the Market

ProductBest for CaseFeatures
Mane N Tail Shampoo For HorsesBest overall-Mild
-Natural scent
-Non-toxic
Dechra DermaBenSs Shampoo for Dogs, Cats & HorsesBest for different skin infections-Gentle 
-Soap-free 
-Antiseborrheic and antimicrobial
Dechra TrizCHLOR 4 Shampoo for Dogs, Cats & HorsesBest antimicrobial-Antimicrobial
-Water-based
Farnam Vetrolin White N' Brite, Deep cleaning and Color Brightening Shampoo for Horses and DogsBest deep cleaning formula-Concentrated formula
-Skin moisturizer
Eqyss Premier Equine Conditioner - Instant Tangle Free BrushingBest pH balanced formula-pH balanced formula
Vetericyn FoamCare Horse Shampoo | Equine Shampoo with Aloe to Promote Healthy Skin and CoatBest medicated shampoo-Medicated formula
-Simple spray applicator
E3 Elite Grooming Products Shampoo for PetsBest antibacterial and antifungal-Antibacterial and antifungal formula.
-Contains skin-calming vitamins.
Horse Health 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner | pH balanced and gentle| For Horses, Ponies, and DogsBest 2-in-1 shampoo-pH-balanced formula
-Non-scented
Quic Silver ShampooBest smoothing shampoo-Moisturizing shampoo
Absorbine Fungasol Shampoo, Treats Horse Skin ConditionsBest for difficult skin diseases-It’s a cleanser
-Soothing formula
Cowboy Magic GreenSpot RemoverBest for instant results-Natural product-Spray formula
Weaver Leather eZall Total Body Wash GreenBest for complete body wash-Loosens dirt
-Portable
E3 Elite Grooming Products Shampoo for Pets, 32 oz.
Mane N Tail Shampoo For Horses, 32 Fl Oz (Pack of 2)
Cowboy Magic Greenspot Remover A Shower in A Bottle 16 Ounce Sprayer
Product name
E3 Elite Grooming Products Shampoo for Pets, 32 oz.
Mane N Tail Shampoo For Horses, 32 Fl Oz (Pack of 2)
Cowboy Magic Greenspot Remover A Shower in A Bottle 16 Ounce Sprayer
Price
$19.98
$21.99
$16.97
E3 Elite Grooming Products Shampoo for Pets, 32 oz.
Product name
E3 Elite Grooming Products Shampoo for Pets, 32 oz.
Price
$19.98
Buy Now
Mane N Tail Shampoo For Horses, 32 Fl Oz (Pack of 2)
Product name
Mane N Tail Shampoo For Horses, 32 Fl Oz (Pack of 2)
Price
$21.99
Buy Now
Cowboy Magic Greenspot Remover A Shower in A Bottle 16 Ounce Sprayer
Product name
Cowboy Magic Greenspot Remover A Shower in A Bottle 16 Ounce Sprayer
Price
$16.97
Buy Now

Our Horse Shampoo Reviews

Mane N Tail Shampoo For Horses: Best Overall

Brand: Mane ‘n Tail

Hair type: Normal

Age range: Adult

Product benefits: Cleansing

For use on other pets: Cats and dogs

Recommended uses: Cleaning

Product volume: 32 ounces (907.1 grams)

Item form: liquid

Scent: Natural

About This Item

  • This particular shampoo for horses uses mild chemicals and comes in a 32-ounce (0.94 liters). Use on horses, cats, dogs, and even human hair is safe because it is non-toxic. To better eliminate dirt from the fur, you can thoroughly lather the hair. Due to its pH balance won’t dry out the skin and doesn’t smell awful, either.
  • Despite the bottle being rather large, the only issue is it finishes up quickly. Heavy lather production requires a little more effort than other brands.

Product Specs

  • Mild
  • Natural scent
  • Non-toxic

Pros

  • Safe and kind to all animals
  • Rich lather with a balanced pH

Cons

  • Moves swiftly

Dechra DermaBenSs Shampoo for Dogs, Cats & Horses: Best for Different Skin Infections

Brand: Dechra

Hair type: Normal

Age range: All life stages

Product benefits: Degreasing, moisturizing, antioxidant

For use on other pets: Dogs and cats

Recommended uses: Moisturizing

Product volume: 12 ounces (340.1 grams)

Item form: Liquid

Scent: Natural

About This Item

  • Treats Numerous skin disorders, including bacterial infections, skin infections, lick granulomas, seborrheic conditions, and Staph infections.
  • Features of degreasing and follicular flushing ceramides to help hydrate, mend and restore dry, damaged skin

Product Specs

  • Gentle 
  • Soap-free 
  • Antiseborrheic and antimicrobial

Pros

  • Safe for horses, dogs, and cats
  • Hydrates and replenishes dry skin
  • No smell

Cons

  • Difficult to rinse clean

Dechra TrizCHLOR 4 Shampoo for Dogs, Cats & Horses: Best Antimicrobial

Brand: Dechra

Hair type: Normal

Age range: All life stages

Product benefits: Soothing

For use on other pets: Dogs and cats

Recommended uses: Medication for itchy skin

Product volume: 8 ounces (226.7 grams)

Item form: Liquid

Scent: Potent

About This Item

  • It performs effectively and contains medication to help calm inflamed and damaged skin. The water-based composition won’t dry out cuts and scratches or leave behind any residue. 
  • It is the best horse shampoo with antibacterial properties. It can help lower the risk of infection and is particularly effective at treating Staphylococcal infections. 
  • This shampoo is safe for dogs and cats, but you need to be careful not to get it in the eyes.
  • TrizCHLOR 4 is a great shampoo that you can tell as soon as you use it, especially if there are skin issues, but the tiny 8-ounce bottle won’t last very long. Additionally, it has a potent smell that some users could find offensive.

Product Specs

  • Antimicrobial
  • Water-based

Pros

  • Antimicrobial
  • calms the skin
  • Water-based formula
  • Doesn’t aggravate
  • Also appropriate for dogs and cats

Cons

  • Strong odor

Farnam Vetrolin White N' Brite, Deep cleaning and Color Brightening Shampoo for Horses and Dogs: Best Deep Cleaning Formula

Brand: Farnam

Hair type: Natural

Age range: All life stages

Product benefits: Deep cleansing

For use on other pets: Dogs

Recommended uses: Cleansing and natural highlighting

Product volume: 32 ounces (907.1 grams)

Item form: Liquid

Scent: Natural

About This Item

  • The 32-ounce (907.1 grams) bottle of Farnam Vetrolin White N’ Brite Horse Shampoo has a special concentrated formula that enables you to wash up to 16 horses before needing a refill. 
  • In darker-colored horses, it brings out the natural highlights and cleans the fur, particularly the Mane and Tail. The skin moisturizes because the deep cleansing formula penetrates the hair.

Product Specs

  • Concentrated formula
  • Skin moisturizer

Pros

  • It’s a deep-cleaning agent.
  • It is the best horse whitening shampoo.
  • Improves the highlights
  • Skin moisturizing liquid
  • concentrated formula 

Cons

  • Lacks good lather.
  • You must use it right away.

Eqyss Premier Equine Conditioner - Instant Tangle Free Brushing: Best pH Balanced Formula

Brand: Eqyss

Hair type: Normal

Age range: All ages

Product benefits: Moisturizing

For use on other pets: No

Recommended uses: Detangling, moisturizing

Product volume: 16 ounces (566.9 grams)

Item form: Spray

Scent: Fresh

About This Item

  • EQyss Personal Care Products, the tropical perfume of Natural Botanical Horse Shampoo, is a welcome change from the scents of many other brands. 
  • It comes in different sizes, so you may buy just enough for one horse or a full stable. 
  • The pH-balanced product doesn’t bother or dry out the skin and increases coat color, so your horse will look better than ever. 
  • It produces a substantial amount of lather that you can knead into the fur and rinses cleanly away with no residue.

Product Specs

  • pH-balanced formula

Pros

  • Has several sizes
  • No leftovers
  • Boosts coat color intensity
  • pH-balanced

Cons

  • It is not as concentrated as some other brands and requires a substantial amount of product to get a good lather.

Vetericyn FoamCare Horse Shampoo | Equine Shampoo with Aloe to Promote Healthy Skin and Coat: Best Medicated Shampoo

Amazon’s Choice for “vetericyn medicated shampoo.”

Brand: Vetericyn

Hair type: Normal

Age range: All age ranges

Product benefits: Foams

For use on other pets: Dogs and cats

Recommended uses: Conditioning

Product volume: 37 ounces (1,048.9 grams)

Item form: Foams

Scent: Natural

About This Item

  • A special brand called Vetericyn FoamCare Medicated Horse Shampoo has a simple spray applicator that makes lathering up completely unnecessary. You can immediately work it into the fur to remove dirt and calm the skin because it comes out as a foam. 
  • It is ideal for treating fungi-related illnesses like ringworm, yeast, and rain rot. It is suitable for use on both dogs and cats and comes in a 37-ounce (1,048.9 grams) jar.

Product Specs

  • Medicated formula
  • Simple spray applicator

Pros

  • Offers relief from fungus-related illnesses
  • Calms the skin
  • Utilizable applicator
  • Safe for both cats and dogs.

Cons

  • Finishes up quickly

E3 Elite Grooming Products Shampoo for Pets: Best Antibacterial and Antifungal

Brand: EnerCal

Hair type: Normal

Age range: All age ranges

Product benefits: Relieves itching

For use on other pets: Dogs

Recommended uses: Removing mold and bacteria

Product volume: 32 ounces (907.1 grams)

Item form: Liquid

Scent: Lemon

About This Item

  • As its name implies, E3 Elite Antibacterial/Antifungal Shampoo has components that can aid in removing mold and bacteria from your horses’ skin. 
  • This shampoo also has vitamins that can calm the skin to comfort your horse because bacteria and mold can create irritated, itchy, and painful skin. 
  • The 32-ounce (0.95 liters) bottle has enough liquid to bathe multiple horses.

Product Specs

  • Antibacterial and antifungal formula.
  • Contains skin-calming vitamins.

Pros

  • Antifungal and antibacterial
  • Supplemented with vitamins
  • Helps with healing

Cons

  • It has a bad smell

Horse Health 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner | pH balanced and gentle| For Horses, Ponies, and Dogs: Best 2-in-1 Shampoo

Brand: Farnam

Hair type: Normal 

Age range: All

Product benefits: Moisturizing

For use on other pets: Dogs

Recommended uses: Moisturizing

Product volume: 2 gallons (9.09 liters)

Item form: Liquid

Scent: Fresh

About This Item

  • 2-in-1 Horse Health Shampoo is the best horse shampoo and conditioner. It makes your horse’s hair lustrous and silky by combining shampoo and conditioner. It comes in a gallon container and ought to last for up to 15 washes because it has a pH balance that prevents it from irritating your horse’s skin. 
  • It is easy to rinse away and doesn’t leave an unpleasant smell behind.

Product Specs

  • pH-balanced formula
  • Non-scented

Pros

  • Hair product and conditioner
  • pH-balanced
  • Non-scented

Cons

  • Does not lather

Quic Silver Shampoo: Best Smoothing Shampoo

Brand: Exhibitor’s

Hair type: Normal

Age range: All

Product benefits: Smoothening

For use on other pets: No

Recommended uses: Moisturizing

Product volume: 16 ounces (453.5 grams)

Item form: Cream

Scent: Lemon

About This Item

  • Shampoo for horses that enhances silver color.
  • Intensifies the hue of the coat’s natural look
  • White gets brighter optically for a diamond-like shine.
  • Platinum accents that are breathtaking for light horses
  • A great stain remover that doesn’t use harsh chemicals or bleach

Product Specs

  • Moisturizing shampoo

Pros

  • Enhances silver color
  • Smoothens the skin

Cons

  • It is expensive

Absorbine Fungasol Shampoo, Treats Horse Skin Conditions: Best for Difficult Skin Diseases

Amazon’s Choice in Dog Shampoos by Absorbine

Brand: Absorbine

Hair type: Normal

Age range: All

Product benefits: Soothing

For use on other pets: Dogs

Recommended uses: Wound and skin care

Product volume: 20 ounces (566.9 grams)

Item form: Liquid

Scent: Natural

About This Item

  • Cleans, cleanses, and gets rid of dirt; ideal for daily use in humid situations.
  • Combats various difficult skin diseases, such as ringworm, rain rot, dry, flaky skin, wound bacteria, girth itch, and dew poisoning.
  • For optimum results, apply before Fungasol spray and Ointment.
  • Gentle on skin

Product Specs

  • It’s a cleanser
  • Soothing formula

Pros

  • Friendly to the skin
  • Cleanses well
  • Good for different infections

Cons

  • It is pricey

Cowboy Magic GreenSpot Remover: Best for Instant Results

Brand: Cowboy Magic

Hair type: Normal

Age range: All

Product benefits: Cleans instantly

For use on other pets: No

Recommended uses: Dissolving foreign molecules

Product volume: 16 ounces (453.5 grams)

Item form: Spray

Scent: Natural

About This Item

  • It contains all-natural, non-sudsing cleaners derived from plants. It works immediately, dissolving foreign molecules and melting away manure, pee, grime, and sweat. It’s perfect for those moments you need to clean up an emergency.
  • It’s ideal for outdoor activities like camping, hunting, and fishing, where water is scarce.
  • Spray a small amount, massage it, and then wipe it off.

Product Specs

  • Natural product
  • Spray formula

Pros

  • Works instantly
  • Ideal for outdoor use

Cons

  • It is expensive

Weaver Leather eZall Total Body Wash Green: Best for Complete Body Wash

Brand: Weaver Leather

Hair type: Normal

Age range: Adult

Product benefits: Loosens dirt

For use on other pets: No

Recommended uses: Cleaning

Product volume: 16 ounces (453.5 grams)

Item form: Liquid

Scent: Fresh

About This Item

  • Without scrubbing, it loosens and rinses filth in a matter of minutes.
  • Phytobased with a natural, fresh smell
  • Traveling size

Product Specs

  • Loosens dirt
  • Portable

Pros

  • No need to scrub
  • Loosens dirt instantly

Cons

  • Finishes quickly.

Your Horse Shampoo Buyers Guide

Before buying a horse shampoo, let’s examine a few factors.

Medication

Although it may not be your first consideration when picking a horse shampoo, it’s an excellent place to start. Medicated shampoo can help relieve the signs of itchy skin in your horse from an allergic reaction, flea or fly bites, ringworm, yeast, or other factors. 

Since they might be pretty pricey, you might need to reapply this shampoo numerous times in a short period to resolve the issue. If you have the money, it may be tempting to buy medicated shampoo as a preventative step, but if your horse exhibits no skin condition symptoms, you shouldn’t. 

A regular shampoo that costs less is the best option for horses with healthy skin.

Size

Choosing a horse shampoo solely on the size of the container can seem alluring, but many shampoos are highly concentrated, while others may be weak and require more product to produce a substantial lather that you can utilize. 

To clearly understand how many horses you can wash per bottle, carefully read the packaging.

Moisturizers

Even if your horse’s skin is in good condition, repeated bathing can dry it out and lead to dandruff and irritation. To lessen the likelihood of an outbreak, use a shampoo with moisturizers that can help seal in moisture. 

Scent 

The scent of horse shampoos can go either way. They either have a pleasant perfume, a foul one, or none. You probably want one of these products that smell lovely if you intend to use it on your dog or cat. 

Lather

For whatever reason, many horse shampoos fail to produce a thick lather that may work into the fur to remove debris. Knowing what places you missed is also beneficial. Check reviews of the product before purchasing.

Residue

When choosing a horse shampoo, you must also ensure it completely rinses off. Some types adhere firmly and leave a residue, making the fur more susceptible to attracting dirt. It could also give the horse an oily or sticky feeling. 

Person brushing a horse

FAQs

Does Good Horse Shampoo Need to Be Expensive?

Like personal care items for humans, the simplest horse shampoo frequently works the best. Horse shampoos can be more reasonably priced and of higher quality if made from basic, everyday materials.

What are the Most Straightforward Alternatives to Secure?

You can make horse shampoos with just one component that you can make from incredibly cheap ingredients from your kitchen cabinet, including baking soda and water. You may even buy fundamental, single items like plain baby shampoo or liquid castile soap to use as a horse wash straight away. 

To make your unique horse shampoos, you can mix ingredients in more intricate and intriguing ways.

What would be a good substitute for homemade chamomile shampoo for horses with dark or white coats? Use black tea rather than chamomile if your horse is dark brown or black. Black tea is adequate for a deep red (bay) horse, but rooibos (red bush) tea truly highlights the color of the coat. When washing white horses, use a solution of baking soda and warm water.

How Do You Wash Your Horse Using Baking Soda?

To wash your horse with baking soda, add one heaping tablespoon to each quart of warm water. After giving your horse a thorough rinse with warm, clean water, apply the baking soda and water combination to it. 

Scrub any grimy areas with your hands, a rubber curry comb, or a body brush, then let the baking soda mixture sit for about five minutes. After a thorough rinse, you’re through.

If you’d like, you can finish with a vinegar rinse to restore the skin’s pH balance and aid in detangling manes and tails. 

To produce the rinse, use a few ounces of vinegar per quart of warm water. After cleaning with baking soda and water and rinsing with fresh water, apply the mixture to your horse. After letting it sit for about five minutes, give it another clean, lukewarm rinse.

Is White Vinegar Better Than Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)?

All coat colors are safe with ACV, and raw ACV has a healing impact on skin issues. ACV will bring out reddish or yellowish undertones in your horse’s coat, mane, or Tail. It might tend to make white jackets yellow. Change to white vinegar if you discover that this is the case.

Is Using a Simple, Single Ingredient Rather Than Following a DIY Horse Shampoo Recipe Better?

Making your shampoos is enjoyable, and you may add extra oil if your horse’s coat is particularly dry, essential oils for aromatherapy, and other ingredients if you choose. Making your shampoo has the drawback that it needs refrigeration to keep it from going bad.

Store it on a shelf in the barn if you only use Dr. Bronner’s castile soap or essential, everyday baby shampoo. The same is true for vinegar and baking soda.

You can select from various combinations when using one of Dr. Bronner’s several liquid Castile soaps as a horse shampoo. Varieties of hemp and Castile or almond oil and Castile are particularly moisturizing. 

Lavender and Castile provide a little aromatherapy. Tea tree oil and Castile are suitable for horses with skin issues. A dark brown or black coat’s color improves with liquid castile soap with rosemary added.

How Should You Apply Shampoo to a Horse?

Don’t use too much shampoo, please. Avoid rubbing shampoo into your horse’s coat by pouring it on first. You don’t want suds to be all over your horse.

Instead, use warm water and a tiny quantity of shampoo to wash the horse thoroughly. Then, use your hands, a body brush, or a rubber curry comb to remove any remaining dirt. 

Should Horses Bathe?

You probably don’t need to bathe your horse unless you’re getting ready for a show. You’re better off waiting for caked-on muck to dry and fall off on its own, even if your horse rolls in the mud.

After this, thoroughly brush and curry the area with a mud brush, followed by a body brush or horse vacuum.

Brushing or Bathing: Which is Better for Horses?

The natural oils in the skin originate from regular brushing, which keeps the hide and hair coat healthy and lustrous. Frequent bathing strips away the natural oils by frequent bathing, which dries down the hide and hair coat. In general, daily grooming is preferable over infrequent bathing.

Horse wash

Shampoo for Problematic Skin

Horses’ skin is popular for being sensitive, and some are more prone to discomfort than others. You should be extra cautious while picking your horse’s shampoo if it has ever experienced hives. Both an aloe-based product and a shampoo with little to no foam, which is simpler to rinse away, can be good options.

It’s prudent to confirm that your horse isn’t allergic to any new products before introducing them. Use the new shampoo to wash a tiny region, like a leg. Give your horse a full bath if, after 24 hours, there is no indication of a reaction.

After shampooing, it’s common for a horse’s skin to feel a little dry for a while. The temporary dryness that results from the loss of natural oils when bathing is a minor side effect. However, it can dull the coat and irritate the horse, making it rub its skin and tail. 

The use of conditioner-containing shampoos and a variety of “after-bath” products can both reduce dryness. 

Additionally, bathing your horse as promptly and effectively as you can is beneficial. One technique asks for washing your horse from front to back or top to bottom rather than simply from soap and then rinsing one side at a time.

Your horse may get too many baths, or you may not thoroughly wash it if its skin is constantly dry and flaky. Try skipping one or two baths to give its skin a chance to recover its natural oils. Additionally, you might want to utilize washing products or wipes explicitly created for use on the face or around the genitals to prevent skin issues in more delicate places.

A medicated wash is the best solution for a horse with ringworm or other skin issues. Many therapeutic shampoos contain antifungal and antibacterial ingredients.

Consider one of the various color-enhancing shampoos available if you’re looking for a cosmetic result rather than a therapeutic one. These products typically operate in one of two ways. Some include dyes that complement and improve a horse’s natural coat color. 

Others have optical brighteners, which the hair absorbs and enhance the coat’s capacity to reflect light, giving the impression that it is brighter or shinier. A bluing agent is often added to the skin by whitening shampoos to work. This blue turns neutral under natural light, making the white appear even whiter.

Final Thoughts

We advise selecting the best shampoo for horses without abrasive compounds as your next purchase. A prime example is the Mane N Tail Shampoo For Horses which is our top pick. With a controllable mane and Tail and a visibly shinier coat, it’s a product that cleans pretty nicely. It does not smell and hydrates the skin. Read our article and find out about Camelina Oil for Horses.

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