Black horses are beautiful, but their color can make them susceptible to harmful sun bleaching. Being in sunlight for long periods can bleach their coat and make them dull in appearance.
If your horse goes through the same situation and wants to know how to keep a black horse from sun bleaching you came to the right page.
There are various ways to protect a black horse from Sun Bleaching. The most effective way is you can use UV protection sprays and nylon sheets to keep your horse protected from sun bleaching.
In this article, I’ll share with you all the details about sun bleaching in horses including what it is, how it affects, 8 different ways to prevent it, and more.
Contents
- 1 What is Sun Bleaching? How It Affects Horses?
- 2 Is sun bleaching bad for horses?
- 3 10 Way to keep a black horse from bleaching
- 3.1 1. Minimum sun exposure
- 3.2 2. Use UV protectants
- 3.3 3. Install a shed
- 3.4 4. Use a nylon sheet
- 3.5 5. Fulfill the dietary requirements of your horse
- 3.6 6. Use oils
- 3.7 7. Use supplements
- 3.8 8. Use paprika
- 3.9 9. Use shade intensifier shampoo
- 3.10 10. Use of grooming products to enhance the horse’s color
- 4 Takeaway
- 5 FAq’s
What is Sun Bleaching? How It Affects Horses?
Sun bleaching in simple terms means the damage that the sun causes to any object. For example, if you put your clothes outside to dry for longer periods and the color starts to fade away and white patches appear – that is sun bleaching.
However, sometimes UV rays can even reach a place where you have shade. This is why dermatologists suggest that you wear sunscreen even if you don’t go out.
Similar to human beings and objects, animals can also have effects of sun bleaching. Especially because they have hair all over their body which can get damaged when exposed to UV rays.
Sun bleaching is caused by exposure to skin cells known as melanocytes which contain a pigment called melanin.
These pigments give hair color and protect against ultraviolet rays from the sun. When exposed to sunlight, these cells produce more pigment that can fade coat color over time depending on how much exposure they have had.
Is sun bleaching bad for horses?
Yes, sun bleaching is bad for horses because it can make their coats dull and ruin their overall appearance. Although there are different batting meters to judge a horse, its color and beauty are one of the most important things that people look for.
Therefore, horse honors should always be mindful of whether that horse is getting affected by the sun exposure or not.
10 Way to keep a black horse from bleaching
Now that I discussed the basics of sun bleaching, here are some tried and tested ways to keep a black horse from sun bleaching.
1. Minimum sun exposure
This is a very basic rule to avoid sun bleaching. Although horses are animals that like to be outside, you need to be wary of how much time they’re allowed outside in the sun. Especially if you live in a place where there is a lot of sunlight.
But, since this is a very difficult thing to do here are some ways that you can use to minimize the damage that comes from sun exposure.
2. Use UV protectants
Just like we use serums to protect our hair from heat exposure, you can utilize UV Protestants like Sunflower Suncoat SPF to protect your horse’s hair from heat and sun exposure.
In addition, fly protection sprays like Aloe Herbal Fly Spray by Espree can be used to keep the coat protected. In summers you can also use the same spray to keep the flies away as they tend to annoy horses.
3. Install a shed
If you live in an area where there is a lot of sunlight. Then you should install a shed (for shade). Even if your horses are outside, they can be in shade for some time to avoid sun bleaching.
4. Use a nylon sheet
Nylon sheets can be used to polish a horse’s coat. When the sheet is placed against the skin of the horse, the movements help polish the skin. However, you should make sure that the horse and the nylon sheet are clean.
Because the constant contact of the sheet along with the germs can cause skin rashes etc.
5. Fulfill the dietary requirements of your horse
The color of your horse’s coat depends on the health of your horse. Therefore, it is pertinent to include proper vitamins and minerals in your horse’s diet.
For example, biotin is a perfect supplement for hair. And for the general requirements- use Vitamin b12, folacin, etc.
6. Use oils
Another aspect that can help maintain the quote is if your horse is using different types of oils before showering. You can use Jojoba or Olive oil.
They will moisturize the coat and add a protective layer against the UV rays this slowing down the process of bleaching.
7. Use supplements
Along with a perfect diet, including copper and zinc to your horse’s daily intake. These two supplements will enhance hair growth and quality which will make them prone to sun bleaching.
8. Use paprika
This may sound like a stretch but feeding paprika to your horse can save its coat from sun bleaching.
However, the results are very subtle so you will not be able to tell a clear difference.
9. Use shade intensifier shampoo
After taking care of the diet and supplementary requirements of your horse – you can include a shade intensifier shampoo to the list.
These shampoos help boost the color of the coat and add another gloss layer to the hair keeping them safe from UV rays.
10. Use of grooming products to enhance the horse’s color
After rescuing your horse from sun bleaching, you can use different types of products like Quic Black Shampoo to further enhance the shade (there is nothing like too much black).
After that, you can also use an Equine coat conditioner to make the hair softer as they will be less likely to break after this.
However, DO NOT use hair color on your horse. As animals can react badly to the chemicals present in them.
Takeaway
Black horses are considered to be the most beautiful horses in the world. But their coat can get dull with time due to age and sun bleaching.
However, you can be a bit cautious and prevent sun bleaching by adding paprika to your horse’s diet. And if the damage has been done, use shade intensifier shampoo and jojoba or olive oil to make the hair stronger and darker again.
What is the one thing that no horse owner wants to happen? Sun bleaching. This is a huge problem for black horses in particular because of their dark skin and coat coloration. It can be difficult to keep them from sun bleaching, but it’s not impossible! As in this blog post I’ve discussed various ways to prevent sun bleeching, some tips, and more.
FAq’s
How can I darken my horse’s coat?
You can add supplements like zinc and copper to your horse’s diet and change its shampoo to a shade intensifier shampoo if you want to darken it’s coat. In addition, use Alfalfa/lucerne in your horse’s ration.
How do you make a black horse darker?
You can make a black horse darker by adding a few things to its diet like biotin and Vitamin ABC. In addition, you can use oils like jojoba oil and olive oil to make the hair stronger and darker.
