How to Get Stains Out of a Horse’s Coat

Grass, manure, and urine stains come out with the right wash, not more elbow grease. Ferro's Reluminate Shampoo is a brightening clarifier — chamomile flower water and aloe — made to lift yellowing and dulling film, especially on greys and white legs. Follow up with Revive Shampoo for the full-body wash, and give the lather time to sit on stubborn spots before you rinse.

Spot-treat first, scrub later

Scrub a dry stain with a stiff brush and you'll break the hair and grind the stain in deeper. Wet the area first instead. Work Reluminate Shampoo directly into the stain and give it two to three minutes to loosen the grime before a brush ever touches it. On stains that have really set in, two short applications beat one long scrub.

• Rinse or dampen the stained spot first.
• Work Reluminate directly into the spot.
• Let the lather sit for two to three minutes.
• Rinse thoroughly, then follow with a full-body wash of Revive Shampoo.
• Towel or scrape off the excess water so the coat dries evenly.

When stains keep coming back

When the same leg or flank stains over and over, the culprit is usually turnout conditions or bedding, not the wash itself. Muddy paddocks, wet bedding, and standing urine will all redeposit stains within a day of a bath. See how to wash white socks and legs for a leg-specific routine, and read up on stable stains and yellowing on a grey if you're dealing with recurring staining rather than a one-off mess.

Showing on a tight turnaround? Our guide to keeping a grey horse clean between shows covers quick spot-cleaning and maintenance washing, so you're not doing a full bath the night before every class. For the general routine, start with how to remove stains from a horse's coat.