best shine/shimmer shampoo or spray

[blob]

This is a frivolous question, so forgive me...but...

RP is a light strawberry roan. He has a fun color for sure, but one thing is that he never really gets shiny shiny like some other horses can and do. With regionals coming up, I would love to find something that helps make him glisten.

A couple years ago at a show I saw a girl with a gray horse who had the most amazing shine, truly looked almost pearlescent. I commented to her how beautiful his coloring was and she said 'oh yes, I use a special shampoo to get him to shine'. At the time I didn't ask which shampoo and now I really wish I had!

Anyone have any ideas on how to make a lighter colored horse like this look his sparkly best?

[Moutaineer]

It would be interesting to try one of the blue shampoos for greys on him.

Other than that, I like Vetrolin Shine, and the Santa Fe coat spray in the orange bottle.

[Quelah]

I don't know where you are but it may be that he's missing something from his diet (or too much of something). Milagro never had a great coat (and I do know how to do "black") until I put him on a higher level of copper/zinc (we are excessive iron in California usually). Then he was sexy black horse.

That said, there are many shampoos and such. One that I have seen make a noticeable difference is this stuff.

https://showofftime.us/QT™-wColor-Glow-Foaming-Solution-32-oz_p_31.html

Get the foaming solution NOT their shampoo (which is a decent shampoo but doesn't have the enhancing effects. Get the hose end 32 oz deal It's not economical. You'll get two baths out of it. I think it's worth it. I get the gallons to refill the hose end thing. I use it on Splash for shows. You get major cool point on a black and white pinto when the dapples show on the black AND the white parts.

Veterolin brand show sheen (Vetrolin Shine) puts the most shine on a horse for sprays. Not the saddle area obviously.

[blob]

It would be interesting to try one of the blue shampoos for greys on him.

Oh, I do--there's no other way to get the green and dirt off of him. He's very light.

I don't know where you are but it may be that he's missing something from his diet (or too much of something). Milagro never had a great coat (and I do know how to do "black") until I put him on a higher level of copper/zinc (we are excessive iron in California usually). Then he was sexy black horse.

That said, there are many shampoos and such. One that I have seen make a noticeable difference is this stuff.

https://showofftime.us/QT™-wColor-Glow-Foaming-Solution-32-oz_p_31.html

His individual hairs are actually pretty shiny. It's just that when you get far away, the roaning variation doesn't really let the light reflect the same way it does off a solid colored horse (esp one that is darker).

I will look into the foaming solution, thank you!

[Ryeissa]

I use Vetrolin white n brite on my pinto. But I also found that the Espana protein shampoo used on the brown parts makes him really shinny.
I think the white shampoos can be really drying.

[piedmontfields]

I have a "white" grey who has a very pearlescent coat when clean. I honestly think diet/grooming has the most to do with it. I do not let stains stick around. I do feed Source (a seaweed supplement) as I think it helps both her skin/coat and hooves.

That said, I rarely use "blue" or whitening shampoos as they are quite drying. My go-to product is: https://www.scahealth.com/p/ultracruz-e ... 1714468822

It's fairly mild so I can bathe a few times a week without irritation.

[Ponichiwa]

Agree with the general consensus that 90% of the shine is diet/grooming, but that said...

I use a spray-on sunscreen to help keep my guy, who is not white but is on the pale horse spectrum, both sunbleach-free and shiny:
https://www.farmvet.com/Sunflower-Sunsc ... p7EALw_wcB

I live in the hot, humid, and often-sunny south. Lots of rinsing off (daily, to get the sweat off); lots of baths (my guy wallows in mud to avoid biting insects, or just because he likes being grubby)-- so we do need some coat health help to offset the damage summer does.

[blob]

I've been working a professional equine nutritionist since Spring to address some gas issues with RP, but she's also balanced his diet fully. So, I think we're about as good as anyone can be in the diet front.

It's not about getting him clean or even getting individual hairs to shine. But more looking for like 'shimmer' or 'gloss' just for a show day. Getting him clean and with healthy shine isn't the issue as much as a little something extra for a big show. The example I referenced in the original post was for a shampoo that actually had shimmer in it. Not like a obvious glitter, but something very fine that actually put a shimmer over the horse. So, looking for something like that. I just don't know the name of that shampoo!

[piedmontfields]

There is this product sold in the UK/other? that Equissentials Dressage swears by (their turnout of people and horses is to die for):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/430160224475197

I'm sorry I can't remember the name! It's like a finishing product for shine. Different versions for different coat colors.

[Canyon]

I have not tried either of these products, but maybe they are worth investigating?

Shimmer Shampoo

Ultra Fine Glitter Rainbow Dust Spray This one sounds weird, but who knows, it might do what you want in the silver. Ah, fairy dust!

[Tanga]

I learned a long time ago working for Torrance Watkins Flieschmann the trick from England. Use a towel.

I never use a brush on my horses at shows. It's about toweling down the hairs and dust to bring up a shine. I think it works pretty well.

Oooh. And I found this. I am trying this tomorrow. https://www.proequinegrooms.com/tips/gr ... nditioning

[blob]

Thanks all!

I can't wait to try some oil buffing AND I'm very intrigued by the two products you shared, Canyon! 'Optical enhancers' sounds like magic, ha!

[Tanga]

Ok I tried the oil buffing today and think it works!! We'll see what they look like tomorrow, but it makes sense. I just used baby oil, which I use on myself. While my dreams of blindingly shiny boots may be gone, I might just have blindingly shiny horses, even though I have clipped them twice in t st month! (Hoping that's a good sign and they are preparing for a rainy winter.)

[StraightForward]

Oooh. And I found this. I am trying this tomorrow. https://www.proequinegrooms.com/tips/gr ... nditioning

Interesting! I use the liquid coconut oil on my girls' tails, so I might use it to give this a shot. I'll probably need to clip Tesla this winter (she should be scared, I got some giant body clippers! ).

Blob, let us know how any products you try work out. Annabelle is usually super-shiny on her own, but I noticed last weekend she was a little less so. I think the summer coat was starting to shed a bit. Maybe the oil buffing would have helped liven up her coat?

[Tanga]

Ok, I am VERY excited about this! I did a crappy job with a little baby oil yesterday and I'm sure they were rolling in the dirt since then, and they looked noticeably shiny and a lot better!! Whoo hoo!

I always use baby oil after a bath for moisturize. (It makes no sense to put cream on dry skin since water is best moisturizer--the baby oil is sealer.) So after wiping them off with water (we are SO short of water all "baths" are with bucket) I put some more baby oil on just by putting a bit on my hands and rubbing it in. I also did it in their forelocks and tails. It gives them that super shiny, water proofy coats like otters I used to get.

Oh, and the heating the shoe polish did help the boots some, though not as much as the baby oil. I don't have heat gun and no hair dryer, but turning on the stove burner and holding them over that worked just fine!

I have baby oil packed up for the champs!

[blob]

I've tried the oil buffing with of mine. It made MM shiny and made them both soft. but because of RP's roaning pattern he simply does not really reflect light and shine like a solid color horse would. So, looks like i'm going to try the shimmer spray for regionals

I asked about it on a fb group and the consensus was that it will not turn us into a disco ball, but only do a subtle shimmer unless i lay it on very thick. but let's see...

[Tanga]

I've tried the oil buffing with of mine. It made MM shiny and made them both soft. but because of RP's roaning pattern he simply does not really reflect light and shine like a solid color horse would. So, looks like i'm going to try the shimmer spray for regionals

I asked about it on a fb group and the consensus was that it will not turn us into a disco ball, but only do a subtle shimmer unless i lay it on very thick. but let's see...

I love the oil buffing. BTW, we have a red/bluish roan mustang gelding in the pasture with my mares, and that boy does shine up like a disco ball! Just saying.

Is the shimmer spray literally glitter?

[Chisamba]

the horses at my barn on flax shine !!

[Tanga]

the horses at my barn on flax shine !!

You mean as feed? I agree. I feed mine flax and that is the best thing for shine, weight, etc.

[blob]

I love the oil buffing. BTW, we have a red/bluish roan mustang gelding in the pasture with my mares, and that boy does shine up like a disco ball! Just saying.

Is the shimmer spray literally glitter?

I've seen darker roans that shine. RP is very white. He's closer to a flea bitten than anything else. And I've never seen a flea bitten get the kind of shine I'm talking about simply because they cannot reflect the light. Yes the individual hairs can shine but you're not getting a reflected surface.

Apparently it's not glitter, but a pearly shimmer.

[Chisamba]

the horses at my barn on flax shine !!

You mean as feed? I agree. I feed mine flax and that is the best thing for shine, weight, etc.

yes I meant feed!

[Ryeissa]

A good full clip will also help. I can now see why show barns clip after resisting anything more than a trace clip . I Had to do a full clip due to workload and bonus!!! Shinny horse. My horse can get to be a weird cream pinto so I will take all the help I can get. He likes to roll. A LOT.

[blob]

A good full clip will also help. I can now see why show barns clip after resisting anything more than a trace clip . I Had to do a full clip due to workload and bonus!!! Shinny horse. My horse can get to be a weird cream pinto so I will take all the help I can get. He likes to roll. A LOT.

Clips are so mysterious sometimes, ha! You just don't know what's going ot be underneath . I don't clip mine for various weather related reasons. But someone at my barn recently clipped both of her bays--one looks like polished wood underneath such a beautiful rich and shiny color. The other one has turned this very strange mousey color. He has shine, but he went from a very pretty bay color to one that is much less appealing

[Ryeissa]

A good full clip will also help. I can now see why show barns clip after resisting anything more than a trace clip . I Had to do a full clip due to workload and bonus!!! Shinny horse. My horse can get to be a weird cream pinto so I will take all the help I can get. He likes to roll. A LOT.

Clips are so mysterious sometimes, ha! You just don't know what's going ot be underneath . I don't clip mine for various weather related reasons. But someone at my barn recently clipped both of her bays--one looks like polished wood underneath such a beautiful rich and shiny color. The other one has turned this very strange mousey color. He has shine, but he went from a very pretty bay color to one that is much less appealing

yes, my chestnut horse has some weird grey tinge....weird