About HSE Hi Shine Equine Products
Hot Oil Coat Conditioner #1
The HSE Hot Oil Coat Conditioner is a fantastic and very versatile product. I have been using it for years and I love it for many reasons. The great thing about it is that is was designed for horses and the ph level of their skin (which is different to human skin which is why products that are designed for humans aren’t always so great for horses). It is a deep conditioning treatment for both the skin and the hair, unlike many other products that are only for the hair. It is made only from natural oils. There are no silicones or chemicals in it either.
There are no set rules for using HSE Hot Oil. Mix it with water at any strength you like depending on how much conditioning the coat needs. Every horse’s hair is different and how it reacts with the oil (by that I mean how much it absorbs etc) is different. The length of the hair will also dictate how much oil you use.
NOTE ABOUT THE ‘HOT’ IN HOT OIL
I know it’s called “hot oil” but it doesn’t have to be used hot. The most ideal and effective way to use it is with a bucket of warm water. The warm water opens the pores of the skin and hair so the oil is absorbed better. If you don’t have access to a hot water system you can do what I used to do and take a kettle or thermos of hot water to where your horse is.
If this isn’t possible then the next best option is to apply it to a warm horse. So after they have been worked and their skin is nice and warm, then the pores will be open to absorb the oil better.
And finally if you put it in cold water and on a cold horse (as such) it will still work and won’t be a waste, it just doesn’t work ‘quite’ as well, but it will still work.
Deep Conditioning Treatment/Straight After Clipping
For this initial application I recommend using 100-250ml of the hot oil depending on the size of your equine. I would use:
- 100-150ml for a pony
- 150-200ml for a galloway
- 200-250ml for a hack
Put it in a bucket with enough warm water (generally 5-6 litres works well) to sponge over the horse from head to tail. When you add the oil to the water it will turn a milky white colour. Sponge or pour the hot oil mixture over them.
Top Tip #1
Then use a chamois (a cheap one from the supermarket/kmart/big w etc is fine) to remove all the excess water from the coat. This is better than a sweat scraper as the scraper will remove both the water and the oil from the coat, a chamois will absorb the water but not all of the oil, leaving your hard earned dollars in the coat where it belongs.
There is no need to rinse the HSE Hot Oil from the coat like you do a conditioner. It is better left in so that it can work it’s magic.
Please note: your horses skin/coat will feel oily after doing this, but THAT IS THE POINT!! But because this product doesn’t contain any silicones it won’t make your saddle slip like other coat sprays.
General Conditioning Treatment
Once you’ve done the initial deep conditioning treatment or if your horses coat/skin is looking a bit dry or dull or if you want to get your horses coat really healthy and shiny before a show I do the same as I described for the Deep Conditioning Treatment except I use a lot less oil. Generally 30-50ml is about right.
Before/After/Instead Washing
The HSE Hot Oil is also great at helping to lift the dirt from the skin and hair and bringing it to the surface. I try not to shampoo my horse too often as it can strip the natural oils from the coat.
Dilute about 125ml/half cup of oil with 5-6L of water and sponge on. Leave the coat to start to dry then get the horse moving for 5mins to warm up the skin and soon enough you’ll start to see the dirt coming up and sitting on the surface of the hair.
When I don’t want to shampoo I just hose off the horse and I find that this method does a great job at cleaning the hair and skin without the need for shampoo.
If I am also shampooing then this is a great way to get the dirt up to the surface of the coat, making it faster and easier to wash.
Use it after washing to give the coat a lovely deep gloss. For clipped coats I use 125-250ml of oil 5-6L of water. For longer coats I’d use only a capful of oil to help lay the coat flat and stop that fluffy look.
Everyday Grooming Spray
This is probably one of my favourite ways to use the HSE Hot Oil. Just put a couple of capfuls of the hot oil in a spray bottle and then top it up with water. Before you use it just give it a shake to mix the oil and water, it will turn a milky white colour.
This is great as an everyday grooming spray, just spray on and give your horse a light curry comb and brush. The natural moisturizing ingredients in the hot oil feed the skin & hair, and replace the horses natural coat oils that are lost from rugging, washing, sweat etc.
Top Tip #2
If you ever have problems with rub marks on shoulders (or elsewhere) then this is a great help. If the rub marks are already there then it will help stop them getting worse and also help to grow back the hair (though the HSE HG Serum was designed specifically for hair growth and is even better than the Hot Oil). Just spray the shoulders liberally before rugging.
Manes and Tails
I love to use the same mix as for the Everyday Grooming Spray in manes and tails as a detangler that also conditions, moisturises and strengthens the hair without coating the hair in silicon (which aside from not being great for hair, it also locks in dirt making it hard to get clean).
If your horses tail is quite dry you can make up a mix of 50:50 hot oil with water and either put it in a bucket and dunk the tail in it, or put it in a spray bottle and spray on, there is no need to rinse it off.
I've found that it is also great for helping to get rid of dandruff and encouraging new hair growth too.
Makeup For Show Day
HSE Hot Oil treatment is so versatile that you can use it as a makeup as well. I’m sure many of you have used makeup products that either immediately stain everything they touch or are difficult and messy to apply, especially for people who don’t do it regularly.
Depending on your horses natural colouring and the look you’re after you can either use it by itself or with chalk as well. It melts into the skin through the hair to highlight the eyes, muzzle, knees, hocks etc. Some products just sit on top of the skin and after a little while you get that horrible beading look with the yucky little balls that seem to sit on the skin.
If you’d like a darker look just apply a little oil to the area you wish to highlight, rub the chalk on quite liberally and then apply more oil over the top. I like to put the oil on a cloth so I can blend the chalk and distribute the oil properly.