Before washing a horse you, of course, have to wet him down. Depending on the horse and his temperament, this task can be extremely difficult or a synch. Luckily, even the most nervous of equines will become more at ease once they are completely saturated. Before you aim that hose at your horse, it's a good idea to lather his feet with a specialty ointment containing sulfur, iodine, and petroleum; this will prevent them from drying out or absorbing the water—which will lead to brittle feet.
Once your equine's feet are protected, spray the horse down, except for the head. Make sure that the water is a comfortable, lukewarm temperature (too hot or too cold may startle the horse) and that the nozzle is set on a “shower” setting. Start the wetting process at the feet, allowing the animal to feel at ease with the water, and work all the way up to his neck and mane. Then, run the stream of water down his back, along his hind legs and then to his underbelly and genitals. To finish the wetting process, gently raise his tail, keeping in mind that this is a sensitive area, and wet his anal area.
