Horse Shampoo Ingredients

Horse shampoos are specially formulated with a horse's skin and hair in mind. The skin of a horse has a pH of between 7.0 and 7.5 -- whereas human skin has a pH of 5.0, making "normal" shampoo unsuitable. A good horse shampoo is considered essential before a horse show, and a large number of products are available. However, they all contain the same base ingredients.

  1. Water

    • Pure water is used, as water from other sources can contain contaminants.

      Water (H2O) is the primary ingredient. This provides a base for the other soluble ingredients.

    Surfactant

    • Cocamidopropyl betaine is sourced from coconut oil.

      A surfactant is a compound that lowers the interfacial tension between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid. A surfactant also acts to encapsulate and trap oil and other compounds, providing easy removal. These can be natural or synthetic, and many have antistatic agents. Antistatic agents reduce static electricity, which results in frizzy hair. An example is sodium lauryl sulphate, which is synthetic and used in a variety of products. A natural alternative is cocamidopropyl betaine.

    Diethanolamide

    • It is easier to apply a rich soapy lather.

      A diethanolamide is a foaming agent used in shampoo and cleaning items. They contain fatty acids mixed with a wide array of natural and synthetic ingredients. It causes the mixture to form a soapy lather when friction is applied. An example of a diethanolamide is cocamide DEA, which is used in several leading horse shampoos.

    Glyceride

    • Dirt contains oils that are easily removed by glyceride.

      Glyceride is made from vegetable oils or animal fats, which contain triglycerides. When glyceride reacts with sodium chloride (salt), glycerol and fatty acids are produced. These act to emulsify the oils found in dirt, allowing the easy removal of oil and dirt with water. A commonly used example is diglyceride, which is used in shampoos and as a food additive.

    Sodium Chloride

    • Salt is used in many products. It is also used to add flavor.

      Sodium chloride (salt) reacts with the glyceride ingredient in a shampoo. When a glyceride reacts with sodium chloride, glycerol and fatty acids are produced. These act to emulsify dirt and oil, allowing it to be easily removed with water. Sodium chloride is used in many cleaning and hygiene products, as well as in the food industry.

    Citric Acid

    • Citrus fruits contain citric acid, which gives them their sour bite.

      "Citric Acid is a constituent of fruit and soft drinks and other food products. Uses include flavor enhancement, bacterial inhabitant, pH adjustment, and as an antioxidant," according to APAC Chemical. Its use in horse shampoo is to act as both an environmentally benign cleaning agent as well as to balance the pH, which is notably higher than human skin.

    Perfume

    • Perfumes are used to give the product a sweet smell.

      Perfume is often added to make the product smell appealing. Perfume is a a mixture of plant oils, aroma compounds, solvents and fixatives. Perfumes that are safe to use on horse skin are used in horse shampoos.

    Preservative

    • Rosemary contains a natural preservative.

      Preservatives are used to prevent the product from spoiling. Preservatives are also used extensively in the food industry.