Horse With Oily & Waxy Skin

While it may sound unappealing to humans, the waxier or oilier a horse's coat is, the healthier it is. The texture is simply a result of the horse's natural bodily function.

  1. Cause

    • Oily or waxy skin on a horse results from sebum, a substance that the animal's sebaceous glands produce. A horse's sebaceous glands are located all over its body along with the hair follicles.

    Effects

    • The horse's skin earns a description of oily because the sebum causes it to shine. In addition, the waxy texture from sebum makes the horse's coat waterproof.

    Benefits

    • The oily and waxy coating of sebum creates a protective layer over the skin that can help fight the possibility of skin infections.

    Considerations

    • Regular brushings stimulate the sebaceous glands and cause them to produce more sebum. This process of encouraging the secretion is sometimes referred to as blooming. Washing the horse's coat with shampoo helps clean the skin, but removes the protective sebum as well.