I was recently asked to review some horse grooming products for a local company here in Iowa called Equi-Spa. I gladly agreed, but it was just coming into the dead of winter, and since my horses are kept mostly-outdoors (they have a shed they can freely go in and out of for shelter, but usually are outside most of the day) and I don’t bathe them in winter, I was unsure of my ability to use the products and write a good review. But what caught my attention was the description on the packages saying these grooming products are also suitable for coated dogs. And I knew immediately I could put these products to good use!
We have a rough coat sable standard collie dog. He looks just like Lassie from the movies, only his name is Punch. Punch is also a mostly-outside animal, only occasionally coming into our porch for shelter, and sleeping in a kennel in our kitchen at night. But he spends most of his days out in the yard barking at squirrels and passers-by in our small town. So he is usually very dirty…smelly…and extremely hairy! I couldn’t wait to try these grooming products out on him.
The first time I tried these products, I didn’t bathe Punch first. I spent about an hour using a brush and scissors for the bad clumps, and brushed a whole grocery bag of loose hair and fluff out of his messy coat, and used the Fairy Tails Spray as a detangler. The Fairy Tails Spray is formulated with botanical extracts, pure essential oils, minerals, and amino acids, and is non-toxic and safe to use on all horses and coated dogs. It sprayed on easily and smoothed his hair as I brushed him, giving him a soft, nicely-groomed appearance and a sweet grapefruit scent. When his coat was completely brushed out, I used a little bit of the Fairy Tails Orchid Oil and Coconut Oil Gloss, just working it through his coat with my hands, and focusing on a few dry spots he has on his back that sometimes exhibit a dandruff type of flaking. The results from this first grooming lasted for a couple of weeks, and the scent stayed with him and kept him smelling fresh and clean. It didn’t take much to get him spruced up and looking presentable and smelling so much better.
The second time I used these products, the situation was dire. Punch had gone potty outdoors, but because he is so hairy, some of it had stuck in his tail and followed him inside, getting his blanket all messy and smelling to high heaven! Poor Punch was so embarrassed, and wouldn’t look me in the eye–but it wasn’t even his fault. I was so glad I had this Equi-Spa stuff on hand, because the scent was so powerful it was permeating the whole house. I needed something to clean him up and get rid of the awful smell.
My husband and daughter helped me, and we got him into the bath tub and sprayed his soiled spots with Equi-Spa Grapefruit Coat Refresh. This is a no-rinse coat cleanser and spot remover, and can also be used on clothing, horse blankets, or other equipment. It had a strong grapefruit scent, which was really needed to overcome the stench, and the large sprayer made it easy to spray directly onto his stained and stinky spots. We again used a brush and scissors, cutting out some of his overly-thick hair near his tail, and brushing free the tangled mess he had trailing behind him. A little scrubbing with shampoo, and then applying the Fairy Tails Lotion as a detangler, and Punch was a much happier dog. He laid on a towel in the bathroom, licking his front paws dry and keeping warm while he dried off. I was thrilled with the Equi-Spa products–they really saved the day.
I am looking forward to spring, hoping to also use them to groom my horses. It’s great that these lotions and sprays are no-rinse, and safe to leave on an animal’s skin. They smell great, leave the coat soft and shining, and don’t make the hair look damp or oily. I would recommend Equi-Spa grooming products to anyone with horses or dogs. Check out the Equi-Spa website for more information on how to order.
