♥ UPDATE: Natural Horse Shampoo (pH balanced) ♥

So, I have done a sh*t-ton of research because my poor horsey has been having some skin/coat issues. I recently found a lady that is greatly respected in the horse grooming world's website and she has a ton of articles and stuff she writes on coat care, tail care, mane care, tack care, you-name-it care. She also sells her own products. One of her products is an all-in-one shampoo that has aloe vera, tea tree and is pH balanced. Which of course got me thinking...I bet I could make that...

So after a ton of research determining that horses skin is slightly acidic (pH of 4.5-5.8) naturally, but also that "equine skin pH actually increases as a horse sweats" (cite/link), which means that in order to keep their skin neutral, you have to use a neutral-slightly acidic solution.

Also, I emailed the company whose castile soap I use and they said that their soaps are all pH 8.9, which is slightly alkaline. So I then determined that aloe vera gel is typically a pH of 4-4.5 (though different brands will vary). So adding aloe to the castile will bring down the pH and balance it.

Ta-da! I know I'm brilliant.
So here's the recipe for the new All-In-One Natural Horse Shampoo:

3/4 cup aloe vera gel
1/4 cup baby mild (or lavender because it also has hair and skin benefits) castile soap
10 drops jojoba oil
20 drops tea tree oil
1/2 tablespoon vegetable glycerin

Now, I also highly recommend purchasing pH tester strips from a local pool store, to test your solution and then fix your solution accordingly.

So basically, to sum it up, this stuff will make your horses skin and coat healthier and you shouldn't need to add any conditioner to the hair afterwards.
(Also, don't forget to curry-comb the coat for atleast 15-20 minutes before and after your ride...natural oils in the skin and hair are the easiest way to a healthier coat!).