No Chemicals on my Hands, No chemicals on my Horse. - Learn about commonly used Chemicals and the Risks!

A clean and nice smelling horse is always a pleasure and for many an important thing.

Many of the horse shampoos promise a real deep cleaned skin and a beautiful silky shine at the same time but they don't mention any risks the products may carry for your animal.

The purpose of this post is to educate horse owners.

It might be right that you see quicker results from products which include things like - Paraben, Sulphate, Mineral oil and other chemical ingredients. But do you really want this on your hands and way more important do you want this on your loved horse? The issue is that these companies do not tell you what's really in the products. Instead of being honest and transparent with you, they sell the benefits but hide the facts!

This Blog is about the Chemicals which are used way too often in washing and grooming products for horses. Here are the most typical ones:

1. Mineral oil is a distillation product of petroleum and a simple byproduct while producing gasoline. Mineral oil is often used as a lubricant, moisturiser, or laxative in horse washing products or skin smoother with the negative effect that it stops the skin from creating their own natural oils and moisturisers. As a conclusion, it disturbs the ph balance of the skin. Your horse gets used to the chemical moisture and stops producing its own oils. That affects the protection against fungal or bacterial issues and give those microorganisms the chance to spread all over the skin. This vicious circle also results in skin drying what are the perfect basic for itch and other skin conditions like allergic reactions.
2.  Parabens are normally used in horse products as cheap preservatives. They are stopping bacteria from growing in the products. Because it's getting more and more common that paraben can cause endocrine disruption, cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, the manufacturer of chemical products try to hide paraben by giving them different terms. butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben and Alkyl para hydroxy benzoates are all names for paraben. So watch out if you are buying the next time a product for you or your horse if it's really paraben-free. 
3. Artificial Colourants are causing a lot of different forms of cancer and tumours. They also creating diverse effecting on activity and attention from your horse. Whenever if it's possible to avoid these kinds of chemicals in your life. 
4. Cocamidopropyl Betaine sounds like a product with is coming from the coconut but that is wrong. Cocamidopropyl Betaine is actually Dimethylaminopropylamine mixed up with coconut oil to give the whole thing a better name with an association to coconut. It stops the separating of the ingredients in the product. Dimethylaminopropylamine can cause skin irritation and harm the immune system by being an environmental toxic. 
5. Sorbates can affect and damage the ph balance of the skin and the fur. Sorbates or Polysorbates are used to solubilise essential oils into water-based products. This cheap chemical keeps the liquid clear without creating layers.
6. Cocamide MEA or DEA is also well known as Diethanoalamine and might be the effector for bad skin conditions like dermatitis, itch and allergies. Some cases of using this product ended up in building cancer cells in the body. It also influences the balance of the hormones in a bad way as it works as an organ toxic.