By: Dr Rosie Alcorn BVSc PG Cert VPS Cert AVP MRCVS
Everyone loves the look of a gleaming, glossy coat, but what many people don’t realise is that true shine starts from the inside out. Nutrition, skin health, and consistent grooming all work together to bring out that natural glow. When your horse is healthy on the inside, the outside will always shine brighter.
A horse’s glossy coat is largely thanks to a natural substance called sebum. This oily secretion, produced by sebaceous glands at the base of each hair follicle, spreads across the horse’s coat during movement, grooming, and rolling. Sebum forms a thin, even layer that reflects light, creating that unmistakable shine.
Sebum plays several important roles beyond appearance:
Moisturises skin and hair, preventing dryness and brittleness
Creates a water-repellent barrier, helping to keep the coat dry
Protects against pathogens with physical and antimicrobial defences
Helps the skin retain moisture and minimise water loss
Supports thermoregulation, aiding in stable body temperature
Maintains a healthy skin microbiome, reducing the risk of skin conditions
Sebum production relies on energy and specific nutrients, especially fatty acids, as it is mostly composed of triglycerides and lipids. Without the right nutrition, sebum quality and quantity suffer, leaving coats looking dull.
Key Nutritional Factors for a Shiny Horse Coat
1. Forage-Based Diet for Digestive Health
A healthy digestive system is vital for nutrient absorption. A forage-rich diet supports a balanced gut microbiome, efficient digestion, and overall skin and coat condition.
2. High-Quality Protein
Horse hair is made primarily of keratin, a protein. Feeding adequate, high-quality protein ensures healthy hair growth. Look for feeds rich in essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine, which directly support coat and skin health.
3. Omega Fatty Acids
Essential fatty acids, particularly omega 3 and omega 6 are crucial for skin health and sebum production. They promote skin elasticity, reduce inflammation, and overall skin and coat condition.
Keyflow's Key-3 Oil is a blend of cold pressed rapeseed, cold pressed linseed and salmon oil. The salmon oil provides long chain omega 3s EPA and DHA (long chain Omega 3 fatty acids) and the linseed and rapeseed oils provides ALA (short chain omega 3). Fully balanced in Omega 3, 6 and 9 ratios, the high EPA and DHA provides many benefits.
Grooming helps spread sebum evenly across the coat, stimulates circulation, and removes dirt and dead skin cells that dull shine.
Tips for Grooming a Shiny Horse
Use a rubber curry comb daily to stimulate oil production and circulation
Follow with stiff and soft brushes to lift debris and polish the coat
Hand-rub or use a soft cloth to bring up natural shine
Bathe only when necessary - over-bathing strips sebum and dries the skin. Always use mild, moisturising shampoos
Encourage natural behaviours like rolling and mutual grooming, which help distribute oils
Shine sprays do make horses coats gleam and are a useful product on competition days, however most shine sprays contain silicone-based ingredients that create an instant glossy effect but don’t improve coat health. Overuse can even lead to buildup, making coats appear dull or interfering with natural oil production.
Next time you admire a horse gleaming in the sun, remember: that shine is built from the inside out - through sebum, science, and a foundation of good horse care.
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