[Bayou Roux]

One of our boarders has a lovely 4-yo standardbred mare with the silkiest winter coat I've ever felt. It's nearly synthetic in texture-- she feels like a stuffed animal! It's gorgeous and glossy, but, man, it generates static like nobody's business. Once she starts sparking, she gets pretty angry and mean, and who can blame her?

It got to the point late last winter where she gave up grooming the mare, other than in the saddle/girth area and only on days when she rode. The misery has begun again already this winter, and she's looking for solutions.

She's been through two cans of Static Guard, which she has used in her brushes, and which didn't really provide any relief.

Any other suggestions out there?

[meupatdoes]

Maybe rub it with a dryer sheet first?

It can smell like white linen and lillies!

[kasjordan]

Can she try wiping her down with dryer sheets? I always hold my breath when I pull my horse's blanket off this time of year, waiting for the static charge. He's got a pretty good sense of humor though lol.

[netg]

I'm shopping for liquid fabric softener today. Diluted and sprayed on sparingly (so it doesn't get them wet to the skin) it should help. My TB has the same issue - he managed to hold himself together, but as thin skinned as he is his entire posture changed with the effort of restraining himself.

[waremares]

I had a mare like this. Before I took her blanket off I'd wet my hand lightly and run it over the sides of her body under the blanket. It seemed to get the static settled down.

[TheJenners]

I've actually used dryer sheets with moderate success. I had a stallion at an event in the winter many moons ago, and even though he was body clipped, he was wearing a "native" halter made of some fabric (wool?) and holy schnikies the static. He was fairly miserable. I found that using a dryer sheet helps *somewhat* but you have to keep swiping it across the coat as you groom. Does smell nice

[monstrpony]

Using natural fiber brushes helps somewhat. Rubber curries and plastic bristle brushes will really generate the static.

[Renn/aissance]

I hang onto a metal blanket bar with my bare hand when I know I'm going to generate static. Not fun for me, but it works.

[Gen]

I keep a spray bottle of Miracle Groom in my grooming box, a light spritz on the coat and on the brushes before grooming helps keep the static down, although you may have to reapply frequently. Even plain water in a spray bottle would probably work.

[RedHorses]

I keep a spray bottle of Miracle Groom in my grooming box, a light spritz on the coat and on the brushes before grooming helps keep the static down, although you may have to reapply frequently. Even plain water in a spray bottle would probably work.

Plain water works great. I've used it for years, ever since I shocked my first horse right below his eye when I reached for the cheek piece of his halter. I like a spray nozzle that will give me a mist, and I'll mist the horse's side I'm working on before each grooming tool. If it's very dry I may have to do his side twice because it dries too fast - in which case I do neck and shoulder, then barrel and haunch.

[Nezzy]

Healthy Hair care moisturizer. HAs lanolin in it. Keeps the horses skin from drying out and helps with static.

[Frank B]

I would touch my horse in a place with no hair, i.e just inside lip, under tail, just inside sheath, and then slide my arm up under the blanket and lift it off while maintaining the contact.

For grooming, I had two anti-static wrist straps with the wires connected together. I would secure one strap around the base of his tail and the other around my wrist. It worked beautifully, but I got looked at kinda odd at times. Radio Shack has them.

Yeah, I'm an electrical engineer.

[threedogpack]

I don't know if this will help or not, but when I take clothes out of the dryer and they are static-y, I touch a wall with one hand and I don't get shocked. Certainly worth a try, as it's free!

[Blugal]

My poor horses were fed up with static, I was also fed up with the chemicals, smell, cost, and ineffectiveness of Static Guard, so I found a great alternative. Buy a good misting spray bottle (mine was $2.99 at the hardware store). Squeeze in 2-3 TBSP of human hair conditioner, fill with water. Shake to combine.

Now spray your horse every day while grooming (either before or after the ride). For the face, I just spray my brush. I have had ZERO problems with static. Plus my horse's hair is softer, and he smells good. If I miss a few days, I lift his blanket and spray him a bit before removing the blanket.

[TheJenners]

That's not a bad idea Blugal...

[sophie]

I've always used plain water too...