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Can You Use Coconut Oil on Horses? A Mane and Tail Shine Oil

November 9, 2026

Wayne Dunn

Can You Use Coconut Oil on Horses? A Mane and Tail Shine Oil

Yes, many horse owners use plain coconut oil on the mane, tail and coat, in small amounts. Baraka's mane and tail shine oil puts shea butter first and uses coconut oil only as the light, liquid part of the blend. It has no fragrance, no essential oils, no preservatives and no fillers. This page gives the recipe in ounces and grams, a richer winter version, and tips for cold and hot barns.

This is DIY care advice for dry manes, tails and coats. It is not veterinary advice, and nothing here treats a skin problem.

Can you use coconut oil on horses?

Yes, you can use coconut oil on a horse's mane, tail and coat. It is a plain plant oil, and many owners tell us they like how it leaves hair feeling smooth and glossy. Use only a little, because too much looks greasy and picks up dust and hay.

Coconut oil is solid below about 76°F (24°C) and runs like water above it. In a cold barn it is a firm white paste, so warm a pea-sized amount between your palms first. In a hot tack room it can leak out of a loose lid. Blending it with shea butter and shea oil gives a more even texture across the seasons.

A few rules keep it simple:

Patch test first. Put a small amount on a small area of skin and watch it for a day. Stop if you see any redness.
Keep it away from the eyes.
Keep it off sunburnt, broken, scabbed or sore skin.
Keep it off the saddle, girth and rein areas, where slippery hair is a problem.
Use small amounts. A few drops go a long way.

What is the best oil to use on horse hair?

There is no single best oil for horse hair, but a light plant oil used sparingly works well for most manes and tails. This recipe uses four plain ingredients, and each one does a different job.

Shea butter is the rich part. Shea oil is the liquid part and gives slip when you comb through. Coconut oil adds softness and gloss. Baobab oil, if you add it, makes the blend feel lighter. Together they make a few drops of oil that spread easily down a long mane or tail.

What is left out matters just as much. There are no essential oils, because some, such as tea tree, are toxic to dogs, and horses and barn dogs share the same spaces. There is no fragrance. There is no cocoa butter, because it contains theobromine, which is harmful to dogs. There is no kombo butter, no black soap and no red palm oil, which stains light coats. Everything in the blend is a plain plant fat or oil, so a lick from a curious nose or tongue is not a worry.

Shea butter mane and tail shine oil: how to make it at home

This recipe makes about 4 1/2 oz (128 g) without baobab oil, or 5 oz (142 g) with it. That fills a 5 fl oz (150 ml) bottle. It contains no water, so it needs no preservative.

Ingredients

1/2 oz (14 g) raw shea butter
2 oz (57 g) virgin coconut oil
2 oz (57 g) shea oil
Optional: 1/2 oz (14 g), about 1 tbsp (15 ml), baobab oil for a lighter feel

Baraka's shea butter is made by hand by the women of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana. Baraka is Community Certified Fair Trade, and you can read more in the Impact Report. Baraka's shea oil is made from unrefined shea butter and made by hand in Ghana. It is a single ingredient, 100% shea oil, with nothing added. Baraka's baobab oil is also made by hand in Ghana. These are pure, natural ingredients: nothing synthetic, no fragrance, no preservatives and no fillers.

What each ingredient does

Shea butter makes the blend rich. It softens in warm hands and gives the oil a little body.
Shea oil keeps the blend liquid and light, and helps a comb or your fingers slide through hair.
Coconut oil makes it soft and glossy. It is firm in the cold and liquid in the warm.
Baobab oil is light and spreads thin, so it suits fine or already oily hair.

Method

Wash and dry a clean bottle or jar. Any water left in it can spoil the blend, so make sure it is completely dry.
Put the shea butter and coconut oil in a heatproof jar. Stand the jar in a pan with 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of just-simmering water.
Stir until clear, about 5 to 10 minutes. Do not let the oil boil, and keep water out of the jar.
Lift the jar out and dry the outside. Stir in the shea oil, and the baobab oil if you are using it.
Pour the blend into your bottle. Let it cool at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, stirring gently once or twice so the shea butter stays smooth rather than grainy.
Put the lid on and label it with the date.

How do I make my horse's coat shine?

A shiny coat starts with good feed, regular grooming and good general health, and oil only adds a finishing touch. A curry comb, a soft brush and a clean cloth do most of the work.

When the coat is clean and dry, put a few drops of the oil on a soft cloth. Wipe it over the neck, shoulders and flanks, going with the lie of the hair. Wipe off any extra with a clean, dry cloth. Leave the saddle, girth and rein areas alone, and do a patch test first.

For the mane and tail, brush them dry and pick out tangles with your fingers, starting at the ends. Warm 3 to 5 drops between your palms. Smooth the oil from the middle of the hair down to the ends, and keep it off the roots and skin at first. Then comb through gently. Once a week is plenty to start with.

A coat that stays dull in spite of good care, or that has bald patches, scurf or sores, is a question for your vet.

What helps a horse's mane and tail grow?

Good feed, gentle detangling and fewer broken hairs help a mane and tail look full, but no oil can promise faster growth. We make no growth claims for this recipe.

Many owners tell us a little oil makes tangles slide out, so there is less pulling and fewer snapped hairs. Some simple habits help too: pick tangles out by hand from the ends upward, use a wide-tooth comb, keep the hair clean and dry, and avoid brushing a dry tail hard. Hair that breaks off at the ends can look as if it has stopped growing, when it is really being lost as fast as it grows.

If your horse rubs its tail or mane, or you see patchy hair loss, scabs or crusts, do not reach for oil. Call your vet.

How to change the texture

The rule of thumb is simple: butters make it rich, oils make it soft and light, and wax makes it hold its shape. This recipe has no wax, so it stays a soft oil.

Richer for winter: use 1 oz (28 g) shea butter, 2 oz (57 g) coconut oil and 1 1/2 oz (43 g) shea oil. It makes about 4 1/2 oz (128 g).
Runnier: add a little more shea oil or baobab oil, 1 tsp (5 ml) at a time.
Lighter: leave out the coconut oil and use more shea oil and baobab oil.
Thicker: add a little more shea butter, 1/4 oz (7 g) at a time.

In a cold barn, coconut oil sets firm below about 76°F (24°C). Warm the bottle in your hands, in a pocket, or in a mug of warm water before you use it. In a hot barn, above about 90°F (32°C), the blend may look runny or separate. Give the bottle a shake before use.

Storage and shelf life

Keep the bottle in a cool, dark place with the lid on, and use it within 6 months. Use clean, dry hands or a clean, dry spoon, because water in the bottle can spoil it. Do not leave it in a hot tack room or a sunny window. Throw it out if it smells or looks off.

Lick-safe on purpose

Horses nuzzle hands, and barn dogs lick tails and hooves. That is why every ingredient is a plain plant fat or oil, and why there are no essential oils, no fragrance and no cocoa butter. Small licks of pure shea butter are harmless. Shea butter is a vegetable fat that has been used for cooking in West Africa for generations. Baraka's shea butter is sold as a cosmetic for skin and hair. A dog that eats a large amount of any fat, such as a whole tub, can get an upset stomach, so keep your bottle out of reach. For more on dogs, read our guide to natural skincare for pets.

When to call the vet

Wounds, hot spots, mud fever, rain rot, thrush, lameness, infections and swelling are not things to oil. Call your vet, and your farrier for anything to do with the hooves. If the skin looks red or sore after you use this oil, stop and ask your vet.

Many pet owners use these recipes and are happy with the results. They are made from simple, natural ingredients, but they are not veterinary treatments. Your vet should always be your first source of advice for your pet's skin, paws and health.

Make It Your Own

These recipes are a starting point, not a rulebook. Use your judgement, be inspired, and don't be afraid to experiment. Everything here is a pure, natural ingredient that blends happily with the others. Start with a small batch, write down what you did, and see how your horse's coat and mane respond. When you find a blend that works for you, make it again.

Questions and answers

Can you use coconut oil on horses?

Yes, many horse owners use plain coconut oil on the mane, tail and coat in small amounts. Keep it off broken or sunburnt skin and away from the saddle area, and call your vet about any wound or skin problem.

What is the best oil to use on horse hair?

There is no single best oil. A light plant oil used in small amounts works well, and this recipe blends shea oil and coconut oil with a little shea butter, with no fragrance or essential oils.

How do I make my horse's coat shine?

Start with good feed, grooming and general health. Then wipe a few drops of the oil over a clean, dry coat with a soft cloth, avoiding the saddle and girth areas.

What helps a horse's mane and tail grow?

Good feed, gentle detangling and fewer broken hairs help a mane and tail look full. No oil can promise faster growth, and patchy hair loss or rubbing needs a vet.