Advice with filthy new pony please!

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Charla

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Ok so you may have seen my other thread about my new pony arriving Wednesday. He's a darling, no problems there! My worry is....

he was living out unrugged at his old home and pretty much untouched all winter. He is filthy and does smell (poor boy). His tail is just clumps of stuck together mud. His coat, although very hairy, if you feel under his hair you can feel lots of clumps, along with huge clumps of mud underneath him. He desperately needs a bath but that's not possible in this weather. I've been grooming him but some bits are just awful. I don't think his tail can be sorted without being washed!! What would you suggest doing?
 
Depends how bad he is tbh.

If you can wash him in warm water do so if not I'd clip / cut off the very worst clumps that won't be brushed out to make him more comfortable and bathe the rest. Pull his mane and tail to tidy him up and then a small rug until he dries.
 
You should be OK washing his tail on a sunny day. As for the rest of him could you clip him and rug him up? Bit extreme but at least it will sort him out.
 
Wash his tail that will be fine if were you are is anything like liverpool at the moment its not actually that cold (10 degress :) ) you could wash his but make sure you dry him properly with a towel leave him standing in the sun and put a rug over him.
 
Washing his tail shouldn't cause any probs. I would do that, stick a rug over his back and just fold back near his bottom if you are concered about him being warm enough. Perhaps one of those kid conditioner detangler sprays might help you out with his tail? Hard to wash properly if it is just one tangled mucky clump!
With his coat can you start with a plastic curry comb or shedding blade? Might start to get the worst off. If all else fails and you are planning on working him then if you have a set of blades one clip away from needing sharpening, then maybe clip him? I know it isn't the ideal, but if he is really filthy with old clogged hair etc then a thick pony coat is a bit of a bugger!
...and since he is new, pics?!
 
Hi i had this dilemma last year took on a grey pony in february!!!! Youll be fine washing the tail its not the cold at the minute, when you washed it trim the tail at the ends.
Then get one of those square grooming blocks and a runner curry comb, give him a good going over and get a rug on even its hes in a its just a sheet this will help the coat lie flat. If you do that for 20 mins every day youll be amazed at the difference within a week and youll start getting a nice shine to the coat.
Or if hes staying in a coming into work as the others have said, clip bath with warm water if poss and put a thermatex of fleece rug on, and youll have a noce clean pony.:)
 
I'd give him a quick bath with hot water, it's 10 degrees today so he should be fine. Get him wet all over using a bucket and sponge, then scrub shampoo in with a body brush, and then rinse with another bucket of hot water. I did my grey in less than 5 mins last week and he dried off on the walker wearing a thermatex.

Maybe I'm mean but I wash tails below the dock in any weather - they can't feel it!
 
If you do wash him you can tack him up when you're finished and ride him gently somewhere sheltered from the wind until he's dry. Not recommended to bath him in winter but not impossible.
 
As long as he is rugged well after, washing won't hurt him. Never seen a pony out in the rain drop dead for lack of a rug and a brolly! My car says its 12oC outside at the minute, so not even remotely chilly!
 
Thanks everyone! Right the tail is getting washed tomorrow morning then :)
going to see how it goes but clipping him might work out the best option to get him sorted out and comfortable. So I'd better start looking at a cosy rug!

So now for opinions on that...if I clip him what polyfill rug do you think I should go for? He's a connie and of an ok weight and has managed up until now without any rug so he's not a wimp. But obviously hairless he needs to have a fairly warm rug. Would you get a 200g? 100g?

Thank you!
 
Charla said:
Ok so you may have seen my other thread about my new pony arriving Wednesday. He's a darling, no problems there! My worry is....

he was living out unrugged at his old home and pretty much untouched all winter. He is filthy and does smell (poor boy). His tail is just clumps of stuck together mud. His coat, although very hairy, if you feel under his hair you can feel lots of clumps, along with huge clumps of mud underneath him. He desperately needs a bath but that's not possible in this weather. I've been grooming him but some bits are just awful. I don't think his tail can be sorted without being washed!! What would you suggest doing?
Click to expand...

Ok,
I have to assume he is still living out and unrugged?
If this is the case, the coat first: bring him in when he is soaking wet with rain and mud and the clumps will be manageable ie you can squish them with your fingers as the rain will have softened them. Use a ......I am scared to say this due to bunny huggers.....plastic curry comb...there I've done it.....to brush the wet hair as if you are grooming normally and once the lumps are out you can turn him back out and let the rain do the rest.
I would wash the tail regardless.
If he is not on turnout with no rugs, wash him thoroughly in warm water, no soap/shampoo and get him clean, scrape him off and cover him with at least 3 Thermatex or type rugs as these will dry him without chilling him. (I had to do this to a TB I owned who got mange in the winter in -4 degrees and he was fine).
The smell is from where he has sweated and then dried over time - trust me I know these things!!!!:)
Good luck and keep us posted.
Bryndu
 
Good point - is he living out? because then I would be wary of removing actual needed oils from his coat, unless you are rugging properly to compensate.

If he is in, then bathe him albeit with warm water. I have a gray and bathe him frequently. I only stopped when we had the snow and it was minus. I have now clipped mine out fully again and he is being washed off regularly with warm water and smart again. Conversly my old mare who is stabled will shortly get the tiniest bib clip I can get away with shortly and I wouldn't dream of bathing her. She really seems to feel the cold and (unclipped) rugged as heavily as my fully clipped boy. However she is 21/22 and taking it a bit more easily and he is 11 and working! I would have tried to get away without clipping my mare at all but she is in work, getting fit and sweats like no ones business..!
 
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