Anyone used a blower/dryer with a horse?

Id worry the heat would aversely effect the skin, especially as you've had mud fever issues, drying it out more.

Also the frequent washing and bathing etc will not be helping any skin issues - its just stripping the natural grease and oils her body needs to do its thing.
 
TigerTail said:
Id worry the heat would aversely effect the skin, especially as you've had mud fever issues, drying it out more.

Also the frequent washing and bathing etc will not be helping any skin issues - its just stripping the natural grease and oils her body needs to do its thing.
Click to expand...

The alternative to washing is leaving muddy or not turning out as no field is going to be mud free in the winter. And the alternative to drying is leaving the heels wet. Mud fever is caused by a bacteria that lives in the soil, not dry skin.

Paula
 
Paulag said:
The alternative to washing is leaving muddy or not turning out as no field is going to be mud free in the winter. And the alternative to drying is leaving the heels wet. Mud fever is caused by a bacteria that lives in the soil, not dry skin.

Paula
Click to expand...

Which gets into cracks in compromised skin causing infection .
I have never used heat on anywhere on the horse but it's not clear from the add but I think that thing just blows the water off the hair and skin it which case I can't see it harming the skin.
I don't leave my horses muddy and don't have a mud fever problem here but I close clip the legs and dry with a towel ( I have lots of towels !!!) and use thermatex wraps if necessary.
Paulags horse is a fresian so I don't think clipping the legs is an option so the blower if it's cold might be just the thing.
Don't know how it will go down with the YO though.
 
Paulag said:
The alternative to washing is leaving muddy or not turning out as no field is going to be mud free in the winter. And the alternative to drying is leaving the heels wet. Mud fever is caused by a bacteria that lives in the soil, not dry skin.

Paula
Click to expand...


I know what mud fever is caused by - more meant that adding heat to that would surely aggravate it.

Mine live out 24.7 and Ive not had an issue with mud or skin problems. But then I dont brush/clean it off I leave it to shed as designed. Less interference is often better.
 
TigerTail said:
I know what mud fever is caused by - more meant that adding heat to that would surely aggravate it.

Mine live out 24.7 and Ive not had an issue with mud or skin problems. But then I dont brush/clean it off I leave it to shed as designed. Less interference is often better.
Click to expand...

Not on option for mine I like them to look ready for the main ring at Dublin 90% of the time !
 
My friend has used her hairdryer on her horse to dry his saddle area before riding :D I personally couldn't - not because I wouldn't, my horse just isn't too fond of the hairdryer! No idea about drying hrosey heels though - couldn't you moisturise his/her blowdried heels after the show so the skin doesn't dry out if you worried about that?
 
TigerTail said:
I know what mud fever is caused by - more meant that adding heat to that would surely aggravate it.

Mine live out 24.7 and Ive not had an issue with mud or skin problems. But then I dont brush/clean it off I leave it to shed as designed. Less interference is often better.
Click to expand...

Yes we are well aware that you know for certain that any issue that my horse has is by default my fault - I don't know why you bother replying to my posts. If I left her legs scurfy and scabby you'd be the first to accuse me of neglecting her.

All mud fever has cleared with a couple of weeks careful care, I just didn't like leaving her in her stable with damp heels this evening and would have preferred to get them completely dry. The grooms have promised to put her barrier stuff on before she goes out in the morning.

Goldenstar - I also now have a rotation of many towels. :). Thankfully I have kept all my old towels for years due to regular rescue guinea pigs with skin conditions to treat. :) If it comes to it I will have at least the back of her heels clipped as her welfare is more important than breed standards and showing.

Shysmum - special horses require curlers, it's definately in the pony club manual. ;)

All I have to do is convince the YO that all top class yards have them and she'll buy one. :)

Paula
 
But is the blower heated ?it's does not mentain kilowatts in the add or heat settings I thinks it just blows the water away .
 
I've used hairdryers after bathing before now, & blowdried, & used straighteners on manes on special occasions. But regularly, I wouldn't. Like on human hair, imo it isn't good for it. But, unlike human hair that just ends up looking dry, horses need the grease to protection. I find the best thing to prevent mud fever is to just leave legs & brush when dry. If their feathers are thick enough to stay wet, but not thick enough to keep the skin underneath dry then I'd clip them. Heat is the last thing I'd want on a mudfever prone horses legs, just encourages the bacteria. And be careful with towels, if you rub the dirt into the already compromised skin it makes it worse.
 
littlelegs said:
I've used hairdryers after bathing before now, & blowdried, & used straighteners on manes on special occasions. But regularly, I wouldn't. Like on human hair, imo it isn't good for it. But, unlike human hair that just ends up looking dry, horses need the grease to protection. I find the best thing to prevent mud fever is to just leave legs & brush when dry. If their feathers are thick enough to stay wet, but not thick enough to keep the skin underneath dry then I'd clip them. Heat is the last thing I'd want on a mudfever prone horses legs, just encourages the bacteria. And be careful with towels, if you rub the dirt into the already compromised skin it makes it worse.
Click to expand...

I think we are old enough and clever enough to handle a towel ! But a blower thats another thing I mean anything might happen .
 
Paulag said:
Yes we are well aware that you know for certain that any issue that my horse has is by default my fault - I don't know why you bother replying to my posts. If I left her legs scurfy and scabby you'd be the first to accuse me of neglecting her.



Paula
Click to expand...

Holy poo I thought id done really well answering in nice tone of voice and giving my opinion, as we all do on all threads. I even managed not to mention how condescending your response was about how mud fever occurs! Talk about over sensitive :rolleyes:

I spose a cool shot hair dryer rather than hot might work Goldenstar. I was thinking about the damage heat does to human hair/skin etc
Who sees your horses 90% of the time?! Saying that I had a lesson today and went up to find my mare fast asleep in the one muddy patch of the field :o
 
TigerTail said:
Holy poo I thought id done really well answering in nice tone of voice and giving my opinion, as we all do on all threads. I even managed not to mention how condescending your response was about how mud fever occurs! Talk about over sensitive :rolleyes:

I spose a cool shot hair dryer rather than hot might work Goldenstar. I was thinking about the damage heat does to human hair/skin etc
Who sees your horses 90% of the time?! Saying that I had a lesson today and went up to find my mare fast asleep in the one muddy patch of the field :o
Click to expand...

Oh my horses are very spoiled me and a groom on the yard all day for four horses so we have oodles of time to keep them looking just so.
I do of course live in the house at night but they are soooooo well trained now they spend the night keeping all their hair sleek and clean LOL
However seriously I am old school proper grooming everyday it's just what I am used too.
 
I used a standard hairdryer on my horses legs once a week when they were living out as i had nowhere to safely leave them for their legs to dry any other way.I would wash their legs once a week and thoroughly dry them before reapplying liquid paraffin. I presume the liquid paraffin helped with the skin condition and counteracted any skin drying from the hairdryer. It did make their legs very fluffy!!!
 
Towels depend though Goldenstar. If they have healthy skin then it does no harm to dry legs with a towel. But, if they already have cracked skin, mud fever etc I wouldn't. Before now I've hosed my horses legs, or brought her in with wet, mud free legs in the snow etc, rubbed dry with a towel & bandaged. But, I wouldn't consider doing it with one prone to mudfever, or recommending doing the same with a horse that already has it.
 
That's wonderful Littlelegs as I say I think Paulag and I can be trusted with towels it's these blower thingys I am concerned about its all a bit ghostbusters .
 
I've seen those at the county shows for cattle - I just thought it was to help get rid of dust and the coat to flick up like they seem to like on some breeds :D

Can't see it being a huge issue heat wise - horses get stuck under solariums to steam gently (and not always at the recommended level). The length of hose would lose a fair amount of heat if any is produced.

If your horse is calm enough - try a hair dryer on a cool setting (which most have now) and go from there, that way you have proof it could work.
 
These blowers don't have heat - they just blow air and are quite cool. They are the same ones used on my dog when he goes to the poodle parlour once a year.

Paula - I understand what you are experiencing and ended up clipping Durkje's feathers the first year she got really bad mud fever. Following winters I never had too much of a problem as I was able to prevent it from taking hold. Neem oil was a great preventative measure but not much use to you this year :(
 
If its not too hot I'd probably give it a try but I wonder how much better a job it would do than patting dry with a towel? If I tried to dry my hair with the cool shot I think I'd be there forever! I guess you would need to apply barrier cream/oil after washing no matter how you dry them.

I am a let it dry then flick off person but if mud fever had already started I'd be washing and putting on creams to treat it.
 
Yep have used a hairdryer on my cob after bathing before some shows, on manes/tails/feather, all the clydesdale showing people up here in NE Scotland use the cool blow driers at shows esp the winter ones, However the majority of these people and myself only do it on the odd occasion for showing, not every week through winter, and most of the time ours are soaked to the knees in pig oil, to keep the feather and protect from the mud, which is far easier to do and probably not as time consuming as blow drying every week, Instead of drying with a hair dryer most people use wood flower/deep shavings/sawdust beds, I just resign myself to the fact he will look like a Bog monster from now until March!!:o
 
Brush the mud off in the morning before applying barrier cream. A deep shavings bed will dry the legs overnight.

If you're going to wash the legs then to answer your question, yes a blaster used after towel drying and before a hairdryer will get the legs totally dry. It's a lot of faffing around though, why not try the simplest option first?
 
You could just get a salon type hair dryer with a cool setting. (does that make me sound like I know about hairstyling :o I don't ;))

I don't use towels I use that blue paper towel stuff and a new bit for each leg. I tend to leave in to dry as I think my horse may have a nervous breakdown if I hair dried her at this stage but I might try it later in the winter. :D
 
Wow I didn't realise that it was so controversial. What I mean by a touch of mud fever is scurfy legs and two tiny scabs on her heels. So we are really on prevention rather than cure. The vet looked at it when she came out to do Brees jabs and suggested washing and barrier cream, but you can't stick the barrier cream on until it's really dry. I washed nd towel dried at 1pm yesterday and it was still slightly damp 4 hours later.

Yes mega posh indoor yard with powered washbox - I'm old and I couldn't have children. Costs about the same as my colleagues child are. :o

I have many, many years experience of blow drying guinea pigs and know how to do it without burning - low heat setting, finger on the cold blast and always keep your hand in the air stream. Bree is pretty good about these things, as long as I choose a non snorty dragon day she'll be OMGWHATSTHATITSGONNAEATMEITSGONNAEATMEOHHANGONHASNTEATME - I wonder if it's edible, no? and reeeeelax.

Paula
 
I use one of these when the horses are shedding in spring & they love it.

For feathers (which mine dont have ) I would use synthetic shammys to draw off most or the wet first.
I've rarely used a towel when dog grooming since the shamys came out. Quicker, cheaper & easier to wash. The cheap ones from Wilkinson's etc. are fine.
 
Have you got some thermatex wraps Paulag ? they work really well dry with towel then pop them on they wick away the water .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top