Clay balls in feathers - is there a trick to removing them please?

[catembi]

I am just emerging from my first winter on clay, which has been 'a learning experience'. The thing I'm learning at the moment is that my Shetland has acquired a lot of mud baubles in her tail and on her feathers - and she's not even particularly feathery. Our soil is just like modelling clay, & now it's drying, what seems to have happened is that as she gets caked in clay and then walks about, the movement rolls the clay into balls which harden.

I have trimmed the end of her tail off which has got rid of the tail ones - which were really quite heavy. The fetlock ones are harder to deal with. I have snipped off some of the bigger ones, being v v careful not to cut her. I've tried a tail rake, and it sort-of works, but I am worried about scratching her, and dealing with a wriggly Shetland isn't an exact science. Are there any tools I could use that would get rid of the balls in a safe way?

Actually, I've just had a thought - bot egg knife. I had it for years & never had any bots, then the only year I had some, I had such a fab time scraping them off. Maybe I will try that in the morning. All other suggestions appreciated!

 

[Midlifecrisis]

I rub the clay lumps between my fingers/hands when they are partially dry then brush the rest out when dried..then douse in oil to try to stop it happening again....

 

[ester]

I find a circular metal curry comb quite good for them when dry.

and suggest some pig oil for next year!

 

[SEL]

An Ardennes is just an over grown Shetland really and I own some very sharp scissors for the worst of the lumps. Tail is cut fairly short as soon as the mud starts and I get through a lot of pig oil!

Mud on the tummy is left to moult off - hair everywhere right now.

 

[Gloi]

break them up with a pair of pliers or similar. Squash them and they crumble.

 

[tankgirl1]

I chopped them all off my cob mare 2 winters ago and her feathers have never been the same since

 

[catembi]

At least it isn't just me who gets them! I have never seen or heard of them before. My previous properties have been on sand & chalk. OMG, clay is a challenge! Drainage work started yesterday as I can't face another winter of swamp - and this winter hasn't even been bad!

How much oil do you wave to put on & how often?

 

[The-Bookworm]

break them up with a pair of pliers or similar. Squash them and they crumble.

Yep this.
I used nut crackers.

 

[tda]

Yes all of the above 😁 you can use pig oil, or even mane and tail conditioner sprayed on should loosen them overnight.
Pig oil, one handful on each leg, weekly should help for next year

 

[honetpot]

At least it isn't just me who gets them! I have never seen or heard of them before. My previous properties have been on sand & chalk. OMG, clay is a challenge! Drainage work started yesterday as I can't face another winter of swamp - and this winter hasn't even been bad!

How much oil do you wave to put on & how often?

We are on deep clay and really drainage is a waste of time as the water can not get through the clay to the drain.
If they put in pipes make sure they back fill with gravel and do not cap it with ‘soil’.
If you haven’t been there long I would look if the waterrunning a long the surface any way and direct all that way.
The mud lugs, I just wait till it’s dry and they either moult off or a break them up with my fingers.

 

[Red-1]

I am on clay, we turn out on a surface in winter.

But, before we did this, for mud balls I just waited until they are dry and broke them up. It is weirdly therapeutic.

 

[poiuytrewq]

These really shocked me when I had my first horse with a bit of feather!!
They are so awful and unbelievably hard.
Last week I soaked shetlands! He’s happy to stand in a bucket

 

[MissTyc]

As much oil as you can reasonably soak into the feathers!
(though do patch test as one of mine is highly allergic to pig oil, because why wouldn't she be!)

 

[Leo Walker]

Next year wash, oil and plait the tail up and then liberally coat the shetland in pig oil from the feet up to the midline.

I've previously just cut what I can out and then washed them out. Hot water and decent shampoo and scrub!

 

[The-Bookworm]

I shorten the tail and shorten the feathers. I haven't touched any oil this winter. Keep your eyes on them.

 

[Hallo2012]

tail bag for the tail?

its my first winter on clay too, after 20 years on sand and i feel your pain.

 

[whiteflower]

We are on deep clay and really drainage is a waste of time as the water can not get through the clay to the drain.
If they put in pipes make sure they back fill with gravel and do not cap it with ‘soil’.
If you haven’t been there long I would look if the waterrunning a long the surface any way and direct all that way.
The mud lugs, I just wait till it’s dry and they either moult off or a break them up with my fingers.

This, we are on clay and have herringbone land drains into a ditch and it's a complete waste of time. The water just sits ontop of the compacted clay and can't get to the drains. Also if you are investing in drainage make sure you know how high your water table gets in winter as often the water table here is above the drains so waste of time anyway.
Best thing we have found is to aerate the land frequently and spread well rotted muck to add organic matter which helps the soil structure. We have made significant improvements this way along with keeping them on all weather turnout in the wettest parts of the winter to stop poaching/compaction. The turnouts are our saviour. Welcome to the world of clay land !

 

[DW Team]

I use a pair of nutcrackers to break them up

 

[shirl62]

My sis and I have 2 cobs and this is the first winter in our own field. It has been horrendously wet (Scottish Borders) We also have clay and its awful . At one point the top of our field ( we are on a hill sloping down to a river) had an area which I could only liken to liquid cement!. We even used a large hay bale which was not good quality hay to spread around the worst bits We were fighting a losing battle to keep their feathers even relativly clean, and they didn't like their feathers being washed in cold water! which I don't blame them. The past few days the ground is drying up somewhat and we have managed to get to grips with what Margaret and I call ''The cement Dreadlocks''. I just use my fingers to break it up or if there are some that are still damp I just tease the mud/clay away and then brush out. Its odd that the worst of the drainage is at the top of the field but we will have to look into seeing if anything can be done .

Shirl

 

[Surbie]

I get through a lot of pig oil - I have been applying it twice weekly and it's made a huge difference to the amount of mudlocks he comes in with. I didn't do it on his tail and just cut off the bottom 6", which got rid of the worst of it. I agree with the others, it's oddly therapeutic to break them up and brush them out.

 

[Dubsie]

Squish the lumps with rubber gloves, also rub them out of the coat with rubber gloves.