Cobs how do people look after feathers, tail and mane?

[Foxy O]

I bought my lovely new horse a feathery cob three weeks ago and I was just wondering if other cob owners had any tips for brushing and cleaning feather/mane/tail

 

[jojo5]

Mane - hogged; tail - spray conditioner and pantene(!); feathers - hibiscrub, lime wash plus (mites), pig oil and sulphur.

 

[Foxy O]

I had the vet worm her with the one that kills mites, as she had bald patches on her back legs when I bought her from the mites, these have now grown back. What do you do with the sulphur and where can I get the pig oil from?

Do you have any special brushes for the feathers and tail? Sorry for all the questions I am very very pleased with her and I just want to keep her nice

 

[Micky]

You can buy pig oil and sulphur already mixed from your local tack shop or online...a good brush ( i use human hairbrush on feather) on legs and spray/work the pig oil in, same with mane and tail though i dont work it in quite so much...Dont use it in the summer as it acts like sun oil! Not protectant! Great for preventing mud fever though....

 

[Foxy O]

Thank you

 

[blitznbobs]

I find neglect and a lot of oil on their hocks (to stop yellow patches) is the only thing they need. all that faffing about seems to make no difference to my chap - I just feed him well and his mane keeps growing (it's now 4'6 long)

 

[Foxy O]

Good grief, I didn't know the mane could grow that long? I must pick up some oil tomorrow

 

[Cinder]

Hog the mane, clip all the feather off and thin tail with a thinning rake!!

 

[blackandwhite]

I'm with Cinder, it all comes off. I own a fantastic array of clippers and tail rakes I much admire those who keep their fabulous hairies in full feather and fliwing mane, it must be a full time job in itself.

 

[AmyMay]

I either hog or pull the mane. Feather is clipped off, and tail is cut to just beneath the hocks (longer in the summer).

 

[mynutmeg]

We use mane and tail conditioner on the tails when brushing through, maybe once/twice a week. Otherwise the feathers occasionally get brushed (always use conditioner when they are brushed) but not often. I don't hose them off but would comb out mud once dry as they take forever to dry out.

In the winter I use seven day mud away spray to keep the worst off but otherwise I tend to leave them alone.

 

[jojo5]

Just to say, if you are looking to show at county level you would, like Amy May, have to take off both mane and feathers, or perhaps leave both on, but not hogged with feathers like I do - I only show locally!! )

 

[Alfiemoo]

I use mane and tail conditioner on his mane and tail and just brush his feathers and wash them regularly with natural shampoo. Never use any chemicals or oils on his legs.

 

[Highlands]

Just to say, if you are looking to show at county level you would, like Amy May, have to take off both mane and feathers, or perhaps leave both on, but not hogged with feathers like I do - I only show locally!! )

Show full mane, tail and feathered traddy at county level... Never brush mane without conditioner, go through with your fingers. Wash and go! Never worry about mud on feather don't hose them. Good shampoo, try Matthew Burke for products , he sells chalk etc.

 

[jojo5]

Sorry, yes, Highlands, all hair on for a trad; mine is more of a Clydie cross.

 

[Highlands]

Jojo5, the cob in your avatar is lovely! Mine has lots of hair bless her

 

[jojo5]

Jojo5, the cob in your avatar is lovely! Mine has lots of hair bless her

Highlands - thanks so much!! We have been together for 17 years now and done all sorts of different things.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Mane & tail: I brush through pig oil (with Neem Oil and/or Tea Tree added as mine has sweet itch) which will keep mane & tails nice and shiney plus repels mud.

OR I sometimes use Avon Skin So Soft skin oil which is fantastic. Or baby oil works as well.

Ummm, if Pig Oil & Sulphur works for some people's horses, then fine, but PLEASE if people haven't used it on theirs before, then it is essential to patch test for at least twenty four hours if using the sulphur mixed in with it. I followed some advice on here and put it on my boy's legs (white hair, pink skin) and he came up very red and sore, poor lad. I just bunged it on, and didn't realise.

So am flagging it up here as wouldn't want this to happen to someone else's horse

Please be careful!!

 

[Spoiled cob]

Not much help but the old boy is hogged, feathers clipped off and a full clip. I had let the feathers grow but he is happier without.

I keep my other boys mane in a running plait, with some spray in conditioner when I need to redo the plait otherwise nothing special.

 

[Tiaan]

Winter - Pig oil and sulphur on feathers, needs to be reapplied every fortnight or so, pig oil stops the mud from sticking and skin getting wet and the sulphur kills mites - sulphur can irritate some horses skin so should test first. Tail is plaited and in a tail bag, and mane is plaited in a running plait and under a neck rug.

Summer - tail is left out to swat flies, its white so wash with soap powder and fairy liquid below the dock, then all washed with purple shampoo such as humans touch of silver. everything else washed with tesco value shampoo. My horse has a long mane, best way to get it long is to leave it alone as much as possible. Wash and comb through when conditioned, other wise only use fingers, i leave it plaited so its not too hot on his neck. Also sprays such as mane and tail contain silicone, which is actually really damaging to the hair so i use show sheen which is silicone free to help stop it from breaking.

Its all trial and error, every horse is different. I also believe that genetics play a part as some will be more hairy than others naturally. Unfortunately I have become slightly to obsessed with his mane and tail, both are white which really doesn't help haha

 

[TheresaW]

Dolly is hogged, feather clipped off. She suffers with very itchy legs, tried all sorts from the vet, clipping and flea spray seems to keep on top of them. I am same as AmyMay, tail just below hocks, longer in summer.

I would advise testing a small area with pig oil and sulphur as well. Dolly had a bad reaction to it, and can't use it on her. She seems to react to just the pig oil on its own.

 

[merlin12]

I use main and tail spray, I also find that baby oil is good on tail ,mane and feathers especially in winter. A human plastic bristle hair brush is good ,but may not last long. I use the tail brushes you can get in tack shops ,looks like an extra tough human hair brush ,cost about £ 4.50.

I use cheap Tesco own shampoo for bathing in the summer. Have used cheap human hair conditioner ,but find that mane and tail conditioner used on the wet hair is good.

My boy gets very sweaty in the summer when in work so will clip his body as and when needed all summer. I love the long hair and find it easy to maintain . In the winter I cut his tail shorter to avoid mud ,his feathers get real mucky as he lives out but I have never had a problem with mud fever etc.

 

[w1bbler]

Pig oil / baby oil (they are the same thing) for mane & tail. when mane is really long don't use too much as it gets on the reins....
Don't brush too much, ignore unless your going out in public.

 

[HaffiesRock]

I don't have a cob, but I do have a Haflinger with a long, thick, almost white mane and tail. To be honest, I do very little with them, but get a lot of compliments! I tend to brush out mane and tail once a week. I squirt a little baby oil into his tail and brush through. For his mane, I run my fingers through it then brush over with a body brush. If it's starting to look a little grubby, I use talcum powder as a dry shampoo. Sprinkle on the roots, massage in then brush out. Ta dah, no grease, looks white and lovely again.

Tail gets a wash the day before a show with a cheap shampoo, followed by a Vanish Whitenening bar (not around the dock area) then another regular shampoo. Works a treat.

 

[Foxy O]

Thanks everybody for all your help. I'm going to keep her mane and feathers long for now and see how it goes. I may decide to clip them off later. I will definitely try the pig oil but I will patch test it first. After having a chestnet ISH I'm finding the stable stains and dirt from the field hard to deal with but I love her to bits