Cobs! White feathers and greasy manes

[NooNoo59]

I would like to show my cob this year any tips for dealing with grease and getting the black stains from the school surface off? I have seen that people are using fairy liquid but is that safe on the roots so on the skin. Thanks for any advice

 

[SpeedyPony]

Fairy is the same detergent as shampoo (sodium laureth sulphate, from memory?) so will be safe to use, but may be a little too good at stripping oil out if your horse has sensitive skin. I've used it to wash tails, but mine get washed once in a blue moon. If you are bathing regularly, it might be worth buying actual shampoo.

 

[St Nicnaclaus]

I use Dermoline shampoo on manes. Wouldn't use fairy liquid anywhere bar tails as strips natural grease from coat.
Cowboy Magic is good for getting them white.
I hate riding greys in black rubber arenas especially if it's rained. You could spray legs with mane and tail or coat shine to stop the black sticking.

 

[racmun]

I use premier equine.shampio twice for the mane to get rid of the grease.
Purple shampoo with warm water for white socks/body X2.

then mix up chalk paste and leave on to the last possible minute. We paint it on with a paint brush

Out skewbald pony dazzles.

 

[abbijay]

I have shown heavy horses for 15 years. I stopped using fairy liquid years ago, I never felt I got the best results with it. For the purpose of my response I am assuming you have a feathered cob.
I now buy the cheapest supermarket shampoo (and I buy lots of it). You won't get the feather clean if you start the night before! I start weeks before a big show, 4 washes (2 weeks before, week before, night before and on the morning) usually get feather county level white. When you shampoo don't focus on getting ends white, focus on breaking down the grease underneath, get right into the root of every hair. It is worth conditioning the ends (again cheapo supermarket works) to prevent arena staining setting in too much if the hair is dry. Final morning shampoo should just be removing any stable or grass spots and I like to use purple shampoo for that wash to bring out the shine. A quick dust of baby powder then apply boots or bandages (particularly on hind legs) and don't take them off until shortly before going in the ring.

 

[SEL]

I have shown heavy horses for 15 years. I stopped using fairy liquid years ago, I never felt I got the best results with it. For the purpose of my response I am assuming you have a feathered cob.
I now buy the cheapest supermarket shampoo (and I buy lots of it). You won't get the feather clean if you start the night before! I start weeks before a big show, 4 washes (2 weeks before, week before, night before and on the morning) usually get feather county level white. When you shampoo don't focus on getting ends white, focus on breaking down the grease underneath, get right into the root of every hair. It is worth conditioning the ends (again cheapo supermarket works) to prevent arena staining setting in too much if the hair is dry. Final morning shampoo should just be removing any stable or grass spots and I like to use purple shampoo for that wash to bring out the shine. A quick dust of baby powder then apply boots or bandages (particularly on hind legs) and don't take them off until shortly before going in the ring.

My cob looks like a Clydesdale in miniature so can I ask are there special boots you put on the hinds that keeps the feather off the floor of the lorry - I've always got poo stains on the bottom of the feather by the time we get to the venue

 

[abbijay]

They’re just stable wraps that I use. He always poops as soon as we load so I don’t pop the ramp up until he’s been and immediately remove it, leaving a quite deep layer of clean shavings.
I used to put old tights underneath to hold the spat up out of the way but found it just made the hair look messy

 

[SEL]

View attachment 162200
They’re just stable wraps that I use. He always poops as soon as we load so I don’t pop the ramp up until he’s been and immediately remove it, leaving a quite deep layer of clean shavings.
I used to put old tights underneath to hold the spat up out of the way but found it just made the hair look messy

Mine tends to wait until the engine is started - but I think that's what I'll need to do.

On one of the videos search for a star had last year then was a tiny clip of a cob in a warm up with boots on which had puffy bits at the bottom. I suspect they were specially made because I haven't seen cob feather specialist ones anywhere

 

[abbijay]

There was a fad at one time for "feather socks". There were a few companies that made them, including the horse onesie people who changed their name every 6 months.
I had a lycra pair but didn't like them and found my old horse, who was close behind, would catch them with his shoes and rip them. I think someone made a pair from goretex type material that may have faired better. I haven't seen them on the heavy horse circuit for a few years, although I don't show much any more. Bandages seem most popular although the soft style travel boots do come out too.