Dumb question about hairy cobs and feathers

oofadoofa

oofadoofa

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Sorry to ask a silly question, but I am more used to TBs and warmbloods than cobs!

I am currently looking after a pony for a chap that has been taken ill and is hospital. It is a traditional cob and has a HUGE amount of feather, which I am so not used to, I always have to get the scissors out at any hint of extra hair on heels on my lot
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. Obviously the ground is quite wet at the moment and feathers are getting rather muddy, they are so long that they are actually trailing on the ground and I'm tempted to get the scissors out! So should I chop any off? Just a trim maybe?

Also, he has some flakey skin bits in his feathers behind his knees, what's the best thing to put on this? Obviously couldn't put protocon or MSM ointment on there because it wouldn't actually get down to the skin, but something like baby oil or pig oil?

Sorry for the clueless questions!
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Gosh this is difficult to know what to do about your hairy heeled friend! I've got a traditional cob and he's fully clipped out coz I got fed up with having to clean him up for the blacksmith for an 8.00 a.m visit!! Plus the fact he'd got feather mites and its much easier to deal with if you get rid of the feather.

As its someone else's horse you've got a bit of a dilemma here but I'd be inclined to get the scissors out and have a bit of a trim. You don't say how long the chap is gonna be in hospital? But I think the bottom line is that you're doing the good deed and looking after hairy-heels and you've got to cope with the situation as you find it and I don't think anyone could be offended if you just did what was necessary; after all it's gonna grow again anyway.

For the flaky bit behind the knees I'd be inclined to go to the Chemist and buy a big tub of Sudocrem; cheap and cheerful, and slap it on. There is god-knows-what other types of stuff you can buy at ten times the price. The other thing I've heard people use is udder cream, again cheap and cheerful. I've heard that pig oil is good too, not just for this problem but also for sweet itches so will be trying it come the summer!

Oh I bet your hands are just itching to get the clippers on those feathers; I know I would be - although some people say its a desecration to clip off the feathers! Its whatever's easiest really innit.

I just wonder whether there are any bootee thingys that anyone can recommend which you can put on, for now? Of course, this would be an expense which you probably don't want to incur with someone else's horse, but I've read about "mud boots" which go on and protect from mud fever etc. Just a thought (an expensive one, sorry!).

Good luck with Hairy Heels! Cobs are great (traditional cobs have their own special beauty I think - you love em or hate em), but as you've no doubt found they can have a mind of their own; a case of a pony in a horse's body!!! But what a sweet person you are to take on board another horse when its owner is in hospital. Hope everything works out for all concerned.
 
If you want to stay friends, please don't take sissors to the hair - if he is anything like me, his cob's hair is his pride and joy.

I will send you the very very long PM I do about keeping hairy horses legs in both healthy and show condition so he will be delighted when he gets back from hospital at how his boy looks.

Once you get the knack, gypsy cobs are very easy to look after - even more so than TBs - as I speak from experience of years of both. Only time I still wish I had a dark bay TB is when I am getting ready for a show in winter - now that is very hard work.
 
get to mvf and get some pig oil for the feathers
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I have been using pig oil and sulphur this year on frank....... MVF also do sulphur powder but not kept in stock in all branches!. He also gets the scabby knees...... mallanders I think they are called?! for those I tend to clip the hair off with scissors....... there is plenty of other hair to cover it up so its not noticeable and use some sudocream or sulphur cream, or add some sulphur to some sudocream.
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get to mvf and get some pig oil for the feathers
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I have been using pig oil and sulphur this year on frank....... MVF also do sulphur powder but not kept in stock in all branches!. He also gets the scabby knees...... mallanders I think they are called?! for those I tend to clip the hair off with scissors....... there is plenty of other hair to cover it up so its not noticeable and use some sudocream or sulphur cream, or add some sulphur to some sudocream.
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Yes that's why I was thinking pig oil, I thought something like sudocrem on its own would be too sticky and would make a right old mess!
 
Ditto, if someone cut my hairy's feathers off i would go mental (as much as i hated them when i first got him) - they must be kept au natrel or not at all!

I use Pig Oil & Sulphur (as recommended by Theresa F in 2008), no need for trims and very little maintenance required once its on. The feathers are the best form of protection from knocks and scrapes and mudfever - my vet even said not to fully clip him out.
 
These people wih hairy cobs are so ultra protective of that hair I would advise binning any thought of scissors!!! I mean seriously, these peeps are more anal about it than dressage riders and bling .... now that is saying something!
 
hmm, franks knees are only a narrow strip where they bend so I tend to cream rather than oil when they are bad as it softens the scabs off.......... but as I say I do trim that bit approx 5cmx2cm I spose so I can get the cream on.

I am quite tempted to clip his feathers in the summer though.... we get more problems then with sweaty legs
 
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These people wih hairy cobs are so ultra protective of that hair I would advise binning any thought of scissors!!! I mean seriously, these peeps are more anal about it than dressage riders and bling .... now that is saying something!

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Ha ha, I'm beginning to think I should crawl back under my stone. I'm getting scared
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You can't really cut the feathrs or someone elses horse, especially one that is supposed to have them haha!

the scabs behind the knees are a really common thing - try frontline for mites
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Ps. i would also advise not to wash them daily, best just leave them muddy to dry unless abs nessacary
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the hair is there to protect the legs and getting them wet can compromise that
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PM sent - I hope it helps and as said, he will be delighted to see his boy with beautiful hair and no mites or scabs. You can also use the P&S on those poor unblessed types for MF prevention, so it won't be wasted.

I do love all the flowing hair, and when Stinky was four, he had little topline and looked very weedy in the adult classes so I took 20" off his mane and nearly cried, but he did look better with a section D mane that year.

Now he is a rising 6 and starting to muscle out chap, his mane is getting on for 2' and I hope next year to have it back to over 2'6 again as I love having all the hair back to look after and see floating when he moves.
 
I do the bare minimum- don't know if its right or wrong but it works for me...pig oil and sulphur and just leave them to dry off in the stable overnight- I don't hose down or anything....I have deep straw beds and the legs are always clean on a morning......Never had a problem with mud fever or anything.
 
As for the flaky bits it could be leg mites? I just use some hibiscrub on it to clear it and then put pig oil and sulphur on. I use a brush to put it on. and just make sure you get it down to the skin and then gravity will bring it on all the hair. However as mentioned before us furry cob owners are protective of their cobs feathers so if I were you speak to the guy who owns the cob. My mum thought she was helping me when she trimmed my boys feet I was not best pleased
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For the flaky bits behind the knees try haemorhoid(sp) cream. My wee pony gets this & the vet advised preperation H!
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Can't for the life of me remeber what it's called though.
 
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These people wih hairy cobs are so ultra protective of that hair I would advise binning any thought of scissors!!! I mean seriously, these peeps are more anal about it than dressage riders and bling .... now that is saying something!

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Ha ha, I'm beginning to think I should crawl back under my stone. I'm getting scared
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And so you should be.....
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Seriously Pig Oil + Flowers of sulpher on washed + dry feathers I apply using a house hold paint brush!! then just reapply every 3 or 4 days...
 
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These people wih hairy cobs are so ultra protective of that hair I would advise binning any thought of scissors!!! I mean seriously, these peeps are more anal about it than dressage riders and bling .... now that is saying something!

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O/T but this is so true...my horse is Suffolk part bred and has silly inbetweeny bits of feather, nowhere near full feather, but I take everything off his legs. Some cob owners have been incensed with my doing this, you'd think I was docking him!!
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I will send you the very very long PM I do about keeping hairy horses legs in both healthy and show condition

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Send me one too please.
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