feathers or no feathers through the winter?

[Flint12]

My boy has full feather. Last winter he had mud fever and i found it hell to keep under control due to the feathers.

I have been toying with the idea of, taking them of compltely, keeping them trimmed down or letting them grow and leaving them.

By taking them of would it be easier to treat if he does get mud fever again or would it leave him with no natural barrier to protect him from getting it. Or would he best thing to do be keep them on and if he gets it take them of to treat?

Thanks

 

[katie_southwest]

Im clipping my mares off, if it really rains and gets muddy she will be stood in it so her feathers will be no use to her. I find that her legs dry much quicker too, so if she gets it I can treat it and keep them dry a lot easier

 

[Henbug]

clip them they aren't as likely to get it if they are clipped and if they do then it is easier to treat

 

[jewel]

i would clip them off

 

[_OC_]

I remove mine all year round,this way gives me a chance to see if there is any problems. Last Winter I had no mud fever,and graze my horse on land that is prone to carrying the virus. Did find using a Gold Label product,( :I think that is who makes it

) called 'Leg Guard' very good,can buy it spray form or cream! A lady who kept her cob fully feathered,at the yard said it worked just as well!
I clip from the knee down,and just to add own a cob with very pink skin under his white legs...hope that was of some help!

 

[Flint12]

Ok, so if i clip them. . .

Can someone explain how it would work him having a hunter clip and no feathers, i can just imagine him having no fur but with furry knees hehe.

thanks

 

[rara007]

If you clipped them I think it would look best if you clipped the whole legs, not just below the knees over winter. I have seen what it looks like with a trace clip, fluffy upper legs, shaved lower legs. Its....unique.

 

[_OC_]

Use your clippers up the leg to just take off the longer bits to keep tidy.....my friends cob mare used to have all her legs off with a full clip and she looked fine!

 

[Ezme]

our one who has feathers has below the knee clipped february-october (the season + fittening) and its far easier to do anything with them. We also have chronic feather mites so it helps there too. I've also go expert in blending at the knee, after a couple of days you have to look closely to tell it's clipped!

 

[devonlass]

I always leave my girls feathers on as understood it gave them a natural barrier??

I also use a product called seven day mud away,don't know if it helps but mine have never suffered with mud fever,even living out 24/7.

 

[Flint12]

Ok shall have a go at it. . .im sure ill mess it up first time hehe, got to get him used to the clippers first though....hmmm

Thanks

 

[DiablosGold]

My boy has always had fully clipped legs, and I've never had a problem with him with mud fever.

When his legs get really muddy I wash them off, dry them and put sudo cream on as a barrier.

Otherwise I just leave them to dry and brush the mud off.

 

[Flint12]

DiablosGold- So do you take quite literally everything of?

 

[DiablosGold]

Yep whole body and legs all year round

 

[hadfos]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok shall have a go at it. . .im sure ill mess it up first time hehe, got to get him used to the clippers first though....hmmm

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]
you could always clip up just the back of the legs and take off excess feather around the coronary band

,i dont like to take off all the leg hair in the winter!!at least the front of their legs is protected by the elements then!

 

[JM07]

it would depend, for me whether the horse is out 24/7 or in at night....

if out 24/7, then no......

 

[tikino]

to prevent mud rash on your horse if he has feathers or not use pig oil and sulphur it realy works.

i have a mare and she was crippled with it to the point she ended up with lymphangitis. i then decieded for her own good she couldn't go out in the feild except when it was frosty. so spent most of the winter in her stable except when she was ridden. i then read a post on new rider forum about pig oil and sulphur thought can not loose so gave it a try she has since been able to you out in feild everyday all year round and has never has mud rash and thats been 2 years. before that she had it all the time. you must buse it consistantly but best product ever

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

My gipsy cob has (had) mahoosive feathers and suffered almost non stop from feather mites that I couldn't get at to treat because of the thickness of the feathers. So the feathers have been trimmed right off and she looks great. She gets very sweaty in the autumn/winter so she now has a trace clip with everything below the trace line clipped off so there isn't a problem knowing what to do about hairy legs!

 

[hairycob]

Another vote for pig oil & sulphur. As an added bonus it makes your hands nice & soft as well.

 

[ISHmad]

I'm going to use the pig oil & sulphur on one of ours who has quite full feathers this winter, after recommendations on here. Apparently you can buy it ready mixed on Ebay?

Definitely won't be clipping the feathers off as I believe they must add natural protection otherwise the horse wouldn't grow them, surely?

 

[cazmoreton]

I find it easy to treat without feathers but none of the ones with feathers have ever got it with me

 

[bex1984]

I keep my ponio's feathers on but make sure I don't wash them from September - March. I basically leave them alone apart from just checking them over. All the natural grease builds up and he didn't get MF at all last winter.

I think if you can cope with slightly muddy, dreadlocked-looking feathers throughout winter and are happy not to wash them at all, then leave them on. If you like to see them clean, take them off

 

[Kenzo]

Its either clip off or spend time every day washing,drying, treating and closely monitering your cobs skin.

I'd clip it off, completely, after a few weeks if grows back better and looks even, you wont see the clip marks as bad and it will actually look very smart, its just when you first do it, sometimes you think ''oh my god'' but once its got a little growth on it, it will look fine. Depsite clipping the legs, you still need to care for his legs the same as you would with lots of hair on just to keep on top of things, but you will notice a vast improvement.

 

[Flint12]

I like the idea of clipping up the back of the leg and round the corenary (SP) band

I took his feathers of at the start of the summer as he was very itchy so he hasnt really got any feather at the moment, but i think they will be coming of, and i will look into the pig oil and sulphur idea

Thanks