Feel like SUCH a bad mummy tonight =[

[Cedars]

Have been ignoring how filthy my youngster looks as shes SO hairy and lies in wee etc that I thought, leave it, will sort it out when its warm enough to bath.

Have barely seen her in the light for a few weeks, just enough to check no blood pumping from anywhere really.

Anyway, today I wanted a cuddle so ran my fingers through her neck...then through her armpits...back legs...sides....and she is just like one huge matt =[ anyway, I've cut them all off so now she looks like she's had a nasty accident with the lawnmower. Hopefully she's more comfortable.

Feel so awful =[

 

[SusieT]

Why is there wee for her to lie in?

 

[Cedars]

Well, wet shavings, not just a puddle of wee. xx

 

[JessandCharlie]

Aaw, I read a funny passage about that once. The conclusion of it was that horses in that state would almost certainly collapse, too filthy to live

Better than having her cold and wet in this weather bathing her I guess TangleTeezers are fantastic for mats btw

J&C

 

[Cedars]

Well I've just cut them all out now, so there shouldnt be many left, but I will get one of those when I'm next at the saddlers!

I feel like she might just drop down dead tonight, she deserves a much better mummy.

 

[JessandCharlie]

They're for humans I got mine from the hairdressers

J&C

 

[Cedars]

Oh! Well next time I go to a hairdresser I shall get one! xxx

 

[SusieT]

Sorry but she shouldn't have wet shavings to lie in at all, beds should be kept clean and dry, at all times. Wet needs to soak away, either by drainage if on mats or a thick bed of something.
Now that you know this is a problem you need to be particularly on top of this problem.

 

[Cedars]

Are you having a laugh? She has a complete new bed every single day (shes out during the day) so at the very most there is half a days wet on the bed. But if she wees, there will be wet shavings. We're not talking puddles here, its all soaked into shavings, but the shavings ARE wet - hence why she gets so disgusting because shes still so young she lies flat out on the floor.

 

[alligator40]

Don't feel too bad...horses lie in shite and p155 all the time out in the field....

TBH, I wouldn't have teasled out the hair..it isn't long about that shewill drop it naturally..

I ave 3 colts that have dreadlocks on their bellys ATM..i'm not bothered..they'll drop by may at the latest

 

[Double_choc_lab]

Sorry but she shouldn't have wet shavings to lie in at all, beds should be kept clean and dry, at all times. Wet needs to soak away, either by drainage if on mats or a thick bed of something.
Now that you know this is a problem you need to be particularly on top of this problem.

But if your horse wees and then lies down in the same place it will get damp on its flanks/tummy etc. I don't think any shavings/straw are so absorbent as to absorb a whole wee within seconds. That's what the curly bits of coat are in the morning.

 

[Cedars]

Shes already moulting massively anyhow, but there were so many I was really worried she must have been hugely uncomfortable.

The rest of her huge mass of fluff will come out soon I'm sure.

Thankies xx

 

[Cedars]

DCL - particularly if your horse wees, hits the deck within seconds, rolls in it, gets up, goes down, rolls again, then sleeps! Lol!

 

[SwingHorse]

Sorry but she shouldn't have wet shavings to lie in at all, beds should be kept clean and dry, at all times. Wet needs to soak away, either by drainage if on mats or a thick bed of something.
Now that you know this is a problem you need to be particularly on top of this problem.

I'm assuming this happens when the horse is stabled overnight, of course she might pee in that time, and shavings will get wet - lying on them for an hour or two won't kill her! As long as the wet is taken out everyday when the horse is turned out, I can't see the problem?

 

[SusieT]

Then make it a bigger bed.. It's obviously not soaking down to the base (or the base is too close to the surface). Does your horse not wee in one spot generally? To be that matted she must be lying in wee all the time. Being young is not an excuse to neglect basic healthcare.
Give her more bedding and the problem will cease. Money on it. No it takes a couple of minutes to soak down, but I don't know any horses who wee then lie down straight away.

 

[SusieT]

swinghorse-so it's acceptable to have matted, urine caked fur? Which is what the OP is leading us to believe?

 

[alligator40]

is your pony on rubber, flamehead?

 

[Rose Folly]

You're not alone, Flamehead. We have an aged livery here, on loan to someone who works all the hours God gives and, TBH, hasn't really the time to see him right. I do most of his treasuring as YO, i.e. feed, water, hay, change rugs, cuddle, give peppermints etc. but apart from an occasional lunge with a curry comb, I don't groom. His REAL mummy came over the other day with something for him (she's very high-powered and, to give her her due, hasn't just cast him off when she no longer needed him - she still checks up on him). Anyway, she gave him an all-embracing once-over look, said briskly to me: "Head & Shoulders, I think" and whirled upon her way. Horse and I exchanged a glance. "Here" I said. "Have another peppermint!"

 

[SwingHorse]

swinghorse-so it's acceptable to have matted, urine caked fur? Which is what the OP is leading us to believe?

It isn't aesthetically pleasing, but when she's only going to go out and get covered in mud and ***** in the field, I'd rather he owner spend time teaching a young horse manners than fruitlessly repeating that task.
If it was serious neglect, e.g. deep litter not cleaned out for x years, or even a normal stable with the wet never taken out, it'd be cause for concern, but a young horse lying down (as all young horses do) where ever she wants is no need to be defensive!

 

[Cedars]

Ye alligator, shes on rubber mats from back to about half a metre from the front where her water bucket sits. And then a really good bed/chunk of shavings new every day. xxx

 

[Honey08]

Susie I think that you'd better start criticising me too. I have a youngster with a thick coat that can get it matted and stable stained no matter how much bed you put in. He is famous for getting his beds filthy overnight, to the extent that you have to take out the whole bed daily. I have had horses for over 25 years, and somehow managed to pass my AI at some point, so I thought that I was capable of basic horsecare, but aparently not!
Seriously, I think you are coming across as a bit OTT.

 

[Cedars]

*envisions Puzzle in a Head and Shoulders advert*!!

 

[HBB]

Have been ignoring how filthy my youngster looks as shes SO hairy and lies in wee etc that I thought, leave it, will sort it out when its warm enough to bath.

Have barely seen her in the light for a few weeks, just enough to check no blood pumping from anywhere really.

Anyway, today I wanted a cuddle so ran my fingers through her neck...then through her armpits...back legs...sides....and she is just like one huge matt =[ anyway, I've cut them all off so now she looks like she's had a nasty accident with the lawnmower. Hopefully she's more comfortable.

Feel so awful =[

I'm with you SusieT, Sounds like great horse management to me

 

[outandabout]

Mine is a bit of a mud monster and frequently comes in CAKED in mud and with matted fur, mane and tail. He is also a bit of a dirty devil in his stable, even when his bed is a foot thick layer of clean straw mucked out fully and refreshed each day, so I feel your pain

I find (depending on the time of year and the stage his coat is at) that a shedding blade, plastic curry comb or rubber curry comb (or all three together!) mean I can keep on top of his fur being matted. I don't groom mine fully every day, as sometimes I simply don't have time or his legs are still wet, but if you at least take the thick of it off each day it won't build up and get matted as well as being much easier to check for injuries - I found a cut on my horse's neck which was hidden by mud and matted fur.

 

[only_me]

Sorry but she shouldn't have wet shavings to lie in at all, beds should be kept clean and dry, at all times. Wet needs to soak away, either by drainage if on mats or a thick bed of something.
.

Tell that to my very very dirty horse who is on rubber mats and very little shavings (enough to soak up wee). Everynight he pulls down his banks, and "plays" in his bed, coupled with condensation bed is soaking. Not my fault, I try to keep it as dry as possible without paying through the nose on shavings.
Not all of us are as perfect as you appear to be.

 

[christi]

my stables have rubber matting , but i still use a deep bed , i dont have this problems with urine ,

maybe use a full bed see if it helps. I find Equisorb to be super at soaking up urine .

 

[alligator40]

I'm with you SusieT, Sounds like great horse management to me

seems like you and susieT should get in the real world TBH...

many horses/ponies dont get mollicoddled 24/7 and quite rightly too.

mine live as ponies should...never getting their muddy legs washed in winter.
never getting brushed in winter, except their saddle/bridle patches if rugged, only checked once per week, fed hay once per day, never fed hard feed unless ridden, wormed on the 1st september, and then again the 1st march...my ponies have survived year after year, despite my obvious tactics to kill them...

flamehead....if puzzle looks well..and by that i mean weightwise, then dont fret..she'll survive laying in a little bit of p155 believe me

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Does your horse not wee in one spot generally?

Are you kidding me... When my horse was in he used to p*ss and ***** in AS MANY places as possible! Then generally kick it around into his bedding so the whole thing would be dirty! If you have a horse who is dirty in the stable, you have a dirty stable, period.
The OP had admitted it got out of hand and she should have checked more regually and will do so in the future. Was it good management? Not by any means. But the OP had learnt her lesson, and didn't deserve the uproar of your posts IMHO.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

When I was unable to get grass livery for my young fluff ball, she too had to be stabled at night. No matter what I did, she would often greet the morning with a wet patch on her furriness. Tried all sorts of shavings, deep straw, Bucas power cooler, although she was better off unrugged. Nothing could stop the little monkey getting wet, and yes, her stable was spotless when she went into it each night. If it was bad, she'd get a warm sponging and rub with a towel, but that wasn't always practical. Its much easier with a fine coated youngster, but with a thick coat, its a real problem to manage unless you rug from head to bum, then they sweat..
Rose Folly, love the response to owners Head and Shoulders directive..'here, have another peppermint.' Class !

 

[HBB]

seems like you and susieT should get in the real world TBH...

mine live as ponies should...never getting their muddy legs washed in winter.
never getting brushed in winter, except their saddle/bridle patches if rugged, only checked once per week, fed hay once per day, never fed hard feed unless ridden, wormed on the 1st september, and then again the 1st march...my ponies have survived year after year, despite my obvious tactics to kill them...

Good for you