Getting hairy grey ponies clean

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tootsietoo

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How do you do it?? This summer I acquired a lovely 12hh Welshie who lives out, and occasionally has to scrub up for pony club and hunting. I gave her a full bubble bath a few weeks ago and kept her in for the night, but she was still damp the next morning! And last weekend I just washed her legs as I thought it was too chilly for a bath, but would the dirt and grass stains brush off? No way!

I guess I could rug her, but I'm not keen to as she has such a good coat that I think she's better off without one ideally. And she doesn't do enough work to warrant a clip.

Is there a special trick? Would a thermatex or similar help at all, bearing in mind she has an inch long coat?! Or will she just always be filthy?
 
Prevention is the only way I know. Either you learn to live with a "coloured" pony and people pointing and laughing, or you rug her from head to toe and still be on standby to wash legs, face, undercarriage and tail as required in warm water with shampoo.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings...

And if you're going to rug her, you might as well clip her, because its so much easier to keep them clean that way. My 14.2 has learnt to man up about having his undercarriage hosed off in cold water, if its done as soon as we get back from a ride, no shampoo is needed and he's lovely and white again. They went hunting one time earlier this year in what appeared to be heavy clay which I thought would be easier to get off after it had dried. I was completely wrong on that one, so now I just hose it all off before bedtime. He does come in at night though.
 
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I have a grey Highland and have found that baby wipes are great for removing grass stains and ground in muck. For really stubborn stains a grooming stone is useful, (the kind you would use when the pony is moulting) Thermatex leg wraps are good for drying legs.
 
Oh no, I thought there might be an easy way out! I think I need one of those snuggy hoods in an all-over-body style!

The little minx is not only muddy, but the whole of one side of her hindquarters is covered in green from rubbing against the lichen-covered fence! I've got to get her clean for pony club on Sunday!

At least she is willing to be bathed, and it keeps the children quiet for AGES!
 
You bleach them white!!!



(Just kidding in case anyone takes this seriously do not bleach your ponies :p)


But I think its near impossible so get some blue/purple shampoo and scrub like crazy and once he's clean keep him covered up so he can't get muddy again :)
 
tootsietoo said:
Someone was telling me about that shampoo. A blue rinse for ponies!
Click to expand...

Yes its very good, I used one by Lyn Russell and was vert good, but I got some Tigi purple shampoo which I found worked better, it cost more and is human shampoo but worked a treat :)

If you use blue shampoo you have to put normal shampoo on first and let all the bubbles come out then put the blue shampoo on and leave it for a little bit for it to work then wash it out, and if your super picky like me put conditioner on :D
 
Used to work on a dressage yard with about 15 greys; they had to be spotless, even when turned out 'in case any body saw them' !! can you believe. The only way I found to get the stable stains out properly was with water, there are no short cuts, just plain old elbow grease :)
 
Absolutely. I have a grey hunter (2 greys! I know!) and he comes up pretty well with a good scrub. But he is clipped, so it's quite straightforward. It's the hairyness that is causing me the problem! It's so difficult to wash her coat properly, and if I do manage to thoroughly soak her and bubble bath her, then she doesn't dry at all, and is probably chilly.

It sounds as if the best option is one big bath and then cover her up and don't let the coat see the light of day until the next ride! Oh, and definitely a blue rinse!
 
There is no secret ingredient (oops sorry that's from kung fu panda ;) ) seriously though keep them covered, wash of any stain as soon as possible and hope and pray!

Cowboy magic is a god send, blue/purple shampoos really help, WOW is good (but check for sensitivity) clipping really helps too.
 
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