Grooming advice needed.

J

Joanne4584

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Now that my horse has been retired, my YO is going to let me ride one of their horses. I went to groom him today so we could get to know each other. He is a big grey (actually he's white) and no one has groomed him for ages, poor thing. He has three patches on his girth area where manure has glued itself to his coat. It's so thick brushing it won't do any good. What would be the best way of getting it off? I can only think of cutting it off or soaking it. Any advice would be much appreciated!

He also has a very long mane, which often gets tangled. Is this with him just not being groomed? If it's brushed out every day will that keep the knots away? Or can they just appear as if overnight?

For the past 14 years I've just looked after my horse, so I feel like a complete novice dealing with a different one :eek:
 
Do you have access to a horse shower? If so then a good shampoo should loosen the worst of the 3 patches. Is he clipped? A full bath wouldnt hurt on a nice day, its not so cold round here at the moment and if clipped then he will dry relatively quickly. Putting a fleece and towel drying will help in a nice bedded down well stable. To help keep him clean a spray with something like Showsheen helps, not in the saddle area though. Showsheen would help with keeping the mane and tail tangle free, its what I use on my horse. A daily groom will definitely help keep it under control and knot free.

I have a grey mare, shes fully clipped and it does help keep her nice and clean. If she gets stable stains I just get some warm water in a jug, a sponge and the Cowboy Magic Greenspot remover. Spray some of this on the damp sponge and the stains disappear. Yesterday I washed her mane, legs and tail in the horse shower at my yard, sprayed her legs with the Showsheen and then when she goes out in the field the mud just seems to slide off.

Greys are challenging, have fun...but then you can see when they are dirty unlike a dark coloured horse!
 
Thank you for your reply :)

No horse shower (just a freezing cold hose pipe) and he isn't clipped. I might use some warm water in a bucket to do the worst areas. I'll give the Showsheen and the Cowboy Magic Greenspot a go. Thanks for the advice :)
 
Maybe plait up his mane for the winter too, we do that and occasionally their tails too, helps keep the tangles at bay, good brush out once a week..Warm water to soak with above shampoos to rid the stubborn spots, pig oil legs to help against mud stickage/mud fever...
 
Wash patches with a bucket of warm water and a sponge.

for mane and tail I like Wahl detangler, you don't have to use it every day as it lasts a few days or Equimins detangler is also good

I'd have to pull it or something, obviously you'd have to get the owners permission, I like a nice short smart mane but others don't
 
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