Grooming Neglected Thoroughbred

Irishlife

Irishlife

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I have just aquired a 5 year old TB mare and her foal (around 5 months) - a typical heart decision not a head one! although they are both very nice just not been looked after. They are in fairly poor condition which can be dealt with but they are both coated in dried on manure, literally plastered from head to foot with big dried lumps hanging off every hair - its hard to see the horse. They had both been kept in a shed in their own muck poor loves.

Anyway wondered if anybody has any good ideas for removing the manure - where to start, and how to do it. Maybe some of you working in welfare will know. So far I can only think of trying to soften the lumps with something (its not a few its whole horse) so I dont think they could be clipped which could do the trick and I dont think bathing will work either. Your help will be gratefully appreciated!!
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in the yard i used to work at we got a horse off of a dealer who was in a bit of a state, i can just picture his coat and i can imagine its the same as what you are describing, we just groomed him evryday as best we could and when he shed his winter coat it all came off within days. x
 
I'm on silt land, so my animals all had large cakes of it stuck to them each winter for the first four or five years, much like your problem.

If you let them stay in too long the dried muck will end up hanging by two or three hairs only, so the animals will soon be sore and tetchy as hell if you try removing the dirt or just brushing them. So, I'd say get at them with some baby oil in a squirty bottle, or plain washing up liquid and water, and soften the lumps one at a time with as little liquid as possible and try to scratch them out with your nails.

It takes ages ... days rather than hours in fact .... but left they just make for annoyed, sore-skinned horses who hate being groomed.

In the manes and tail we also used pliers (yes, you read that right!) to crack the 'nuts' of soil that appeared. If left, they would clack together and sound like conkers! Once broken, they slid off easily.

Luckily our soil improved with layers of straw on it year after year, but at least in your case it's a once only problem. I wish you luck ... and not-too-sore fingers!
 
My boy came to me in a similar state last year and I spent days and weeks just working it all out of his coat with my fingers. on some bits I used warm soapy water on a sponge to soften the lumps and them once again, got at it with my fingers. as said above. don't rush it, you could make them quite sore...
 
Thanks everyone, I know it will be a long painstaking job. I totally "get" the pliers thing. They could be useful for crumbling the larger dry pieces.
 
Just a thought, could some be clipped off, maybe their bellies at least? If the manes are bad, maybe hogging them? This is assuming you can get the clippers/trimmers close enough without stressing them, of course.
I know it seems drastic but might be quicker and less pain for them in the long run?

Idea comes from some of the animal rescue tv programs with dogs with matted fur...

Obviously then you might need to rug but it won't be THAT long before spring now...
 
baby oil rubbed well in is how we managed to clean up a horse who had been left in a pen full of liquid cow muck for 12 months. It was horrific, absolutely caked on all over. It took us about a week of several hours a day just massaginging the baby oil in and eventially everything softened enough to be washed out with warm soapy water. The tail we absolutely covered with bably oil and then put in a large plastic bag for 2 days. The bag was held on with a surgingale. eventually everything softened off enough to wash the tail through. Luckily the horse was an absolute saint and delighted in being groomed otherwise it would have been a logistical nightmare.
 
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Thanks everyone, I know it will be a long painstaking job. I totally "get" the pliers thing. They could be useful for crumbling the larger dry pieces.

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Good, I was a bit worried you'd think I was nuts saying it! My partner joked about that idea one day and I thought 'what the hell' and tried it next day. Not one of our horses minded and it was so fast it made sense to mention it.

I tried putting masses of nasty hand cream somebody bought me for Christmas on a tangled tail this morning, think about your problem. It softened the soil and muck my mare collected yesterday during a mild colic and it's all gone now. That's another you could try, but I'd use it only on well muscled areas as otherwise the mare might get cold and not be able to fluff herself up to get warm again. It sure gets rid of that horrid, cheap hand creams mother-in-laws tend to buy us all each Christmas
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HazellB

What a brilliant idea, never thought of using the musk scented gloop for the horses. Tomorrow will see assortment of hand and body lotions slavered on the mare and foal. The pliers are working a treat on the big lumps. I think your partner deserves a horse grooming innovation award or better still - go market "the horse nutcracker" or "pooh plier" Im sure Robinsons would sell it. Patent it quick!!! The foal is hilarious,she is very friendly and bold and when Im attending to mum she gives me a headbutt and gets under my armpit because SHE wants to be fussed so its great they are both so amenable to it. Thanks for the brilliant hint
 
Just a suggestion but not sure if it would be suitable - could you try giving them a really good soaking/bath somewhere with a solarium so they can be dried straight afterwards? Or maybe work on a section at a time. Understand that perhaps it's so caked that water just won't break the dirt down.

A further thought... have you tried Swarfega that the farmers/mechanics etc use for removing thick oil/mud/dirt from hands etc. It could be worth trying on a small section to see if it works??? But again it needs to be washed out, though it might do a good job overnight breaking down muck etc??
 
oooh - another thought.. bicarbonate of soda... it's amazing stuff for cleaning and could work if caked on in a paste???

Sounds a bit crazy, but if you have any access to kim and aggie tv programmes/books, they have a multitude of natural remedies for removing hideous dirt from things, it's really surprising what works a treat!!!!
 
Daily grooming of your new family will help you get to know them. Touch is every thing. You can pinch the muck off with the fingers - just remember to wash your hands afterwards.
Dung will harden and go brittle. Baby oil might help soften stubborn bits. And there is always horse shampoo and a sweat rug.

I use a standard horse brush of natural stiff bristles - not polypropylene. I also use a tough human comb which has 1/16th inch teeth.
Mane detangler works on electrostatic principles and make combing easier.

I then have to rug my mare up, because the huzzy goes back out to the field and rolls.

Best of luck with your new dependents.

B G
 
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I think your partner deserves a horse grooming innovation award ....

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So does he now you've mentioned it. Men!

Anyway, how's it going? Did you try the manky handcream route? Bearing in mind they used to build houses out of dried muck, I think any progress you've made has to be applauded.
 
Thanks so much everyone. It is slow but sure progress and luckily both mum and daughter have the patience of saints and are quite enjoying the fuss. I have scissored off quite a lot of the foal's clods as she has a long coat and the pliers work well on the very dry bits. handcream, baby oil and more. More glooping and more trimming slow but sure will get us to a stage where a bath will do the job and coat shedding will be startng before long. Will post pics soon. I would love to see Kim and Aggie presented with these two. I remember watching one episode and Kim horrified that stirrup irons and bits were in the dishwasher - does the woman know nothing?
 
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