Horses Feathers help

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sammiej

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Hi there,
Trying to get my welsh cob nice for the show ring and today I have noticed half her feathers are missing from one of her front fetlocks, and her feathers are generally looking very dull and scruffy, I haven't noticed her chewing at them at all. Does anyone have any good tips for keeping feathers in good condition or know of any good shampoos that keep them soft and silky? She has white socks.
many thanks
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Have refrained from brushing them too much because of the fear of them going too thin !
wondering if she has mites but she doesn't seem to be itching them?
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Feather mites cause the horse to stamp down their feet, not to itch them.
I would avoid brushing them too much, as you say it may thin them. I would also avoid washing them except on the day/day before the show.
Have her feathers been clipped off at all before? In my experience that can cause the feathers to thin, and it takes years to grow back the full thickness, especially at the front.
 
Feather mites cause intense itching as the mites creep around in the feathers and burrow into the skin. When horses haven't got anything to scratch against in order to stop the terrible itchiness, they will either stamp their feet (which shocks the nerve endings so relieves the itchiness for a minute or so) or chew at the feathers (often laying down to do so) or creative neds find something to scratch against. Sunny gets feather mites and has tried the stamping and the chewing but his favourite is to eat his tea from his feed bowl, then stand one foot INSIDE the feedbowl to stop it moving, then scratch the other leg against the rim of the bowl. Which is why he's just had the 2 dectomax injections! They will keep him mite free for a few months.

Just wondering if your ned is turned out on wet ground sss? There's another condition called bog burn that affects the feathers. The muddy, swampy ground is abrasive against the feathers and "burns" them off, typically more at the front than the back.
 
Thanks Guys for your suggestions, She's not doing any stamping or itching, theres no scabs or scurf, there seems to be some feather that is half the length and it has gone thin. very wierd ! this is mainly on one leg, but the other 3 don't look exactly in good condition either. The ground is very dry, we've had no rain for months so can't be anything to do with mud. And i have never clipped them. Might bathe in some hibi and see how they look? What is the whole pig oil thing? never heard of it before x x
 
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