How do people deal with the MUD!?

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Puzzley

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Hi everyone,
So my cob is a mud monster and with all the rain lately she comes in covered in the stuff. She is rugged and I pig oil her feathers which does make the mud easier to brush out. BUT... she still gets it all over her face, it clumps behind her ears and her tail is a nightmare to brush through when it's caked in mud.

I'd love to hear if anyone uses any miracle conditioner or special brush or ANYTHING to make removing/preventing mud a whole lot easier.

Also has anyone used a turnout hood (or snuggy hood) and are they any good at keeping the mud off? They don't look very durable, like they could tear easily?

TIA! :)
 
We don't have any mud yet but I do use detachable neck covers - I do like the headless snuggy hoods but struggle with the fit more than anything. They are great for keeping them clean as are the neck covers, though the better the rug, the more generous the fit and so more effective.
 
Years ago I bought a grooming tool called a mudbuster. It's been great for getting dried mud off, but it's not something I'd use around the ears.
Once my pony got sheep poo stuck in the hair inside his ears (it's long and thick in winter) and I had to wait until he shed his coat out to get rid of that - it was like glue.
 
I thought your thread was a general question as everything I own and wear to the yard is covered in mud. My car is full of mud, my tack is covered in mud - about the only thing that doesn't look too bad is the horse as he's a dun and the mud doesn't show up!
 
I leave it and accept I look like I'm riding a hippo for a couple of months of the year, it would take me 2 hours to clean mine if I did full main and tail every time ! Where the saddle and bridle go is carefully cleaned the rest it's a spring make over!
 
Owning a horse that can't be rugged, i frequently have to battle with head to toe mud (think yourself lucky that it's just the face/tail/feathers!!! I use a combination of a massage brush (like a rubber curry, but softer) and a reversible metal curry cumb. It takes forever :/ I've found that the Nettex 7 Day Mud Away helps, but i think the pig oil you use would be similar.

For my other horse i have a Snuggy Hood turnout hood and that is pretty good. It keeps the mud off her face and ears, but you are right it is not very durable. The first night she wore it she got holes in it. She's only had it a couple of weeks and it has a fair few holes and snags in it, which is annoying given how much it cost :(

You could plait your horses tail to keep it out of the mud.
 
Love 'magic brushes' and I have a weird brown wiggly plastic thing that is great for the face (it is oval and made out of small plastic threads all stuck together, bit like a tiny bit like a brillo pad)
 
Shedding blade is my best friend. I bring in and put in a deep straw bed, that dries the legs and they chip a surprising amount of mud off themselves by sleeping and walking around in it. Then next morning scrape the dried on mud off with the shedding blade. The field isn't too bad but they have made special wallowing areas plus to get to the field it is a lovely long walk through knee deep mud.
 
The round silver wire pan scourers great for getting mud off especially the face and ears as it wont hurt the skin, my Arabs hate rough brushes but will quite happily tolerate these.
 
I would be reluctant to use a snuggy, over the head, mask looking cover thing as I have heard so many horror stories about it slipping or being caught and covering the eyes, resulting in a panicked pony. Although if someone lives onsite then it may be more of an option. I am very much on the side of clean all the important bits and let horse be muddy for a couple of months, unless there is a specific reason it needs to be removed.
 
I hate riding filthy horses and lack time or energy for dealing with mud so this is what I do:

Full clip, feathers off and mane hogged and full neck turnout rug. Canter Coat Shine on the belly, flanks, face and top of the neck where it pokes out from the rug helps stop mud sticking. I ride in the morning so a proper groom is done then and I only need to pick out hooves when bringing in. Depending on how disgusting legs are they will either be left until morning or hosed clean from knees and hocks down. If the tail is nasty I either hose it with the legs or squirt on diluted shampoo then dip the end in a bucket to rinse clean before spraying with coat shine, then it is easy to comb in the morning. Top of tail I do not wash because it is not fair on the horse in winter so that gets mud scraped off with a plastic curry comb. The aim is a horse that in the morning needs a quick flick over with a brush and the tail combed then I can ride.

By keeping the horse clean I find the tack stays clean and then so does my car. I have a wipe clean thoroughgood girth for if I plan to canter through muddy bridleways and I hose my boots before mounting which helps keep saddle clean too. Life is too short to be endlessly cleaning everything.
 
asmp said:
I thought your thread was a general question as everything I own and wear to the yard is covered in mud. My car is full of mud, my tack is covered in mud - about the only thing that doesn't look too bad is the horse as he's a dun and the mud doesn't show up!
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asmp - sorry this has nothing to do with mud. I have just seen your avatar ...and I needed to let you know that it is fantastic :)
 
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