How hairy?

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

What should I do with my cobs fluff? She had a very full mane that I haven't touched as well as thick feathers. Normally I would leave as is but recently I have been getting a strong urge to trim the mane quite short. Not to hog her just to make it easier to brush quickly but in my experience cobs often don't look great with shorter manes. I have thought about what happens if we go to a show (like that's ever going to happen!) but all the local ones are cancelled till next year. And would you clip the feathers? There's evidence from before I owned her of mud fever and I've heard that clipped legs get it easier than oiled feathers? Just wondering if any of you were in my position what would you do? I love natural cobs and she's a heavy one but for the sake of convenience perhaps I will risk it??

 

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

Trying to upload photos but it won't let me

 

[The Xmas Furry]

With a cob you usually have 2 options as below, but trimming and pulling a mane isn't a usual one tho.

A, hog and clip legs out, bang tail or
B, leave all natural

But, your horse, you do as you wish

 

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

Thanks! She's always been a natural girl but she wasn't ridden since she was broken in 4/5 years ago so it wasn't a problem. Now since I ride her 2/3 times a week it gets in the way riding and there's never enough time to plait it! And I don't think hogging would suit her hence a little trim. I have another question though; if trimming do you have to use one of those "rake" things?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

You use whatever you like, perhaps a rake to thin it if necessary, if you don't want to pull it. Will you be pulling and shaping tail too?

I really cannot comment as my last ride had nearly 2 ft of mane I didn't plait and B Fuzzy has over a foot in length that I don't plait at all and we are pretty active in being out and busy

 

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

Her tail is so thick! It was at one point so heavy that she couldn't lift it high enough to keep the poo out so that was a lovely afternoon of grooming horse poo out! I saw something where they snipped the underside of the tail so that it was short and it took a lot of the weight off (for eventing I think) but it wasn't done on a cob. I would also cut some length off and give it a good whitening! Thanks for the advice it's nice to hear of other people's cobs too!

 

[cobgoblin]

I've never found that the mane gets in the way, I part it for the bridle headpiece so that it lies flat and trim a little bit short at the withers so that it doesn't get caught under the numnah.
I leave the tail full and trim to about 4 or 5 inches from the floor, otherwise they tread on it at make it tatty and cut off any poopy hair with scissors so that it blends in and looks natural but no longer hangs down to get dirty.

I've done the full hogging and clipping legs before.. It takes a lot of maintenance, heavy duty clippers and lots of blades

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[DottlebangBandersnatch]

Hers is especially long I think maybe. My friend's cob who I ride as well it also gets in the way but not as much as Dotty's does I think. I think I will probably trim about a foot off? But take lots of care to make it natural looking.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Thanks for the advice it's nice to hear of other people's cobs too!

I have had a couple of cobs in the past, but B Fuzzy is a native.

 

[ycbm]

Can't answer your question but I adore your user name!

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[DottlebangBandersnatch]

Can't answer your question but I adore your user name!

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Aw thank you! My mare is owned by mare grandparents and her name is Dotty and my grandpa always called her Dottlebang. Also the last time I saw my great aunt she showed me the jabberwock poem which has the bandersnatch in it. If she doesn't have a show name on her passport I'd like it to be this! Then if we ever need from her I'd have a line of "bandersnatch"'s!

 

[ycbm]

It was a frumious bandersnatch though. Is she frumious? I hope not, because then we would have to shun you
.

 

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

Thankfully she is remarkably frumious! We do not want to be shunned thank you very much

 

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

I did end up trimming her mane! It doesn't look as bad as I feared and it is very nice not to be sitting on it all the time and worrying about cleaning it. She's about to have her feathers off too because of how scabby her legs got. I wasn't going to get rid of her feathers but the farrier said she'd be happier without them so that what's going to happen!

 

[Auslander]

I have a solid little cob here, who arrived with lots of mane and feather. Her owner decided to clip her legs and hack her mane off - it's about 3 inches long, and looks like a yard broom. I was a bit dubious when I heard what he was planning to do, but she actually looks quite sweet!

 

[ycbm]

But why is she picking up a mini Shetland ?

 

[Gloi]

But why is she picking up a mini Shetland ?

Because she can and it deserves it.?

 

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

She looks very smart! Some horses just really seem to suit it quite well and she looks like one of them. Also honourable mention of that Shetland he looks like a lot of fun!

Have managed to find photos of her mane at last. It short is when I first did it. It was my first time pulling a mane so go easy on me because its definitely not perfect!

 

[Auslander]

But why is she picking up a mini Shetland ?

Because he's an arse!

 

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

She looks very smart! Some horses just really seem to suit it quite well and she looks like one of them. Also honourable mention of that Shetland he looks like a lot of fun!

Have managed to find photos of her mane at last. It short is when I first did it. It was my first time pulling a mane so go easy on me because its definitely not perfect!

And looking at it again I'm realising how much worse her forelock looked! It has grown out a bit and looks a bit less bowlcut then it does in that photo

 

[Goldenstar]

I just turn mine out like hunters that’s the third way .
I don‘t like hogged manes .

 

[Pippity]

I think Dottie would suit something in between her current mane length and the first picture. It's not an 'approved' turnout, but if you aren't showing, that isn't really an issue.

For my cob's tail, I hack off huge clumps from underneath where they won't be visible, and then cut the whole thing to a couple of inches below the hocks. It makes it a lot easier to take care of, especially for winter.

I also let her feather grow back for winter, despite taking it all off for summer. My experience is that feathered legs suffer less from mud fever, as long as you aren't washing them off every evening, although I've heard different opinions.

(Also, wow, I think your fields have the most amazing views I've ever seen!)

 

[Surbie]

But why is she picking up a mini Shetland ?

She's a cob. She's going to eat it.

 

[Gloi]

She's a cob. She's going to eat it.

This is going to be a difficult contest. Will the cob manage to eat the Shetland or is it a ploy by the Shetland to get stuck in the throat and choke it.

 

[Fransurrey]

I thin my boy's mane and tail and feathers. They still look natural (although the tail is trimmed to keep it out of the mud), but it makes it much easier to brush and the feathers are manageable without trailing in the mud. Like the OP, his tail is naturally so thick he can't lift it all for a poo. I use thinning scissors and a thinning comb.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I see you've dealt with her mane but just wanted to say that I leave the hair on cobs in the winter, yes it gets disgusting but as long as you don't mess with it too much I find it actually protects their legs pretty well. A good helping of pig oil once a week helps to keep most of the mud off