Keeping your grey horse grey

[Tiarella]

Hi, I have owned my Connemara for nearly a year now, he is absolutely wonderful in all ways apart from being white white! Last winter we were just getting to know each other (he was only 4yo too) so wasn't too worried about looking scruffy. This year I will be competing him through the winter and want to keep him looking as clean as I can. He has to live out 24/7 but thankfully our fields aren't too muddy.

So far I've found these I may invest in....

http://www.tailgator.co.uk/tg/pages/tailbagorder.html

http://www.snuggyhoods.com/horse-sh...od/headless-weatherproof-horse-hood-navy/d679

I like the idea of the tail bag and normally wash his tail once a week anyway.

The hood also seems a good idea as I don't want anything covering his face, but also don't want his mane rubbed out as i try and keep him as m&m as possible. Do you think after time this will rub the mane out? Does anyone have one?

We have no hot water or solarium at my yard so unable to do frequent baths in winter.

He will also be fully clipped, apart from legs.

Could anyone offer any tips or ideas on how to keep a grey grey!

 

[tda]

I have a tailgator but never actually used it. I did have a hood but only used it a couple of times , worried about her getting hung up somewhere!
Use Pig oil or similar to stop worst of mud sticking to tail and legs
Flasks of hot water, to you can hot towel , its nearly as good as a bath

 

[Cortez]

Elbow grease.

 

[PorkChop]

I tend to keep the tail plaited, my grey is a clean grey, but her tail can get yellow.

I find the ruggles faceless hoods better fitting than the snuggy ones, for me the snuggy doesn't lay the mane flat enough. I don't personally use them for turnout though. The lycra hoods don't rub the mane, I have found that they protect it.

The tail bag is good, easy to use and does the job, I have the snuggy one.

If you keep him clipped over the winter it does make keeping them clean so much easier.

 

[I.M.N.]

Elbow grease.

This, as well as starting with the best intentions and every lotion and potion on the market before giving up half way through and taking out shares in chalk! This is what I inevitably ended up doing with my white hunters every year. Best tip for chalk is to use a bit of water to turn it into a sort of clay, cover offending stains and leave in on for as long as possible before brushing/chipping it off.

 

[mums the groom]

portable hot horse shower just needs a hosepipe

 

[Red-1]

OH's horse was a white grey, and always immaculate. We found the trick was to spot treat every single day. It uses less water if you use a spot treat of shampoo or commercial spray, and a wipe off with a sponge full of water.

Tail was also done every day, but just the bottom and any poo bits. That could be done with 1/4 a bucket of water, we used to use the old water from the stable.

 

[Bernster]

I have also used the faceless snuggy hood, for just the neck/chest area, with rugs, as I don't like the idea they could get caught up in the face ones. Baby oil, coat sprays to help the mud come off quicker, but I only did that over the summer ahead of a show, the rest of the time tbh I leave him pretty grubby and just clean off when needed.

 

[Annagain]

The only way to keep them clean is to keep them clean, if you know what I mean. As Red-1 says, spot wash any stains daily before they have time to 'set.' They wash out much better if they're fresh. (This is very much do as I say don't do as I do! I normally end up scrubbing at 6am wishing I had spot washed daily!) Pig oil on areas they're likely to get muddy like flanks, hocks, knees, elbows and ears also helps mud to sit on top and not soak into the coat. I put it in a spray bottle and just give him a quick squirt around the problem areas.

Tailbags and hoods are also great - prevention is definitely better than cure! Snuggy Hoods are by far the best, I've used them for years and none of mine have moved so I wouldn't be too worried about one that does cover his face if he's sensible and in a well fenced field.

Don't bother with expensive shampoos, blue Fairy Liquid works just was well.

 

[stencilface]

Double post!

 

[stencilface]

Just ignore it and tell everyone your horse is bay.

Then if you have to go anywhere, buy every product on the market, mix them all together and scrub them with that until they regret every roll and deliberate above eye poo stain.

 

[fattylumpkin]

Just ignore it and tell everyone your horse is bay.

Then if you have to go anywhere, buy every product on the market, mix them all together and scrub them with that until they regret every roll and deliberate above eye poo stain.

LOL

I'm gonna throw another penny in the bucket for 'Keep on top of it' and get rid of green and brown and yellow stains when they appear. There's a lot that can be done with a wet towel and physical labour.

 

[frostyfingers]

I've invested in 5L of sheep shampoo which is a damn sight cheaper than anything with "equine" on the label. We'll see whether he starts turning into a sheep by the end of the season!

 

[BogTrotter]

Just ignore it and tell everyone your horse is bay.

Then if you have to go anywhere, buy every product on the market, mix them all together and scrub them with that until they regret every roll and deliberate above eye poo stain.

Sounds a bit like George's Marvellous Medicine, lol.

 

[Nudibranch]

Hot cloth stains when they appear, lots of elbow grease, and learn not to care that much. They certainly don't

 

[Clannad48]

I hate to tell you this but you do not have a grey (white) horse - your horse is skewbald - you might as well get used to it now. We have a 'skewbald' and no amount of washing, scrubbing will keep her grey (white). She managed to stay clean for a whole hour this year, then once turned out rolled in the deepest mud she could find. Tesco value shampoo is good, as is Fairy Liquid and a whole lot of elbow grease.

 

[tatty_v]

I would also agree with the spot washing technique - I take warm water down to the stable in the morning and just hot cloth off any stains. It takes 5 minutes max but means that the stains never "set". Also, a no-fill turnout rug overnight will help stop any stains soaking through much better than a fleece or a stable rug. I don't bother will tail bags or turnout hoods as I'm lucky that our turnout is pretty dry (and he's a gelding, so no yellow tail!) Tail gets washed once a week in hot water. Mane gets washed when greasy/muddy. I try not to wash legs too much in the winter, but if I do I use Snuggy Hoods fleece leg wraps, which seem to dry his legs pretty quickly and keep them warm. Before a show, I use chalk/whitening powder the night before made up into a paste, painted onto legs and stable bandaged for dazzling white legs!