Pig Oil & Sulphur - How to! (Also in Vets)

WildRider

WildRider

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As in the title really - mum's horse has mites under her feathers, she will be treating them, vet will be injecting etc, but I heard that pig oil and sulphur can be useful as a preventative measure (doesn't suit all horses I'm sure!). Mum is quite interested, but it's difficult to find anything on the net as to how to apply, how often it's applied/washed out etc. All I can find is people saying either yay or nay to using it really. :-(

So, answers on a postcard please, how's it used?! Tea and biscuits for all as well! :-D
 
Put about three tablespoonful of sulphur in a container and mix a little pig oil to form a paste. Keep adding the pig oil until you have about half litre and then just rub it in.

Better than pig oil and sulphur is Neem Oil - mites hate it and will stay away for far longer than with the former.
 
Thanks Foxhunter, how often do you reapply the Neem oil! And can it be used on broken skin/cuts or do they need to be left to heal first?
 
I buy it ready mixed off ebay, just shake before use, I use a sponge soaked in it to apply, once the sponge has been used a few times and retains it nicely, I use the sponge flat and run over the whole coat lightly for general grooming, takes a bit of practice not to get too much in one area, for the heels and fetlocks to keep mud off, I use a different sponge well soaked and sponge well in.

If enough people want, I will do a vid and post on youtube.
 
I use Pig oil and sulphur on my Gypsy Cob who has a fair bit of feather.

He lives out mainly, but every two – three weeks I get him in, wash out legs with just water (Mud comes out really easy as oil still on hair) leave him in for the night and then in the morning before he goes back out I pour some into a pot, about 3 pints ish and sponge into the feather making sure I get it everywhere, then just run my fingers through it all to make sure.

He has lovely thick feather now and no bog burn.

Hope this helps
 
My horse had a reaction to Neem oil, his hair and top layer of skin fell off! Pig oil is amazing. Buy pig oil and sulphur premixed off ebay or from sussex cobs, can get in 5, 10 or 20lts. Everyone has their own way of applying it and you need to experiment and find the way that suits you, i now put a bit in an old supplement container and apply with a paint or hoof oil brush, found this to be fare less messy and the least waste. Part the hair/feathers and apply to the skin, it will work its way down the hair itself, if you apply to all the hair you're just wasting it was it will drip off! It will look horendous for a about a day so don't be alarmed. Depends on weather and the horse how often you apply but if its for an infestation i'd say weekly until things improve. I'm using it weekly at the moment as the weather is sooooo awful and we have heavy clay soil, probably every 2-3 weeks normally in winter and 4-5 weeks in summer but you'll tell when it needs doing.

Have a look at shirehorseforum, always load of post about it on there.

PS, don't apply for a few days before the farrier comes, he will not be impressed!

Good luck
 
I don't think the type of oil it the important part here. Mites are suffocated with any oil. I use food grade mineral oil. It can be bought from Boots the chemist in bottles (liquid paraffin) Pig oil is just clarified refined lard isn't it?
 
ooh I'm going to try this... I spent ages looking for it last summer (never quite got round to ordering off-line) Then when we moved I saw it in a tack shop so thought I would get it, and its just been sitting there on the shelf since :-s

My boy doesn't get itchy legs his is mainly on his withers and down to his rump, is it ok to use on those areas? or would it be too oily?

:)
 
diet2ride said:
ooh I'm going to try this... I spent ages looking for it last summer (never quite got round to ordering off-line) Then when we moved I saw it in a tack shop so thought I would get it, and its just been sitting there on the shelf since :-s

My boy doesn't get itchy legs his is mainly on his withers and down to his rump, is it ok to use on those areas? or would it be too oily?

:)
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Some people say you can use it for sweet itch and other itching but i have never found it works, you can use it for coat shine and detangler without the sulphur. just be careful using it in hot weather on manes etc as it is an oil and get hot, like sunbathing in oil!!
 
Oooh that's lovely, thanks guys!! I might suggest mum stears clear of Neem oil then as her mare can be a bit sensitive, so I'll suggest she tries PO first. Thank you HHO!!! :D :D :D
 
Sulphur and pig oil is very strong, so dont use it every week. Buy pig oil on its own to use weekly.

Clip the legs before first treatment.

Horses with leg mites do better living outside or a different bedding to straw. Although mites still live on grass.

Patch test before using anything.
 
lazybee said:
I don't think the type of oil it the important part here. Mites are suffocated with any oil. I use food grade mineral oil. It can be bought from Boots the chemist in bottles (liquid paraffin) Pig oil is just clarified refined lard isn't it?
Click to expand...

its actaully parafin oil...its used to keep pigs skin in good condition hence the name. :)
 
I use already mixed oil and sulphur from Ebay.

I put it in an old supplements pot and apply using a paint brush, I have found this effective. And the mud just slips off my Horses legs. Do not wash it off though as you need to create a barrier to stop the mud sticking. Do a skin test first as not all Horses agree with it. It can make my Horses legs look yellow when I first apply, but that soons fades. I apply every 10 days.

This is the first year I have used it (first Horse) and so far I am very impressed. She came to me with very bad Mud fever scabs, So I am making sure she does not get it this year!
 
I've used PO&S for years through winter. This summer he is really irritated by them. Classic symptoms. Shampooed his feathers today then after he settled poured just PO on and massaged it in. Its always stopped stamping but now I'm seriously thinking of him having to go on shavings alone though the stable is more exposed and straw made a warmer bed. Suffocation is my choice of assassination with these little blighters.
 
I used to put it in ketchup and mustard dispensers.. The cheap bottles with a squirty nozzle from supermarkets. Part the hair, squirt in near the skin and brush through until even.
 
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