Removing mud dreadlocks...

[shellonabeach]

I hope someone can help me with some advice. Sorry if this is long!

My animal loving but non-horsey colleague on Monday was given a 2 year old minature Shetland colt by her neighbour for her children (she has the passport.) My friend asked me for advice as she wants the best for the pony.

After sorting out the feeding issues, picking feet, getting bitten (cheeky nip on the back of my knee

) and giving him a general look over I tried to set about removing the mud dreadlocks from his legs. It all looks very uncomfortable for him, there are balls of mud hanging from his feathers

.

Prev owner has always fed him in one corner of his paddock where the mud was knee deep (now fenced off). I am reluctant to cut off his feather as the mud is so close to the skin (tried cutting when I went to see him.) He also has a lot of smaller mud dreadlocks on his tummy which I am hoping to either cut off or groom off with a metal shedding blade.

My question really is how to remove these blasted mud dreadlocks esp from his legs

- cutting / washing - and what with? I have no idea how he will react to washing but all things considered was pretty good about being poked and prodded.

 

[Baileyhoss]

first of all wait till it's totally dry and dandy brush the worst off.

spray TONS of mane & tail conditioner on.

Leave for a while, if the mud isn't easy to pick off, spray on some more and leave for a bit longer.

You should then be able to pick & brush it all off.

don't try and wash the mud off at this stage, it might just scrub it into the skin. It might be necessary later, but I would try this first.

 

[samstar]

I'd try washing feathers with warm soapy water and just gently easing the mud off. I used to have to do this with my ex loan cob, time consuming but well worth it.

 

[Lill]

Hmm i have mud dreadlocks in tail to remove for show next weekend!

In my case it'll involve washing this weekend AND next weekend - its pretty gross!

In your case i'd try and pick the mud off by hand first, if its dried it will crumble off... might take a while though?

 

[shellonabeach]

Thanks for the replies so far. Unfortunately I'm not sure if the mud will ever be dry on his legs unless we have another hard frost. He'd been out of the mud (only hoof depth atm) all day on short grass when I saw him and the mud lumps were still sticky.

As for his tail - I cut the dreadlocked ends off

 

[beckyboo1991]

when bailey had really bad mud dreads i but it in a bucket of boiling water until they came off

 

[Theresa_F]

A shetland is nothing

I have to deal with this problem on occasion with a 17 hand clyde and 15 hand gypsy cob - and with wonderful Essex clay, and they are both very heavily haired.

Wait for a slightly warmer day then get out the hose and a stiff brush - soak mud with hose - and then use stiff brush and fingers to break up the clods, keep with the hose and brush - it will go.

To prevent the worst coming back, apply pig oil to legs every week.

I didn't oil up just before Christmas and paid the penulty - took me just over an hour to get the clods off my hairy beasts legs.

If the same happens to the tail, either plait it or even better get a tailbag from tailgator they do tiny shetland ones.

 

[indie999]

My cob is well feathered, lives out unrugged etc I keep his feathers trimmed which is such a pity but def wait til its dry as everyone has suggested & try to brush it out but got to say if its that bad (big pear lumps)you will prob have to trim them up , yes cut them off! They can become quite big those blobs of mud and hard lumps. If the pony is going to be kept on a well drained area you should b fine in the future,,,,it will grow again. Mine seem to appreciate the lumps being taken off

 

[DENNY]

i have the same probem with my shetland. there can be the tiniest patch of mud, he will find it. alls i can say is i put a realy good deep, dry bed to stop any moisture creeping up, keep the soggy patch penned off,and DO NOT ATTEMPT to brush anyhing that is not bone dry, it just makes the job twice as hard, long and tedious. brush him twice daily if possible, or when ever the clog is dry.
but i find the best way is to break the clogg up using your hand then brushing out the dust.