Removing tar from horse's legs?

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spotty_pony

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My horses have got little brown specks on their socks (I think it's from trotting on the tarmac roads when it has been hot and the tarmac is slightly soft) and it won't wash off or brush off! Anyone know what I can use to get it off? I know it will wear off eventually because it has happened before but I would like to get rid of it if possible. Thanks :)
 
swarfega if it is tar may work

I used this to get anti vandal grease off my naughty exploring white kitty and it was gentle enough for her sensitive skin and took one wash to have her gleaming again. Garages use it so I would give it a try, patch test first though to make sure horse is ok with it.
 
We had a terrible time a few years ago it was soo hot the lanes melted literally, it stuck in great lumps in our shires feathers and feet, and also stuck all the way around both front and back right wheels of wagon, someone (farmer) said to use petrol to get it off, we didnt just waited for it to harden and cut it of the feathers and chipped it off the wheels with a hoof pick!! :rolleyes:
 
General rule of thumb to clean is...
Water, for water based stuff
Oil for oil based
so it would follow to use petrol to clean road tar !
 
2nd vote for lard, butter or margarine. Rub well in and it should soften the tar then wash off with usual washing stuff.
 
Fii said:
General rule of thumb to clean is...
Water, for water based stuff
Oil for oil based
so it would follow to use petrol to clean road tar !
Click to expand...

Petrol does remove tar, but it is a skin irritant so I wouldn't put it on a horse.

I work in a&e and we use butter to remove tar from humans.
 
Penks said:
Petrol does remove tar, but it is a skin irritant so I wouldn't put it on a horse.

I work in a&e and we use butter to remove tar from humans.
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no i wouldnt either, which is why i didnt!
if it is only a few spots, i would use something like a furminator which will take a little of the hair that it is on off!
or to go along with what i first said maybe Petroleum jelly, Vaseline!
 
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Never had this issue with horses but when I was a kid on holiday on british beaches you normally got oil on you. This oil was washed up on beaches & was more like tar.

To get it off we used to use eucalyptus oil. You get some on a clean cloth & rub it on & it gradually disolves. You used to be able to buy this from chemists.
 
TrasaM said:
2nd vote for lard, butter or margarine. Rub well in and it should soften the tar then wash off with usual washing stuff.
Click to expand...

This is the one. Works a treat, I also used it to remove tar from a shop floor after workmen walked it in.. and we are talking a LOT of tar, so a few spots should be relatively easy.
 
Think I can remember being washed with petrol as a child when I got tar on me at a beach. Can't remember any skin irritation, it was washed off well with soap and water. Have also heard eucalyptus oil works.
 
We were always getting tar on us at the beach, not washed up from the sea though it came out of the cliffs/ ground!
 
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