That horse smell (on hands!)

[Dyllymoo]

So.… as winter is approaching and I have to start doing the majority of my yard jobs before work I find that when I get to work my hands smell extremely horsey.... I wear rubber gloves to muck out, but struggle to wear gloves doing other things as I don't have good grip at the best of times.

I scrub my hands when I get to work with a nail brush and soap but the smell still lingers! Any suggestions of soap or something else to help?

 

[katastrophykat]

I have rubber palmed gardening gloves, and no mares ? I also bed on sawdust which reduces the smell drastically.

 

[Dyllymoo]

I haven't got a mare either and I use snowflake softchip. Its only on my hands so its when handling rugs/ tack/ a wet horse I think.

 

[Regandal]

I wear thin cotton gloves under my waterproof ones, which get filthy. Seems to help.

DERMATOLOGICAL COTTON GLOVES https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002YARFQ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8pwHFbKR31BEP

 

[EnduroRider]

I pop on a pair of disposable nitrile gloves as soon as I arrive at the yard and they stay on until I leave. Other gloves for mucking out, riding etc go over the top as needed. Not especially environmentally friendly but does seem to work and added bonus of protecting your skin and nails!

 

[Annagain]

I read that lemon juice is supposed to be good at neutralising smell. I've never tried it myself. It'll be a good way to find all those little cuts and scratches you never knew you had if nothing else .

 

[Dyllymoo]

I read that lemon juice is supposed to be good at neutralising smell. I've never tried it myself. It'll be a good way to find all those little cuts and scratches you never knew you had if nothing else .

I've been finding that with Anti-bac hand gel as well! Ha! Thank you might give that a go

 

[9tails]

I haven't got a mare either and I use snowflake softchip. Its only on my hands so its when handling rugs/ tack/ a wet horse I think.

It's probably the fillet string, my hands stink as soon as I touch that bit. I also have a horse that smells like wet dog when damp or sweaty, but proper hard bar soap has always got rid of the smell on my skin.

 

[TPO]

Probably not the best for your skin but after you've scrubbed your hands clean if you wash again with a tiny splash of hibiscrub it gets rid of all smells.

Dad uses it after gutting rabbits for his hawk and trust me thats a smell that lingers!

 

[WandaMare]

I wouldn't worry too much, horse smell is good

 

[Dyllymoo]

Thanks all, think I might try and invest in some decent soap not the stuff we have at work and see how that goes.... Yuck

 

[Jasper151]

Have you tried stainless steel soap? It is a bar of soap made of metal and apparently somehow gets rid of smells. I used it to get the smell of tripe off my hands and it worked a treat. It does say it works on pet odours but I never tried it. They only cost a couple of pounds so worth a try.

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I always had this issue (when on straw bedding especially) until working in one of my old jobs & one of the boys suggested I use 'Swarfega' that they used to get oil off their hands, they had it in a big tub & its fantastic stuff - its gritty/grainy & gets rid of everything - even the engrained bits you get in cracked skin but still moisturises. You can buy it now in a smaller pump soap bottle by the looks but I wonder if its as good as the industrial tub stuff. Worth a try!

** EDITED ** Just to say looking at all the different types they have now, its the heavy duty I used to use in a tub - its on tool station.

 

[Tarragon]

I also bed on sawdust which reduces the smell drastically.

I think that this is it!
I have used wood pellets for years now. Went to a pony camp over a weekend where the stables were strawed down, and was hugely aware of that "horsey" smell!

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

But just think - whenever you feel a bit down/bored/frustrated at work , all you have to do to be instantly transported to the magical place that is wherever your horse is , is to sniff your fingernails .

 

[Tally05]

Stainless steel soap absorbs smells!

 

[Esme]

Head & Shoulders! Someone recommended it to me once and it's surprisingly effective, wash hands as normal + a blob of H&S!