Turnout socks for Gypsy Cobs!

sychnant

sychnant

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What turnout boots do you use for your Gypsy Cobs? Here is mine, all clean (well, legs anyway!) and ready for his new ones to go on, and they don't fit! The length is right, they do up fine at the top of the leg, but don't come close to going round all the feather!!

Any ideas welcome, cheap preferred :p
 
I think they are useless IMO. You end up searching for them in the field more than they are worn. I'd try one of the other products out there first.
 
Would baby oil be much different to pig oil? His feathers are so thick that I have trouble getting it all through them. Think it may work out quite a bit more expensive?
 
I was advised not to use baby oil by quite a few people as it can cause burns/allergic reactions... My friend has issues with mud and feather and she was debating over just cutting out the top layer of feather so she's more able to clean and pig oil the short denser feather
 
What ones have you tried? You could sew more Velcro on to make them reach? I use sportabac ones but my boy is native coloured so he only has minimal feather.
 
Thankyou xMoodyMarex :)

Dumpling, I have the Shires ones. The neoprene doesn't even reach around his fetlocks, there is a gap of a couple of inches!

I think he will just have to get used to more leg washes. He is very good - we immerse each foot in turn in a bucket of shampooey water, wash well, then hose off. Then towel dry.

Maybe some Thermatex leg wraps, to dry his legs off, would be a better idea?
 
Have you tried 7 Day Mud Away? Its in a spray bottle so it penetrates the feathers quite well and then you brush it in. We are on heavy clay, have feathered Welshies and it works well.. and really does last 7 days between applications.
 
sychnant
Do talk to Sarah at Heavy Horse Leg Oil Supplies, it may be you are not getting a good enough coating
(They keep show Shires themselves)
http://www.shireoil.com/Home

I would be reluctant to use turnout socks--very likely to soften the skin and cause mud fever to break out
 
Thankyou Cuffey, have book marked the site :)

SukiStokes2, I'm lucky so far, he doesn't seem to roll in the field. He does like to sleep in his poo though, as I'm sure you have guessed from the picture. lol
 
I have tried everything and come to the conclusion that drenching in pig oil is the only way to do it :( I had an inspired moment at one time and used men's hill walking gaiters upside down, lol lol, it did work to some extent but my cob likes to do pretty shapes usually with his back legs ten feet in the air. For me drenching in oil, rubbing it in well right to the skin and doing it weekly, has really helped, it takes aprox 15mins per leg to get right through the hair.
Having anything on too tight to stay on will just rub hair out farther up the leg :(
 
I agree that turnout chaps/socks are worse than useless.

I use Muddy Marvel Barrier Cream, which is brilliant, but I don't have a horse with feathers so I don't know how effective it would be for your super cob.
 
I did my first wash with the soft soap from the shire horse supplies site and it was fantastic! By far the best 'first wash' results I have ever had. I also lathered her in the oil.

I actually ignore her feathers in the winter and no harm has ever come to them - they get an oiling and then look after themselves. Try it - it's a revelation!
 
Hecken92 said:
I was advised not to use baby oil by quite a few people as it can cause burns/allergic reactions... My friend has issues with mud and feather and she was debating over just cutting out the top layer of feather so she's more able to clean and pig oil the short denser feather
Click to expand...

Pig Oil and Baby oil are one and the same thing - Liquid parrafin.

Clay - is horrendous - I used to dread the hunters coming home after a days hunting with the Bicester - the clay managed to wrap itself around every individual hair despite the horses being fully clipped.

CAn't make any suggestions I have the same problem with my Clydesdale with boots being the right length but not wide enough to do up properly around the fetlocks.

Could you go a bigger size and have them cut down so they fit length wise.
 
Forgot to say as well that the key to making the oil work for us is never washing it out, the oil needs to build up to repel the mud, It doesnt look great but, my boy wont have his legs washed again until spring. And then only if we are going showing, If his feather is that thick, and you wash his legs then his skin wont ever be getting dry, unless you hair dry his legs. Wet/damp skin with no air getting to it can lead to breeding all sorts of nasties on the skin under the feather.
When the farrier comes and his legs are like oil slicks, we use tights over his feather so farrier can see what he is doing and not slide about.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

I did wonder about cutting the larger size down, but they just seem to be completely the wrong shape for a feathered cob - they are skinnies and he needs bootcut!

I think I will stick with the pig oil for now - perhaps I just need to spend more time working it in. I do it at the moment by scooping some into my hand and "combing" through - has anyone found an easier way??

Thanks to everyone who said they like him too :) He is just the most fab little horse ever. I said I didn't like coloureds or hairies and would never have either, but his advert picture just called to me, and when I met him I was head over heels in seconds. Wouldn't change anything about him, even if he is turning out to be pretty high maintenance :D
 
Easiest way for us, is to do what you do with washing, stand a foot in a trug, (as if your doing it properly it will be everywhere :D) decant pig oil into a used baby oil/ washing up liquid bottle, and start up above the knee at the front squirt and rub right through the fur, do same at back of leg, I use aprox one baby oil bottles worth per leg, He should be dripping in it by the end, Back legs I squirt on from the hocks down, Once the oil is on you should be able to feel his skin quite easily to check for any lumps and scabs, Its a seriously messy job lol, but def worth it.
If you PM Theresa F on here she does a fab email/leaflet on pig oil, its really good.
 
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I do it the same as Jakki.. except i use liquid paraffin. Just put horses leg in a bucket and squirt oil on with old washing up liquid.. Where I am gets quite boggy in winter and mine still have their feathers in spring!
 
Agree with jakkibag, TheresaF is the expert at getting through winter with horses fit to show
Also do join Forums on here--(Theresa posts) to meet with other cob people
http://www.tgca.co.uk/

Depending on your soil/mud the sheer weight of dried mud on each hair leads to ''bog burn'' and feather breaking if you do nothing
 
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