Very furry legs which are blow up all the time...

[Jesstickle]

Would it be in any way acceptable to clip Nitty's legs? Obviously she would look ridiculous. The blooming creature has come in with a big knee tonight. I have found the cut after much searching/clipping and hibiscrubbed. Hopefully it'll go down by tomorrow evening or she'll be back on the ABs. Two weeks ago it was a fat fetlock. There is so much hair on her that I just can not find things until they start getting fat. It is like this every winter. Stupid TB animal that grows a yack like coat!

I'm probably the only one with a horse so wooly with legs so glass like but if anyone else has one of these what do you do in winter.

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Clip her she will be fine

 

[*hic*]

It's a toss up whether the protection the gorilla leggings are giving her against knocks and bangs is outweighed by the difficulty of seeing the smaller number of knocks and bangs she's getting.

Helpful, aren't I

 

[Jesstickle]

Where do you reckon I stop. I think a couple of inches above her knee/hock would probably do it? She is going to look so absurd I can hardly bring myself to do it but it is ridiculous. Short of wrapping her in bubble wrap and leaving her in constantly I don't know what to do!

 

[JFTDWS]

she'l be fine with clipped legs, I'm sure. I do hope you will share a photo though

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Sort of blend it in just above knee/hock as the hair isn't that long there - 'specially not on a self harming TB of course on a hairy coblet you would have miles of hair to clip off............*sigh*

 

[Jesstickle]

It's a toss up whether the protection the gorilla leggings are giving her against knocks and bangs is outweighed by the difficulty of seeing the smaller number of knocks and bangs she's getting.

Helpful, aren't I

I *think* it's better to be able to see. She picks up scrapes all the time in summer too but I can see them and hibiscrub them within an inch of her life before they progress. In winter even when I check her legs religiously I miss them. They only have to be tiny for her to blow up like a blown up thing! 'orrible wretch.


And no, I won't post a photo because some numpty will undoubtedly tell me I am cruel and I CBA this close to crimbo!

 

[*hic*]

HAd you considered turnout boots? PE do some that are not wickedly expensive.

 

[Fantasy_World]

HAd you considered turnout boots? PE do some that are not wickedly expensive.

Agree Hic I was thinking the same. Rather than removing the mare's natural protection ie her fur, why not just offer some additional protection with some turnout socks/boots?

 

[Jesstickle]

I have thought about booting her up but I have no faith that she won't just get rubbed/react by/to whatever I put on her. She has the most ridiculously sensitive skin.

ETS: often she picks up this cuts on her knees/hocks. I guess boots aren't going to help with these right? I know how she does it. It's because she bombs around so much she falls arse over tit which is why it's often knees and hocks which cop it.

Someone remind me why I wanted a TB again??!

 

[Holly Hocks]

Jesstinsel - I use Sportabac turnout socks on my TB mare - she is fine in them - the only problem is that once they get muddy/wet, they take ages to dry, so you need more than just the one pair/set. You also have to put them on a lot tighter than you would imagine or you end up with Nora Batty stockings in muddy weather!

 

[Fantasy_World]

I know you can get knee boots for riding but wouldn't say they are safe for turnout. Probably the same with hock boots that are mainly worn for travelling. I know that some turnout socks are pretty long so it maybe worth having a look at some and giving a go. If they didn't suit then just stick on ebay as you wouldn't lose much if at all as people are always after socks/boots in winter due to the mud.
I would add though if this is where she mostly gets her cuts then clipping of the coat from this area would make her more prone to deeper cuts and grazes surely?
Imagine long fur, silky/greasy rubbing against the ground when the horse skids especially when wet. It really should glide along the ground and the layers of fur should offer some protection from really deep wounds. Now imagine the fur clipped, and now having an almost velcro feel to it, fine one way and a bit rough the other. However when you rub across the surface you can feel the stubble at times. Surely this against the ground would cause friction especially as the areas would be covering a large bony part of the leg, knees and hocks.
This friction could slow down that bounce along the ground factor and with the fur being shorter then the mare would also have less protection against objects such as stones, twigs etc from sticking into the skin.
That is the way I would see it anyway.

 

[Fantasy_World]

Jesstinsel - I use Sportabac turnout socks on my TB mare - she is fine in them - the only problem is that once they get muddy/wet, they take ages to dry, so you need more than just the one pair/set. You also have to put them on a lot tighter than you would imagine or you end up with Nora Batty stockings in muddy weather!

Yes they are good, have used in the past when my boys feathers were growing. Echo about more than one pair as they do take more than one night to dry out and also I found that mud prevents the velcro from fastening when wet and you take them off.
However you can pick them up at good prices. I got mine from ebay and car boot sales too.
The best time to buy really is in the summer and plan ahead as they do fetch good prices in winter secondhand as people want them. Not sure on new as hardly bought any items new lol

 

[whizzer]

No useful advice but my TB used to be the same as a youngster & I despaired of him! One winter I had the vet out every 6 wks because he'd knock himself, whole leg would blow up & he wouldn't move until she'd injected analgesics!(luckily vet is a friend of mine!) I tried turnout boots but the bugger just ripped them off with his teeth! He's teenage now & much improved....... But after weeks of box rest earlier this year banged his leg 1st time out & had to have it scanned! Luckily was just a haematoma!
I seem to remember years ago I just kept bute in & dosed him up
the minute he had an obvious wound.

 

[MegDay1993]

i would clip her legs, and put turnout boots on. Surely it is better to see a cut/graze than miss it and it gets infected! Also when you clip her legs if you clip following the hair line instead of against it then it doesnt take as much hair of i do it to my pony who has ridiculously furry legs in the winter and it doesnt even show that bad!