Very Greasy Coat - What can I do about it?

[3Beasties]

My mare was fully clipped yesterday and was hot clothed (with vinegar in the water) afterwards. I took her rug off today expecting to find a lovely shiny horse but instead was greeted by a grease monkey. It's unbelievable the amount of grease she seems to create in a short space of time, my hand was white when I ran it down her neck! (This is a fairly regular thing with her, not just a one off!)

What makes them produce grease? Could it be that she's too cold? Lacking something in her diet?

Is there anything I can do to stop there being so much of the stuff? Would be nice not to have white gloves every time I pat her!

 

[Izzwizz]

My gelding is like this, or was. Do you have a horse shower? If so a good warm bath then hot clothed every time you ride. It will eventually get less, my horse's coat did. One thing I have noticed since he's been on the Top Spec balancer is that the grease has never returned as bad as it was initially and I have had a lot of comments about his shiny coat. That is something he never used to have. You could also try using some Showsheen, that helps too..

 

[HaffiesRock]

Its just the natural waterproof layer x

 

[pottamus]

I would not be trying to get rid of it as it is there for a reason and will keep them warmer and dryer. My lad (unclipped) is really greasy under his hair but I leave it in winter and try to reduce any brushing to a minimum.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

Its just the natural waterproof layer x

it is, and in a field kept horse, very much needed, but not in a stabled horse.

wipe her down with hot water and vinegard after each ride, show shine her every other day, wash mane and tail with washing up liquid(to pull the grease out).

should get less over time but you could also add some oil to her diet to imrpove her skin and coat.

make sure her rugs are clean too, we wipe down inside neck covers and round shoulders with water/vinegar mix every couple of weeks to keep them super clean.

 

[chestnut cob]

It is natural but as the horse has just been fully clipped and is rugged, she doesn't really need it. I agree about adding oil - I feed micronised linseed and it does improve coat a lot. I would give her a good wipe over with hot water and vinegar; I do that after clipping usually and it helps.

 

[3Beasties]

I would not be trying to get rid of it as it is there for a reason and will keep them warmer and dryer. My lad (unclipped) is really greasy under his hair but I leave it in winter and try to reduce any brushing to a minimum.

She has rugs to keep her warm and dry so I would rather get rid of it. If she was out naked then obviously I would leave it but she isn't, as she has no coat to 'hide' the grease in it has to go!

It is natural but as the horse has just been fully clipped and is rugged, she doesn't really need it. I agree about adding oil - I feed micronised linseed and it does improve coat a lot. I would give her a good wipe over with hot water and vinegar; I do that after clipping usually and it helps.

I did wipe her over with hot water and vinegar but the next day she was literally covered in grease again. She's not currently fed anything but I may start giving her a bit of mix with some micronised linseed, how much would you feed for coat/hoof condition but not weight gain?

it is, and in a field kept horse, very much needed, but not in a stabled horse.

wipe her down with hot water and vinegard after each ride, show shine her every other day, wash mane and tail with washing up liquid(to pull the grease out).

should get less over time but you could also add some oil to her diet to imrpove her skin and coat.

make sure her rugs are clean too, we wipe down inside neck covers and round shoulders with water/vinegar mix every couple of weeks to keep them super clean.

Good tip about wiping rugs down, thanks!

Will give her a proper bath over the weekend if the weather improves and I've upped her rug weight slightly today so that will hopefully help.

 

[Queenbee]

As above, baths, hot clothing, vinegar or dettol etc, with regards to rugging I would purchase or make two lightweight cotton under rugs. Pop one on under stable or turnout rugs and remove (replace with the clean one) and wash to keep her an her rugs as clean as possible.

 

[Laura Jenkins]

I would love to know the answer too ? My mare is fully clipped all year, she had to be as she gets to hot. I've done the whole hot clothing with Tors equestrian oil, dettol, white vinegar. I wash her mane in a de greasing shampoo, washed her rug and put a liner under her rug that I change every other day and she's still a grease pit ?
I spoke to my equine vet and he said it's probably her hormone levels and that a lot of mares get a lot greasier than stallions/geldings. He said that she could have hormone injections every season. But I think that's pretty extreme, and as she is NOT mareish at all I don't want to put her through that ?
It drives me crazy but I do find that after hot clothing spraying her with Dream coat and rubbing in it with a muff is the best, and when you come back from riding. Always wash your brushes. I wash mine 3-4 times a week and clean your tack after every ride and wash the saddle pad ?

 

[moosea]

Do you strap her after excersise? old fashioned method but very good at keeping the skin clean and promoting circulation.

 

[Laura Jenkins]

Do you strap her after excersise? old fashioned method but very good at keeping the skin clean and promoting circulation.

What do you mean by strap her?

 

[Auslander]

What do you mean by strap her?

Proper grooming! The sort that makes you sweat!
You use a rubber curry comb in small circles to bring grease and dirt to the surface, then remove with a flicker brush. Then you go back with a body brush and use it to polish the coat. I finish off with a teatowel.
This video is exactly what I do

 

[paddi22]

if you rub a horse and get grease and dirt on your hand, it usually means the horse needs a detox. when we get horses in like that we give them a detox with charcoal. the difference with them afterwords is amazing.

 

[moosea]

What do you mean by strap her?

I mean groom her, really groom her.

Strapping is ( and this is a basic version because I am too lazy to type it out in full! )
start with dandy brush, remove dried sweat and mud.
Use a close bristled body brush and vigorusly groom all the body with it, cleaning the brush with a metal curry comb every few strokes.
Really put some effort into it!
next use a hay wisp or a strapping pad to bang fimly against the areas with major muscles - neck, shoulders and hind quarters really. Use an even number of bangs on both sides as this promotes muscle tone.
remove remaining dust with dampened stable rubber
pick feet
sponge eyes nose and dock
comb and set mane and tail with dampened water brush
Apply tail bandage.
put rugs on
return within one hour to remove tail bandage

Look it up - it's a really old fashioned method but very effective and a good skill to have.

 

[Sossigpoker]

I try to bath my greasy cob about once a month , as long as it's not freezing. The grease is their natural waterproofing so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[Bob notacob]

if you rub a horse and get grease and dirt on your hand, it usually means the horse needs a detox. when we get horses in like that we give them a detox with charcoal. the difference with them afterwords is amazing.

Whutt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[paddi22]

Whutt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we found there's a difference when you rub your hand over the coat between normal the normal dirt and dust vs the sticky oily dark stuff you get on your hands (which is hard to get off)

 

[spotty_pony]

My mare was fully clipped yesterday and was hot clothed (with vinegar in the water) afterwards. I took her rug off today expecting to find a lovely shiny horse but instead was greeted by a grease monkey. It's unbelievable the amount of grease she seems to create in a short space of time, my hand was white when I ran it down her neck! (This is a fairly regular thing with her, not just a one off!)

What makes them produce grease? Could it be that she's too cold? Lacking something in her diet?

Is there anything I can do to stop there being so much of the stuff? Would be nice not to have white gloves every time I pat her!

What do you feed her? I have one here that was like this when being fed alfalfa. He’s a lot less greasy since I stopped it.

 

[Laura Jenkins]

I mean groom her, really groom her.

Strapping is ( and this is a basic version because I am too lazy to type it out in full! )
start with dandy brush, remove dried sweat and mud.
Use a close bristled body brush and vigorusly groom all the body with it, cleaning the brush with a metal curry comb every few strokes.
Really put some effort into it!
next use a hay wisp or a strapping pad to bang fimly against the areas with major muscles - neck, shoulders and hind quarters really. Use an even number of bangs on both sides as this promotes muscle tone.
remove remaining dust with dampened stable rubber
pick feet
sponge eyes nose and dock
comb and set mane and tail with dampened water brush
Apply tail bandage.
put rugs on
return within one hour to remove tail bandage

Look it up - it's a really old fashioned method but very effective and a good skill to have.

Thanks and the next day she is back EXACTLY the same like I haven't never bothered That's the problem

 

[Laura Jenkins]

Proper grooming! The sort that makes you sweat!
You use a rubber curry comb in small circles to bring grease and dirt to the surface, then remove with a flicker brush. Then you go back with a body brush and use it to polish the coat. I finish off with a teatowel.
This video is exactly what I do

I do this every day.for at least 2 hours. She is fully clipped 24/7 and hot cloth her with Tors equestrian hot oil x3 a week and use dream coat in between and it still doesn't make a difference. It does at the time, but the next day back to square one and I use Haas brushes on her. Spoken to the vet they say it's hormonal, and I could inject her 4 time a year But I'm no going to do that

 

[tda]

A mug of micronised linseed per day for coat health, it really does make a difference

 

[Widgeon]

Sounds incredibly frustrating. I agree with TDA, linseed is usually really good for coats - it's cheap so maybe worth a try? If it's hormonal though, I don't think you'll be able to stop the problem - short of altering her hormones, which you've already said you'd rather not do (understandably).

Hopefully it will improve in summer when she's no longer rugged.

 

[Laura Jenkins]

She has been on modernised linseed for 5 years with no difference

A mug of micronised linseed per day for coat health, it really does make a difference

 

[moosea]

Thanks and the next day she is back EXACTLY the same like I haven't never bothered That's the problem

Yeah it's more of a long term thing. like strapping 3 -4 times a week for a good few months.

 

[gallopingby]

I think it depends very much on the individual some seem to carry grease whatever you do! A good all fashioned strapping several times a week and appropriate rugging / feed will help.

 

[Laura Jenkins]

I got cloth her every other day and have done for months and there is still no difference. I think I need to face that it's her hormones like the vet said

Yeah it's more of a long term thing. like strapping 3 -4 times a week for a good few months.

 

[Laura Jenkins]

Proper grooming! The sort that makes you sweat!
You use a rubber curry comb in small circles to bring grease and dirt to the surface, then remove with a flicker brush. Then you go back with a body brush and use it to polish the coat. I finish off with a teatowel.
This video is exactly what I do

Yeah I do this and she is still just as greasy the next day