Who has a hairy cob?? Any Advice?

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DIESELSUPERSTAR

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I have recently bought a beautiful gypsy cob called Diesel. He is my confidence booster and fab in most ways!!

We have been to 3 shows this summer where he has come home with 2 2nds and won best traditional (and a massive cup!!)

Very pleased with him but he tends to be a bit of a 'rearer', particularly in the last show where I had trouble keeping hold of him, totally out of character for him so hopefully he will calm down for next weeks county show!!

Anyway, the reason for my post is to find out if anyone has any tips about caring for feather, tails, manes and also the best way to turn them out, along with tack and clothing which is best suited to his type.

I have always owned slimline ponies where you trim and pull untill there is nothing left so this is a massive change!!

Thanks in advance :)
 
I have no idea about showing tack and turn out as don't do showing. But do have hairy cob.

For his feather I use cob oil, which is a more gentle version of the pig oil and sulphur. Basically the same stuff but slightly different mix. The normal pig oil and sulphur was a bit harsh for my sensitive soul!

I use the cob oil on his feather about every 4 weeks and then leave them. Don't hose his legs off unless absolutely necessary. Just leave the mud to dry and then brush off. That works for us.

I pull my horse's mane but my friend plaits her horse's mane most of the time to stop it getting mucky and tangled.
 
Looking through the internet there are so many different things to do! When showing i have been washing them with anti dandruff shampoo but im terrified any faffing about will just make them fall out :(

Cob oil sounds like its worth a try, and definitely through the winter! do you find that the feathers feel very dry? Diesels feel very dry and fragile, im assuming the oil should help with this?

Thanks :)
 
Soft soap for washing will make feathers come up beautifully white and silky. Add to final rinse water oil (baby oil, pig oil without sulphur or any mineral oil - Avon's SSS dry oil is lovely and midges hate the stuff.)

Use chalk to fluff feathers and whiten.

Soft soap can be bought from agricultural merchants who use it for showing cattle, chalk can be bought from a tack shop or Heavy Horse suppliers.
 
Brilliant :) will definitely have a go at that. My mums a sales exec for Avon so that will be a good one to use!!

I used chalk for my first 2 shows and thought it made them look beautiful and white but on close inspection just clammy and un natural. For his last show i washed them with antidandruff and then a second wash with blue shampoo. The fronts were lovely, silky and white enough, the backs not so good as are just stained brown unless dowsed in chalk :(

Thank you for your help :)
 
You need to join TGCA, Traditional gypsy cob association, they have a great show called TOYS, Traditional of the year at keysoe. I am very much a novice in trads but showing is tweed with brown or black tack. Grooming is natural but chalk and sawdust are needed!
 
Cow boy magic shampoo (shine in yellow out), absorbine stain remover and supreme products white spray for shows, also chalk powder for feathers. I use gold label pigoil and sulphur every couple of weeks in his feathers. Try not to brush the mane and tail too often, if it gets very knotty wash and condition and then use a detangler. I also plait his mane up for riding (well try to most of the time) as this can make it knotty and pull bits out and it is quite scary if you are trying to stop but have a handful of mane stopping you pulling the reins which I found out when xc schooling so definitely advise it for faster work. Lastly be prepared to spend more of the ponies lotions and potions than you do your own! mine has more cosmetics than me!
 
A friend has told me about a white spray which sounds worth a go! I am trying to keep his mane plaited as it gets stuck under his saddle all the time, and his tail, well if anything he could do with loosing a few inches. to the point where one judge had to pick it up so she could see his back legs!! Here are some pictures of my lovely boy. We have only been a partnership for a month so hopefully have a lot more to come!! - also there is a picture of his winnings from wednesdays show where he was 2nd in hand and won the big cup for being best traditional!! So proud of him :D

DIESEL_zps8c0e7d19.jpg

DIESEL1_zps7657e29c.jpg

DIESEL2_zpsaaa85af6.jpg
 
Well done, he looks lovely.
My other tip is during show season try to wash any stains out regularly, like grass or stable stains as if you leave them they are harder to get out, even if I just dilute it a bit with water it seems to make it easier to get out when I bath him properly if that makes sense.
 
The pictures here are from his first show, where my sister decided to use all the shampoo on her horse so when i got home from work at 7pm, i stood him in the yard and hosed him off, luckily it was warm, although he is solid as a rock and loves a bath. and this is how he turned out, no tail or mane washed and feathers barely washed, so imagine how he turned out the next time when he was washed twice WITH shampoo!!

Atleast I have lots to think about for County, will have to go shopping on Monday to try out some of these products!! I have a feeling im going to be very poor after buying this pony!!
 
I also use the soft soap to wash his feather. I find using the oil keeps his feather from being dry and breaking. It's good for the skin under the feather too.
 
I used to work on a gypsy cob stud which showed at county level, we would wash the manes with washing up liquid to get the grease out at the roots, then use diamond white shampoo or other shampoo along those lines for all their mane tail feathers body etc. We would back comb feathers with a hair dryer to make them look fuller, and blow dry mane and tail half dry (the roots mostly as they would take ages to dry) then loosely plait up so again hair looked fuller. We would trim face and edges, get whispy hair off belly and bum etc. Occasionally light pulling of mane to tidy up but want them to look as natural as possible. And in between shows we would leave it all alone, the less faffing the better. Don't be tempted to keep mane plaited up as it just starts to break off at the roots.
 
I used 'Dolly Blue' (net curtain whitener) in the final rinse of my heavy weight skewbald mares tail and sheep whitener on her legs!
 
We don't do anything other than mane and tail conditioner normally. For shows it's 3-4 washes with blue shampoo until clean and then lots of chalk through the white feathers while they are still wet. Allow them to dry and then brush out the chalk. Apply some more chalk if needed just before showing - this gets the feathers really gleaming. Mane and tail conditioner through the mane, tail and feathers helps. You can also use human conditioner when bathing, volumising works well as the more mane, tail and feathers the better
 
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