[Huntera]

We have had the worst year for "MUD" last year. So I have a Question on what yeah all do when you get that caked on hard Poo/mud mix on your long winter fur coats of your Equine partners... (He lays down a lot, being a draft baby...)
I have a Young Draft cross (NFLD pony and Percheron, Dame was half NFLD pony and Percheron and Sire was a Full Percheron) almost 2 year old most Percheron... but yet looks pony LOL, and he is getting so muddy and caked out in the field and looks awful... I bring him in every 2 day and try to clean it off... however it is winter so temps are dropping (so Water can not/should not be used) I would like to make him look good since the snow is down and so white it would make such lovely photos... but I am at at a loss with his Black Muddy chuck coat... Please any tips / advice...
*No Blankets he does not need one... a coat a Fuzzy like a Newfoundland Pony keeps him warm LOL
So far I have used:
*Sunflower Oil mix with Crisco cooking shortening... (Too Messy and way to hard to clean off)
*Baby Oil (Works but not in the same day has to be left over night)
* MTG

We been fighting this 3 months... glad the snow is here now, so once cleaned up he will stay cleaned this time! Fingers Crossed! Till next summer / autumn rolls around...
I will also consider a blanket.... however I am not for them... when he is a warm cuddle bug even on the coldest windy-est days... he is warm, small fuzzy ears, think coat, he is built for it...

 

[amberly]

metal curry combs are awesome for getting this stuff off - just rub it in any direction over and over and it gets a lot of it off! Rubber curries work well too.
But a metal curry comb is how I got this off last winter -

 

[george the mule]

metal curry combs are awesome for getting this stuff off - just rub it in any direction over and over and it gets a lot of it off! Rubber curries work well too.
But a metal curry comb is how I got this off last winter -

View attachment 581322

AhHaHaHa!!!; looks like George after a good roll That's one nice thing about bay animals, the dirt doesnt show. As much.
Huntera, use a stiff brush and plenty of elbow grease, with a curry comb to break up the lumps as required. Resist the temptation to do a thorough job, unless you are doing it for mutual enjoyment; "clean" is not a natural state for equines.
ByeBye! Steve

 

[DuckDodgers]

I've attacked similar messes with a plain old curry comb and lots of work. Most of the clumps will eventually fall off, and lots more work with a hard brush will get the small fragments out.
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[Huntera]

Curry Metal or Rubber is not cuttin it LOL

Tried... Grooming tools will not work... on this type of stuff
I'll post pic's... as soon as they load on Photobucket...

Thank You.
And Yes Dirty is not bad, but I want to take winter photos and having him looking good!

 

[amberly]

If grooming tools don't work, then you are outta luck....
If its that bad then you will have to wait for itself to come off or rub off for easier grooming. The metal curry combs are the best thing you can do.

You take photos right? Do you know how to photoshop?

 

[piglet]

It doesn't help you now, but I like to put Show Sheen (or anything containing silicone) on my horse's haunches, hocks, fetlocks, and tail hairs BEFORE he gets all grungy.
Just do NOT put that stuff anywhere near the girth or saddle area - it's slippery!

 

[DraftyAiresMum]

My old gelding loved the mud. This was him after he decided to lay in the deepest mud puddle he could find as soon as he was put out in the turnout, then left to bake all day in the sun. That mud is close to a half inch thick in most places. It's not just dirt-mud, though. We have this clay called caliche that sticks to EVERYTHING and is nigh impossible to get off without water. THAT'S what he laid in.




I spent two and a half hours with a metal sweat scraper, a large-tooth curry, a fine-tooth curry, and a stiff brush to get the majority of it off.

 

[poundinghooves]

It must be realllly bad if a metal curry comb won't do the trick! I've never had a horse so caked with mud that a metal curry comb wouldn't at least get the worst of it off. If it's warm enough in your area, you could maybe hose them off? Cowboy magic works very well on getting tangles out of manes and tails, but I don't think it would really work on the body as well.

 

[2horses]

I agree with the metal curry. I follow that by spraying Miracle Groom on the coat and using a brush to get the rest of the dirt off. I think the Miracle Groom works pretty well and helps them stay clean longer.

 

[tinaev]

Metal curry and elbow grease. Make sure you take your pics that day and are happy with them before you release him back out to the pasture. Also, Photoshop is your friend for errant mud clumps that you didn't notice or can't remove.

 

[verona1016]

metal curry combs are awesome for getting this stuff off - just rub it in any direction over and over and it gets a lot of it off! Rubber curries work well too.
But a metal curry comb is how I got this off last winter -

View attachment 581322

When I first glanced at this I thought it was a picture of my horse! :lol:

I do pretty much the same thing. Metal sweat scraper, coarse curry, regular rubber curry, then brushing.

One thing I've learned, though, is to not bother with wet mud. I've yet to find anything other than a good hosing off that will make that any better. I keep a waterproof turnout sheet on my horse all winter long more to keep him clean and dry where the saddle goes than because I think he needs help staying warm!

 

[BreezylBeezyl]

A METAL curry comb isn't working? What about a shedding brush? It's PERFECT for getting mud off.

Plastic WON'T work on mud, at all. You need a metal brush. If metal isn't working (but I'm not sure why it really wouldn't :?) then you probably will need to use water somehow.

Metal is effective, but still takes some time. Give yourself a minimum of 1.5 hours of grooming, and yes that is about right for a horse with average buildup on a regular basis. And that is sometimes being generous.

If it is interfering with your riding times, I'd blanket him. It doesn't need to be a thick blanket by any means, just light enough to cover him and keep him from getting so dirty. Blanketing him won't stop him from growing his winter coat (that is affected by the amount of sunlight), so he will still remain fuzzy even if you put a light blanket on.

Then you can be like me! Bring your horse in, take off the blanket, and be good to go in under 15 minutes. Haha.

Honestly, mud isn't really something there is an easy fix to unless you hose your horse down or blanket it. Even if you find a "trick" it's still going to take TIME (ie for oils you still need to apply the oil and remove it when necessary, it just kind of adds onto the issue and doesn't really 'help').

 

[KigerQueen]

I gave up on trying to brush it off. in az a daily hosing is much appreciated so i just take the hose to them XD!!!

 

[Huntera]

Long coat

Well I'll stick with the Baby oil and let it soak in then brush it out the next day... I was hoping for a one day grooming fix LOL... but no one's got any magic up there sleeves LOL :lol:
Posting pic's of the Mud/Poo on the long coat that will not come off...

 

[Huntera]

Mud Pic's

 

[Clayton Taffy]

Don't use a metal curry on any bony parts, legs, face, hips.

 

[george the mule]

My old gelding loved the mud. This was him after he decided to lay in the deepest mud puddle he could find as soon as he was put out in the turnout, then left to bake all day in the sun. That mud is close to a half inch thick in most places. It's not just dirt-mud, though. We have this clay called caliche that sticks to EVERYTHING and is nigh impossible to get off without water. THAT'S what he laid in.

I spent two and a half hours with a metal sweat scraper, a large-tooth curry, a fine-tooth curry, and a stiff brush to get the majority of it off.

And don' he look _proud_ !

The other option with this sort of coating is just to laugh, take a foto or two, and go have another cuppa coffee. He will eventually get itchy and "roll" it off in a sandy spot. Might take a couple days.

I think this is part of the "Natural Horse" cleaning process, and as such I will often simply let nature take it's course. AKA: Too Darn Lazy ;-)

ByeBye! Steve

 

[BarrelracingwithSkipper]

Shedding blades are amazing for getting all the mud off then just brush out all of the remaining dust.

 

[anndankev]

^^^^ Yes, but wield it kindly.

I use a long single shedding blade first, then follow with a 'Mud Brush'.

The mud brush is a large oval wooden brush with short very hard boar bristles.
I have two very worn out and have given one or two as gifts.
Hope I come across another soon as a replacement.