my horse rolls every day in thick clay!

[jojo5]

My horse is currently in a field at our livery yard that has clay underfoot which in the current wet weather is a nightmare! Being a bit of a geezer, my horse likes to roll, coming in at night with his long coat (trace clip)literally plastered with thick lumps of clay. The usual things (plastic curry comb, sweat scraper) go nowhere near this unless I keep going for around 2.5 hours. Any good tips?:o

[AlexNI]

Poor you! I used to be at a yard with clay soil - its a nightmare. I only had to get it off Jenna's head and neck though. Have to admit most of the time I just left it cos it pulled all her hair out when I brushed it.
The only thing I found helped was softening it with a sponge and warm water but that might not be too practical for a whole horse!

[Joyscarer]

Welcome to New Rider :D

Well like you my horse is on a clay soil and delights in getting plastered in the stuff.

It's proving a real pain in this on again off again rainy weather as it doesn't dry out enough to brush off.

Unlike though my mare is out all the time so I rug to keep some of her clean and when wet I only clean where the tack goes.

I love Canter mane and tail spray so that the mud doesn't take quite so well in the areas.

So my tip is to only clean the bits you have to and give a good going over when it is dry enough to be brushed off. I like my rubber curry for that job.

Sorry I'm not much help :o

[Sammii819]

I would have him ruged and you can get a lyric head and neck piece to keep the worse of it off.

[eml]

Unfortuately we have the same problemx(x36 :mad:).

We keep as many as possible in full neck rugs when out, apologise to customers for the muddy legs and concentrate on cleaning the head as soon as dry.

Will be glad when dryness returns!

[carthorse]

Full neck rugs!!!!!

I'm a nasty cruel mummy & so I set about mine with the metal curry comb (gently though) which they tolerate amazingly well though if Jim's been freshly clipped I may use a bucket of hot water & a flannel on his head & belly.

[Bessy]

A good rug, and only bother with the bits that really need doing (areas that will rub tack/rugs - heels if prone to MF etc).

My boy has to roll in his stable every night he's bought in. I take his turnout off and let him have his roll before then putting on his stable rug. Unfortunately one of my cats has started poohing in his shavings and I didn't notice last night and wondered why my boy smelt funny - he had cat pooh smudged down one side!!

[myhorseisginger]

There's a new spray called Seven Day Mud Away which is made by Net Tex and it claims to stop the mud sticking in the first place. I use it and tbh it doens't stop the mud sticking, but makes it a damn sight easier to get off! You don't tend to get those massive clumps of mud either - i love it!

This is the link for the net-tex site:

http://www.net-tex.co.uk/product_page.cfm?pid=304&men=3

[jojo5]

thanks to everyone who replied about my clay coated horse. Forgot to mention that I do rug him of course, with a neck if it is cold. And i do use Mud Away on his lower legs. In the last week or so tho he has rolled in thick swampy clay every day and ended up with t literally as one thick plate on each side of his neck and quarters (under the rug!). Hey ho. The joys of horse ownership.

[lachlanandmarcu]

I would agree with the person who uses a metal curry comb - my horse actually prefers that being used (flat against the coat and carefully) than he does being tickled by ineffective softer brushes and curry combs. Just make sure you never bang it against them or catch them with the corner if a square one, and test them out to see if they like it or hate it.

[Portia]

Have you tried using a metal shedding comb - the one that has to be folded back on itself? Can't remember name for the life of me, sorry! That's the obly thing -bar hosing - that shifts dried clay for us, otherwise it's hours of the stuff out of her coat....