Cleaning udders?

[Tangle]

There have been lots of threads about cleaning geldings, but not so many for the girls :p

Fifi got a major udder wash at the weekend. Never having had any horse before I wasn't really too sure what they were meant to look like, but while I was grooming her at the weekend I noticed a couple of little blood spots, asked for a second opinion and got handed a bowl of hibiscrub and lots of cotton wool :eek: "Just keep wiping, and don't try and remove bits that don't want to come off".

errrr.......

So in we went :p. Fortunately she was an incredibly good girl and let me get in there with lots of cotton wool without batting an eyelid (or lifting a leg ;)). I can't decide whether to be pleased mummy (she let me get on with it for a good 45 minutes without complaining) or guilty mummy (given the amount of gunk that was there, I probably should have done it sooner in the 6 odd months we've owned her :o).

Anyway, the question was how clean should she be around her udders and between her hind legs? She didn't seem at all sore or touchy, but there was masses of really solid black greasy manky stuff all around her udders. I could also feel it on the skin between her hind legs, but it was difficult to get some soggy cotton wool in there to do anything about it. There's also some left between her udders, even though it's a lot less than there was. Will a little bit of mank cause problems, or should I make a concerted effort to get rid of it all and then keep it away?

Any thoughts........

[Supercali]

Every so often when I am grooming my mare I just use my fingers to crumble away the black stuff from around her teats and this usually does the job.

If your mare has black stuff on her skin as well then I would try to wipe this off gently and gradually as it might make her skin sore. My mare gets a bit dirty between her buttocks (?!) if her droppings are a bit loose or watery.

[Alle]

I usually clean my girl's teats about once a week to keep any muck from building up. She's usually very patient with me, and the once a week cleaning makes sure I only have to be messing around there for a short while. :)

[jUmPingIsLifE]

cant really help you w/ your question, but lucky you for having such a good mare haha. i havn't had one mare let me down there yet to clean them haha! my friends apparently loves it but other then that i havn't ever met a mare that doesn't act all marey and nasty when you try to clean down there :D

[Bebe]

In winter I clean my mares udders once every week or two. It helps that she loves it! I just get a baby wipe and wipe around it then use my nails (with the baby wipe between them and he rudders) to scrape off the black crud. In summer I sponge them down as part of the cooling off process after riding so they never get really dirty.

I've never heard of problems caused by dirty udders though I suppose it can become uncomfortable, particularly in warm weather when the horse is getting sweaty. The dirt can attract flies though, which is why I make a point of cleaning them after riding in the summer.

[dizzy lizzy]

my mare is on working livery but when i am grooming her i do check her udders but i think the stables must clean the becaus they are really quite cleen to say she is a lot of a mud monster :)

[bubblegum]

Once a month or so I clean my mares in the same way as Supercali, just using my fingers. One loves it, one is not too keen. I then apply a smear of vaseline.

[chickflick1066]

Argh, I feel mean now. I've had Stumps for six months and it never occured to me that her udders may need attention :o

What's the best way to do it?

Thanks - Araminta

[Trewsers]

Blimey, just bought a mare, never gave udders a thought though! There is soooo much to learn (she's my first horse - OH has a gelding). Vet pointed out to me that there might be times when she's in season that she could get so bad that I might not be able to ride her (although her owner said thats not the case :) ) Anyway, that'll make two of us moody at times of the month.... ha ha ha :D

[Pickles]

My mare doesn't mind me pealing of the greasy lumps that get in there. I sometimes wear a latex glove if I think of it and just rub gently till bits fall off.

[Tangle]

Sounds like I'll just keep going then :).

I've got some hibiscrub now, but I do like the sound of baby wipes - much more convenient ;)

[Est]

Like Bebe I use baby wipes - every few days in summer, hardly at all in winter! Boots does enormous tubs of them at quite good prices. I guess a sponge and water would be cheaper still, but it's so convenient as the wipes are just there in my grooming kit whereas the tap is the other side of the yard... that would be... oooh, a good 20 metres away!! Too far!!

[Alle]

I use baby wipes as well or a damp sponge. After the area has been moistened, its easier to peel out the muck. :p My mare is very patient about it, and as I do it every week it doesn't build up. The only reason why I knew to do this is that her trainer told me about it...I never thought of it either!

[galadriel]

given the amount of gunk that was there, I probably should have done it sooner

I tried to clean Kat's udder when I first got her, and again several months later. Both times she kicked me (the only times she's kicked me). After that I gave up on it, and only tried to do anything about it when she was sedated. Since starting massage treatments, she's calmly let me touch her everywhere--even the udder to clean it. Whoo.

She doesn't get that bad, though. Enough that I want to clean it out every few months or so...but not so much that I'd feel guilty if I let it slide. I wonder if she's just particularly clean. Duchess is the same way, though; not particularly gunky.