Why is it taking so long???

[Monty]

I'm meant to be showing Anni on 18th June. I've already pulled out of one show because her coat looks such a mess. She is black and shiny underneath, but the wintercoat is slightly reddish next to the black and very dull and fuzzy. And it just won't come away. Usually with in a few weeks of starting to moult, the summer coat is through, but this looks really unsightly, despite the fact that she's allowing us to groom her now.

Any ideas?? Also, although she's eating for Britain, she's not putting on weight as I'd expect her to be. Her worming is up to date, and her worm count very respectable. I refuse to show her in what is traditionally called show condition, in native pony classes (or certainly Welsh pony classes, anyway). To me that's fat, and if I don't get in the ribbons on account of my refusal to let Anni get in that state, then so be it! But having said this, Anni is still too slender for my liking for this time of year. She's out 24/7, and having two feeds a day, three if I can manage it, or sugarbeet, mixed with D&H Mare and Youngstock Mix, Equilibra, codliver oil, and a probiotic. HAve just bought her some Blue Chip to see if that works. Any suggestions? She's 10 months old btw.

[Esther.D]

Don't know, but have just been browsing on a shetland forum where there are a lot of breeders/show people and they are having exactly the same problem :rolleyes: not much help. Their only solution so far has been to bath and rug immediately before the show to make the hairs lie down :D

[eventerbabe]

regarding her coat, could it be the eratic weather? i had this problem a few years ago with my lad, he lost his winter coat on his bum and neck/shoulders and held onto the stuff on his belly. the sun bleached it ginger and he began looking like a belted galloway cow!! vet put it down to the weather, or the fact the dealers had clipped him in summer and knocked his body clock out. any cold snaps may have done similar to annie??

good on you for not following the trends and putting tons of condition on her. fat show horses are a ticking time bomb IMO. sorry i can't shed any light on her not gaining condition, not much experience in feeding such a baby.

[Zingy]

A blunted hacksaw blade can help get old coat out (at least it works well on the dogs!). Can't help with the rest of it I'm afraid.

[chev]

And she's a yearling. For some reason they're always later losing coats than others (unless they're rugged to the eyeballs and groomed fanatically!). If it's any consolation, Andy is in exactly the same state, although he's now putting weight on. Anni will too - she's just shot upwards, and needs the food she's getting to fuel that.

Try rubber groomers (not curry combs - the big bulky thingies), grooming blocks, and a damp cactus mitt - they're pretty good for coat removal. Also try adding soya oil to her feed - adds condition and encourages new coat growth.

Think horses are generally later losing their fur this year anyway - May still has half her winter woolies on, as do Rhodri and Willow. Echo Esther about bathing and rugging - it's amazing how much difference just flattening the fur makes ;) :D .

[Laura+Phantom]

I'm having the same problem, I clipped my new forest pony back in September and it still hasn't grown out! Now his coat is through on his shoulders which is lovely and dark and shiny but his belly is still beige fluff and the rest of his coat is chesnut, it looks awful but i'm still taking him to a show on Sunday! He had a bath today in the hope it would get more hair out but no luck...I think it's the funny weather.

[Moomin]

loads of people are having coat change probs this last couple of years - I'm sure its the weather too.

Moo has had about three coats already this year with all the funny weather.

Regarding weight could she be having growth spurts? There's lots of development to be done when you're young so she has to grow everything on the inside too! all that food must be going somewhere.

Good luck at the show! :D

[Kanuma]

Monty have you tried a shedding blade? you can get them from aberconwy tack center for £2.99 they work realy well. or a charcoal grooming block .

also ive got some shampoo here that im never going to use that will hide those red edges for you! its the championtails, black stuff! if you want it PM me