# Hairy Cobs...keeping those feathers clean!



## tangosmum (11 June 2010)

OMG I have had my hairy traditional barely a week and I am trying to figure out how to deal with the feathers!

He has feathers from above the knee to the floor!  You cant see his hooves.  They are supposed to be white but look yellow.  Please someone give me some tips as to how to keep him looking a little cleaner!  He is in out 20 hours a day and filthy!

I could shampoo them but cant do it too often...anyone else suffering the hairy cob problems I am!


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## Hugo (11 June 2010)

Mix cornflour into a thick paste and paint it on.  Then just leave it to dry.  This pulls out the staining and just needs dusting out.  Will take a few applications if they are really yellow.  May need industrial packs though for all that white!!!!


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## Crackajack (11 June 2010)

I cant be doing with them on mine so i just clip them off!
But now i know that handy trick might try it!
Thanks 
Let me know how it works tangosmum!


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## jakkibag (11 June 2010)

After cornflower application, you could use pig oil and sulpher (google it or search on here for threads) its what the heavy horse showing people use and its v popular with hairy owners now Makes a big difference to managing hairies!


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## Splish & Masons mum (11 June 2010)

chop them off - problem solved!
I keep threatening to turn Mason into a show cob if he doesn't stop rolling in the mud like a hippo every time it rains!
It will be worse in the winter! with all the mud he will look like a rastafarian cob, with mud sausages hanging off his feathers!


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## Hugo (11 June 2010)

Was also going to suggest pigoil and sulphar but this sometimes can leave a yellow tinge if not mixed correctly.  Very good friend of mine shows heavies and they only use pigoil and sulphar in the winter when not showing.


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## tangosmum (11 June 2010)

Thanks for the tips all....Ok. I have just ordered some pig oil and sulphur from Sussex Cobs.  Hope it helps.  Not quite sure how to apply it or where to start!...heres my plan....

Shampoo the feathers with a stain removing horsey shampoo designed for Greys.  Let them dry overnight and then apply the pig oil and sulphur.

Do I just paste it on?  do I aim to get it right down into the feathers to the skin? Or more just on the outside?


what do you think about my plan??


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## Dommy18 (11 June 2010)

I just put it into an old washing up bottle and then squirt onto the skin lifting the feathers then rub it in a bit and cover the rest of the feather. I also do this every 2 weeks. I have found the feather growth on mine was pretty impressive but it has left a bit of a stain on them but it is by far the best stuff to use especially over the winter! oh and make sure you wear gloves!


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## GLEEK (11 June 2010)

I dont have a hairy cob but i have a grey! If you are going somewhere use hibiscrub to wash its good i personally think better than greys shamoo, For washing other times i use human shampoo usually treseme (sp?) 
Good luck


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## ilovecobs (11 June 2010)

gleek said:



			I dont have a hairy cob but i have a grey! If you are going somewhere use hibiscrub to wash its good i personally think better than greys shamoo, For washing other times i use human shampoo usually treseme (sp?) 
Good luck
		
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I have a show cob but she has white socks on all legs and iv found hibi scrub to work well too, its not too expensive either


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## domane (11 June 2010)

I've had my hairy cob yearling just over a week and wish I could get near enough to his feathers to make a start on upkeep!  He's still tetchy about being handled below the knee AND I've just had him gelded so that's not helped.  PO&S is on standby for when I crack the handling though.....


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## tangoharvey (11 June 2010)

the person who had my mare before me shaved all her feathers off...








but I really wanted them to grow - they are, slowly, but they aint never going to be white as my mare thinks she is an archaeologist and is constantly truffling through mud!!


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## tangosmum (11 June 2010)

domane said:



			I've had my hairy cob yearling just over a week and wish I could get near enough to his feathers to make a start on upkeep!  He's still tetchy about being handled below the knee AND I've just had him gelded so that's not helped.  PO&S is on standby for when I crack the handling though.....
		
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Know the feeling.  My boy is now at the picking up feet stage but once he has picked it up he isnt quite sure what he is supposed to do with it!  He waves the front ones about and takes the back ones up really high and then kicks them down....lots more to be done.  I am going to attempt the hose tomorrow.  See what he thinks.  That way once the pig oil and sulphur arrives I can hopefully shampoo the legs and then do the PO&S.

Does hibiscrub not stain ...last time I checked it was dark pink/red!


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## JenHunt (11 June 2010)

if you rub the hibiscrub in well, the lather goes white and then it doesn't stain at all.

PO&S is great stuff!


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## hairycob (11 June 2010)

PM Theresa_F & ask for her mammoth pig oil & sulphur pm - she is the feather guru around here.


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## jakkibag (11 June 2010)

Domane have sent you a pm on TO


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## Kub (11 June 2010)

Oooo no-one's suggested cornflour to me before, I may just give that a go...

My boy's feather isn't too bad in the summer, although he seems to have picked up some orange pollen or something on the ends of it which makes them very orange when wet lol! However, lots of washing and chalk brings them up for shows, I don't worry too much about them the rest of the time. I'll be going down the PO&S route this winter though, waaayyyy to much mud to deal with last winter lol!


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (11 June 2010)

Get a good set of clippers with some new blades, grit teeth: and go for it!!


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## Ashleigh_ (11 June 2010)

tangoharvey said:



			the person who had my mare before me shaved all her feathers off...

but I really wanted them to grow - they are, slowly, but they aint never going to be white as my mare thinks she is an archaeologist and is constantly truffling through mud!!
		
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Same 

His tail was also pulled so at the moment he has fuzzy half feather feet and a bog brush for a tail! Long way to go but i know it will be sooo worth it!


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## SamanthaToby (22 July 2019)

I have the same problem, I have a very hairy Cob. I have put a mix of tessamae Deep Cleansing, Vanish, and the Blue fairy (and even teh Green Platinum one) in a bucket and stood his foot in the bucket and gone for it. Must do a test patch 1st to make sure it didn't bother his skin and I have been up this morning and checked the skin again. I left it for a bit and then added Galop Purple Shampoo on them and left for a few mins then washed through. Then added conditioner (the cheep coconut stuff)  They were gray from the rubber in the arena but seems to have comen up well. They are a little yellow at the ends so will be doing teh same again in a few days. I have sprayed just pig oil on them as they dry as I have heard mix reviews about the Super. I have also been advised that Cowboy Magin yellow removal shampoo is a godsend so I am awaiting delivery of this. I have also put a touch of leg guard on the wet legs and allowed to dry in. Looking this morning at him (he lives out 24 hrs) he seemed to still be white, there are a few brown bits nothing that I think Ehh why did I bother, in his defence, it did rain all night last night. 

How soon before you have a show planned do you guys bath and how may bath do you go thought. I am due to have him clipped about 2 weeks before teh show and some on the yard as saying that is to close to the show. I can't get her out any sooner thought. 

Ps this is my 1st hairy and my 1st show prep experience!


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## tda (22 July 2019)

Good thing about using pig oil regularly (weekly) is that the mud will not stick half as bad.  
I have a hairy grey ðŸ™„ I just use any old shampoo and then rinse in water with supreme products blue powder (or dolly blue if you can find them) in.   I don't show anymore tho so not overly bothered by the yellow tinge.....ðŸ¤”


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