# Best way of removing grease in coats



## samp (22 October 2008)

Where my horse is still wearing the SI rug and I have not managed to bath her (which I was doing weekly) her coat is disgustingly greasy, I just can not remove it and her tack is filthy. What is the best way of removing it from her coat?


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## Baileyhoss (22 October 2008)

Clip it off, clip it all off!!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Just kidding.  It's a bit cold for a full on bath, but you could soak a rag with as hot as you can stand water, wring it out well and wipe them down.  You can add a bit of IV horse 'no sweat' or similar  to the water as this acts as a degreaser as well.  Just make sure they have a nice warm fleece or something over them while you are doing it &amp; change it for a dry one as they dry.

F x


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## BigRed (22 October 2008)

Grease is a naturally occurring substance in a horse and its there for a reason, especially in the winter, she needs it to keep her warm and dry.  Even if she wears a rug.  

It always builds up on tack, which is why we all have to clean our tack regularly. 

If you clip your horse, you will be able to brush her and remove the grease, but a full bath every week, in the winter, is a bit extreme.


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## Baileyhoss (22 October 2008)

oooops I didn't read that post properly.  I thought you meant a one off degrease, prior to clipping or something.

Agree that bathing once a week is a bit excessive and in the winter can be downright harmful.  It could well be excess washing that has caused the coat to be so greasy.  Agree to leave her coat alone for a while.


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## K27 (22 October 2008)

A bucket of really hot almost boiling water with quarter to half a cup of vinegar added to it then get a tea towel to wipe it on and use it as a final wipe over coat after grooming- the vinegar will cut thru the grease.

(Just don't blame me if she smells like a bag of crisps!).....


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## CrazyMare (22 October 2008)

Hot cloth her. Hot as you can stand water, dunk a cloth, wring it out and rub over. Keep rinsing the cloth out.

Mine gets hot clothed every week or so when clipped, and before being clipped.

Some horses are greasier than others though, my filly has a greasier coat than her mother


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## Theresa_F (22 October 2008)

Take a bucket of nearly boiling water, put into it 10 drops each of tea tree, lavender, peppermint oil.  Add three capfuls of dettol and a tablespoon of baby shampoo.

Take an old hand towel - wear rubber gloves and put into bucket then wring out so just damp.  Lay on the coat and leave for 15 seconds to steam the coat and then wipe hard in direction of hair.  Repeat until coat is clean, water is black.  You may need several buckets of water if the horse is really grubby.

If you have a clipped coat, give the towel a few shakes before putting on the horse so it is not too hot but is still steaming.

I do this before and after clipping and if the horse has got sweaty to keep them fresh and clean.

You can add a little vinegar to the water, but I find the dettol is good to remove the grease and the essential oils give them a nice smell plus tea tree is good for the skin and lavender is relaxing for them.


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## pinktiger (22 October 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
Take a bucket of nearly boiling water, put into it 10 drops each of tea tree, lavender, peppermint oil.  Add three capfuls of dettol and a tablespoon of baby shampoo.

Take an old hand towel - wear rubber gloves and put into bucket then wring out so just damp.  Lay on the coat and leave for 15 seconds to steam the coat and then wipe hard in direction of hair.  Repeat until coat is clean, water is black.  You may need several buckets of water if the horse is really grubby.


If you have a clipped coat, give the towel a few shakes before putting on the horse so it is not too hot but is still steaming.

I do this before and after clipping and if the horse has got sweaty to keep them fresh and clean.

You can add a little vinegar to the water, but I find the dettol is good to remove the grease and the essential oils give them a nice smell plus tea tree is good for the skin and lavender is relaxing for them. 

[/ QUOTE ]


will this still leave a clipped horse shinny?????


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## Theresa_F (22 October 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
 will this still leave a clipped horse shinny?????  

[/ QUOTE ] 

Yep - this is Stinky who has just been clipped and towelled - you can see from his legs, that he is not the cleanest horse in winter - I had also steamed his mane and tail to freshen them up, they they stay fairly clean as they are bagged up in winter.







This is him ready for a February show - he has had his legs, mane and tail washed, but I hot towelled his body - albeit going over him several times as he needed to be extra clean.  At this point he had not had any show shine etc put on, I also feed linseed and black sunflower seeds which give a good shine naturally to the coat.







You do need to give them a good steam and rub hard and keep changing the water.  Hard work but they really enjoy their steam clean - well mine do. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




  Trick is to end up with a clean but not wet horse.


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## GermanyJo (22 October 2008)

Agree with the hot cloth, but a old trick I learn't from a stud groom who did hunt horses 50 years ago, was to add Soda crystals to the water (only a handful). 
works really well, especially on clipped horses


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## GermanyJo (22 October 2008)

apologies.. I have no idea why I needed the apostrophe in learnt


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## Spyda (23 October 2008)

Re: Hot clothing/Steaming

Would this work with a full hairy coat too?  Or best just for clipped ones?


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## Rosehip (25 October 2008)

Theresa, your 'Stinky' is amazing! very nice indeed! I love hot toweling - same as you only different name!!! - Melly isnt keen on baths so has a hot toel ever fornight or so! Shes due one soon but Ive run out of tea tree!!! xx


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## MagicMelon (25 October 2008)

Is this recipe better than the traditional one of using... was it methylated spirit?


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