Traditional coloured cob, grooming....

[leapoffaith]

Hi,

I have just got a traditional coloured cob and have no idea about grooming, can anyone give me some advice please?

Do you leave mane and tail permanently plaited at home for ease?

How often to do you brush mane and tail and what with?

What's all this about pig oil?!

I will be showing. Only used to shps!

Thanks v much in advance!

[kateanne0]

I don't have a coloured cob but I do know from owners that manes and tails are usually kept loosely plaited at home. There are products on the market to help keep the horse clean; tail and mane bags. I think there are some sort of bags for the legs as well.

Over grooming of mane and tail can lead to broken hairs and an untidy look. Much the same as in show ponies/horses. I always used wide toothed plastic combs for manes and tails but baby oil running through instead of pig oil.

Pig oil can be used on feathers to stop dirt sticking and staining the feathers and means that the legs won't need to be washed as much when not showing. Pig Oil can also be used on mane and tail for the same reasons.

There is also a product to use in the feathers, like a very fine shaving that helps keep the feathers clean and fluffs them out.

I'm sure you will get a response from coloured cob owners giving you much more information than I can. Good luck

[vickit]

1st rule - don't use neck rugs!! If you have to them use a snuggy hood for winter turnout but try to use as little as poss! I leave my trads mane loose and natural, personally I put loads of canter mane and tail conditioner on daily and combe through to keep it knot free but others prefer not to brush it. I plait it in hot weather or sometimes when I ride to keep it out of the way and can leave it plaited for a good week or so.

Tails - I wash, lots of conditioner and combe through, then plait down and leave in tail bag (snuggy hoods). I completely leave it until I'm competing or something then undo it at show, quick combe, ride then tells it and bag up then travel home and never touch again!!easy pray!! I hunt and xc and if it falls out or gets dirty then I wash etc

Legs - I leave well alone except for pig oil and sulphur in the winter. Decant some in a fairy liquid bottle or fly spray bottle and spray on weekly, then leave! Just wash out and brush before a show. In summer I just wash for a show and thats it

Wood flour and whitener - I wash, then tip loads into a big tub trug and fluff it about the legs until dry. Literally takes 2minute a leg! Then brush out nice and white and fluffy!! You can buy it online from Matthew Burke Clydesdale shop.

Personally, my trad is easier and quicker to get ready than a plaited brown horse!! And people are amazed by his tail etc and comment it must take hours, but it's actually almost maintenance free

Good luck!

[sjw87]

It's personal preference tbh.

I go for benign neglect and don't touch manes, tails or feathers unless going to a show and just use standard rugs with no neck covers to avoid rubbing.

Some people prefer to use mane/tail bags, snuggy hoods, individual turnout to avoid grooming damaging the mane etc but I prefer my horses to live more naturally and they go out in company and get as grubby as they like.

Show days I drag them in, wash the body and mane/tail with normal shampoo. Use soap flakes and really hot water in a trug to wash legs and rewash tail if it's white. Condition mane and tail, dry feathers with woodflour and whitener and ready to load so they can dry on the journey. One hour from field to horsebox!

My 'must haves' are a hot horse shower, hands on grooming gloves, soap flakes, wood flour, towelling rug.

Sent from my SM-A300FU using proboards

[Deleted]

We do use rugs with necks on our trad (see profile pic). We only use the Amigo Mio however and have never had a problem with losing his mane.

As for grooming we sometimes plait his mane if he's sweaty and being worked but not always. It gets pulled every few months to keep it in line with shoulder. But the tail is always plaited. This allows growth by stopping him treading on it and pulling it out. We pig oil and sulphur his feather every two weeks to keep mites down and three times a week particularly in the winter to stop the mud sticking.

Before a show we wash in fairy platinum followed by soft soap and finally silver shampoo, feather particularly. Then woodflour and talc to dry and leave on clean bedding overnight. Hock boots are a must 😊

Trads can be hard work to care for but worth it. Good luck 😉