>Also, Special's mane is very long, and get's terribly tangled on
rides.
Go for the water heater! We put an outside H/C faucet on our house so
that we could hose off the horses in cold weather. I Love it!! horses
love it. but, get them blanketed and in the barn right away! In the
meantime, Bring a bucket of HOT water with you when you ride (if your
barn isn't in your backyard). When you're finished, it (the water)
should still be warm (wrap it (the bucket) in blankets if necessary),
then you can sponge her off in all the sweaty places. Towel her
goodly, blanket her in something that wicks (like wool), and let her
dry out good. Then, she'll be ready for turn out. (A trace clip helps
with the drying out).
If this doesn't work, and you're really desperate, take a coleman stove
with you , boil some water, add it to a bucket of cold water at the
barn, and sponge away. But, of course, be careful with the flame at
the barn!!!
For the mane...throw out the Wd40. Use one of the silicon based
products if you must. I like a product called Miracle Groom...works
with the natural oils of the horse. It's also considered a dry
shampoo. mostly is contains a lot of lanolin.
Hope this helps.
Kathy Seibolt & Moose (yes, I *love* my warm hose downs)
Border Creek Farm
Tennessee, US
bordrcrk@ix.netcom.com