>
> In the natural state (or semi-naturalas our horses are kept) the horse can
> keep moving and will dry naturally, then they will go roll in the sandy
> spots to loosen up the coat and that takes care of the sweat and matting
> hair.
This is what we always did when I was a kid. But Special's idea of
a winter coat, is thin "rabbit fur". She has that velvety coat texture,
which is lovely, but does virtually nothing to keep her warm. So, after
I ride -really hard- I cool her out, and blanket her (with a fleece
blanket that wicks away moisture), then walk her some more. After
she's dry and I take the blanket off, then I have these -dried rock hard-
sweaty spots. Right now, I just curry through them and brush them really
well.....
>
> Am surprised that riding your horse gets the mane hair tangled. Our problem
> is what we call "Wind Witches Work" the wind will start a piece of mane to
> twist and then knot and then the next and the next.
She does this too. Her mane seems peretually tangled.... I get it all
untangled and brushed out, turn my back, and it's tangled again. I've
thought more than once about giving her a nice Quarter Horse hairdo *:)
>
> Not a problem to undo if you take a bit of time and untwist by hand and you
> get to be close to ytour horse and "relate". Could be that you have been
> removing the natural oils in your horse's coat and mane by washing to often
> . We hose off ours perhaps three or four times a summer, never soap or
> anything like that. They keep shiny and dappled all year that way.
I started bathing her becuase her mane and tail are supposed to be
white. Although currently they are a nice shade of tan. Untill I owned
a horse with a white mane and tail, I never understood why people bathed
their horses...
>
> And believe me they sweat. Most likely much much more than yours as we do
> endurance riding and train on the adjacent hills from 3,000 ft to 7,00 ft in
> elevatiion we have relatively little flat ground. Sweat enough that saddle
> pads get a weekly washing.
Yes we do this. She's been known to soak clear through the navajo
blanket to the fleece pad. She sweats alot....not very lady-like *:)
As long as I mentioned her thin coat.....I have some questions about
blanketing. She's always had a very thin coat, but this year she is
getting almost -no- winter coat. Due to riding her alot, and getting her
really hot?? The nights here have been about 30, and the days haven't
gotten over 50. I've been leaving her blanket on overnight, whether
she's in the stall or pasture, and I don't take it off till the morning
warms up. Will I need to do this all winter? Or will she gradually
adjust to the temperatures? It's easy to tell when she's cold, cuz she
shivers like mad!
Thanks again everybody! I learn so much from you people!!
Marisa & Special (whose Eqyptian ancestors didn't predict Oregon winters)
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