[mowhaugh]

I am contemplating a serious trimming job on Hamish Shetland - mane hogged, feather clipped, tail trimmed and pulled.  The main reason for this is for convenience, I keep the boy's ponies in the field by the house as it is the only place for them where the boys can help care for them and I can get the ponies in to tack up and so on without anyone to help with the children.  BUT there is a major sticky burr problem in the field, I mean the huge nasty ones which are just about impossible to get out, so H's mane, tail and feather are usually just a complete matt of these, spend hours getting them out one day and you are back to square one the next, which is a particular nightmare if you are wanting to go somewhere where you want the ponies to look smart.  Also, Angus gets his fingers/reins tangled in H's mane, which he really doesn't like.  Hamish isn't registered, and we don't show anyway, just do fun stuff - what do you all think?



Photo is about a year old, he is hunter clipped just now.

[Kimbo]

sorry Hamish...although you have a lovely mane, its time for a major haircut!

[honeyend]

You need to apply a good show conditioner for horses or I was in cheap human conditioner pull out the worst tangles with my fingers, then use a large tooth human comb and then apply show sheen or a fine oil so the mud and the tangles slip out. I have a welsh A with a lovely long flaxen mane and tail which I love but if I do not do this it does get in a mess.

[hafod]

Baby oil or pig oil in mane, tail and legs can help avoid burrs, mud or anything else sticking.

[farmvet]

remove the plants??

[mowhaugh]

remove the plants??

We obviously do try, but the main source is blowing in from Next Door, so there isn't much we can do about that.

He is permanently covered in conditioner on his mane and pig oil on his tail and feather, but the burrs are evil and it makes little difference.   Going to try a turnout hood and tail bag for a wee while, but not promising!  I just don't have the time to be detangling him all the time!

[SallyintNorth]

Why are we all so reticent to hogg manes, cut/trim tails?  So long as they have enough for fly-swatting, if they're not to be shown...?

[Kimbo]

Im with you Sally. And does Mowhaugh have enough time to tramp round the field every day looking for that lost tail bag? 
Id hog him, pull his tail, trim it to just below his hock and trim off all his feathers. Then pony will feel better and little boy wont be put off grooming for life

[harmony]

We have burrs but they have gone now. You can still see the plant stalk and now is a good time to dig them up. If you don't the ponies will just be cultivating more as they drop the seeds off around the paddock. They are a devil on the dog too.


Plenty of detangler and I don't find it too bad to get them out but I admit the smaller the pony the more back breaking the job will be.


I can't see any point in removing all his mane etc when the burrs have finished. You'd need to do it in the winter when he needs protection from his mane and tail.


Very smart he looks with his clip and well turned out rider!

[landroverroy]

 Whether you hog or not, you'd still find the problem virtually eliminated if you got rid of the plants on your land. Burrs are spread by being carried on animals' coats (as you've found out!) - not by wind distibution.
We've had the problem on our land and had our donkeys absolutely covered in them, and I agree they take some getting off. But the  plants are easy to see well before they produce seeds and a dab of their large leaves with glyphosate soon sorts the problem.

[lord flynn]

I would not be able to do it. Have you tried keeping mane in plaits and lots of canter mane and tail on bits that dont need to be non-slippy? I have two Exmoors and would not touch their weather-proofing.

[mowhaugh]

Whether you hog or not, you'd still find the problem virtually eliminated if you got rid of the plants on your land. Burrs are spread by being carried on animals' coats (as you've found out!) - not by wind distibution.

Yes, and that is a whole other issue re our neighbour's thoughts as to their share of the responsibility re the boundary fence, hence why we can no longer keep sheep in that field!  Oh joy.

[sabrina]

Very smart little pony who would do well in the show ring. If mine I would be taking this out under saddle. Would be a shame to hog such a lovely mane. You could put on a light all in one rug for when the burrs are at their worse.

[mowhaugh]

Very smart little pony who would do well in the show ring. If mine I would be taking this out under saddle. Would be a shame to hog such a lovely mane. You could put on a light all in one rug for when the burrs are at their worse.

He is not registered (or I don't have his orginal passport, anyway), although he is almost certainly pure bred.  it is such a shame, because he moves like a dream, and is also very, very capable of jumping his height of workers with a slightly bigger child.  And he LOVES showing off!  I have tried hard to find out who he might be, but no luck.

[OhLaLa]

Try using a fly repellent oil on his mane and tail. Does two jobs in one.