# dusty dull coat? (tons of questions) plzzz help



## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

ok to start i made a post on those grooming blocks and from what a few of u have said its mostly for shedding so i think ill buy one when the snow starts to melt and winter starts to finally disapper

but im really just trying to find something to make will coat shiny and something to get rid of the dust i've tried currying it our for 20 mins and the dust under the fur wont go away. all of u know since its winter u can blast 'em with the hose lol so here are my questions


--How can i get the dust thats i guess closer to the skin to go away??

--Is it true that if u put like vegitable/ olive oil in the molases type of grain it makes there coat shiner???

--How can i get rid of that caked on mud thats on the fur above the hoof? 
i've tried currying it and tried useing the back up of hoofpick and it sorta either spreds it around or i give up after 10 mins

--also how can i make my horses coat less dull?? 
-i cant find any dry shampoo's (plus mom wont let me order online.


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## ilovemydun (Nov 2, 2007)

I posted a reply on your other topic but I didn't know it was WET mud...that kind of thing you just have to scrape the big globs off...like what you did with the back of your hoofpick and just let the rest of it dry up so you can brush it off. There isn't much you can do unless you have an indoor wash rack.

If there is a way of getting all that dust out of the many layers of hair, I sure would like to know! I mean, you could always try a dry shampoo but it won't kill them to wait until spring.
Here is a website:
http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-flypage-12939#longdesc
Maybe if you beg her she will let you! You could also call your local tack stores to see if they sell any? Or if they would order out for you?


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

HorsesAreForever said:


> ok to start i made a post on those grooming blocks and from what a few of u have said its mostly for shedding so i think ill buy one when the snow starts to melt and winter starts to finally disapper
> 
> but im really just trying to find something to make will coat shiny and something to get rid of the dust i've tried currying it our for 20 mins and the dust under the fur wont go away. all of u know since its winter u can blast 'em with the hose lol so here are my questions
> 
> ...


well its going to be hard to get rid of that dust completely if you cant wash him because of the cold but you can get a damp towel and use that to rub all over him which will get out a lot of that dust you are talking about. he wont be to wet that you cant rug him straight away afterwards to keep the cold out (if you rug at all that is) if you dont rug then maybe you could do that at the warmest point in the day.

for caked on mud about the hoof you could always blast that with a hose if you arent getting it off with a curry comb. that or, if he will let you, stand each foot in a bucket of warm water. soon enough it will turn back into mud and is easily removed. some horses dont like this though so it will all depend on your horse and how he reacts to having his foot in a bucket.

im assuming your horse has a winter coat, in which case it would be very hard to not have a dull coat but coat dullness generally occurs if the horse is lacking in something. supplementing could be a good start. also things like adding vegetable oil to his feed could help. is he up to date with worming?


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

hes never been wormed at all i guess i just got him a few weeks ago. and hes 12


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

HorsesAreForever said:


> hes never been wormed at all i guess i just got him a few weeks ago. and hes 12


then i would have to say WORM HIM ASAP!!! along with many other things, worms can cause dull coats


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

well im boarding at a stable where she has over 50 horses idk if she has the worming stuff. 

im thinking that i should talk to her about worming cause hes lost some weight even tho he eats like a pig 

but maybe he doesnt have a dull coat what do u think


















these pictures were taken after an hour ride. so he was tired.


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

jazzy what did u mean by a lot of other things???


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## ilovemydun (Nov 2, 2007)

Here is an article I found:

http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com/articles/0696wormtypes.shtml

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/deworming/

even if your manager doesn't do worming, do it yourself! it's VERY easy. i think on the second website it has a paste schedule. are you familiar with deworming?

also..most horses because it is winter...will look like their coat it dull because their hair is "staring" and so thick. just wait until summer to see how it is


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

i've never done de worming hes my first horse i've owned but i've been around horses since i was 6 i heard about it but i never thought about it till now 


i think i might wait on deworming till it warms up and his winter coat goes away if it doesnt get shiner and he doesnt put on more weight ill definatly start deworming him


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

here is another couple of articles

http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/StoryTemplate_Process.cfm?Story_No=1250
http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/health/4251.html

that should cover the other things worms can do to horses 

you should really get into a worming routine yourself if your barn isnt on top of it. its not hard and a lot less expensive than a hefty vet bill if they get out of control


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

HorsesAreForever said:


> i've never done de worming hes my first horse i've owned but i've been around horses since i was 6 i heard about it but i never thought about it till now
> 
> 
> i think i might wait on deworming till it warms up and his winter coat goes away if it doesnt get shiner and he doesnt put on more weight ill definatly start deworming him


thats entirely your decision but weight and dull coats arent the only reason you should worm your horse. id strongly urge you to start doing it for your horses sake. certain worms can destroy the gut and cause fatal bouts of colic. im sure you dont want that for your horse do you?


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## tim (Dec 31, 2007)

No, if I were you I'd make worming a priority. Worms are like the all-around bringers of bad health. Not just his coat, but his weight, his conformation (if he's young), and a whole host of general poor health issues arise from worms. I'd get your vet to take a fecal sample the next time they are at the barn and have them tell you the results. 

Also, seeing as your horse is at a large stable, the chances of him having worms are that much higher. Worms will spread between horses quickly. 

It might seem overwhelming and complicated, but all you have to do is a little research and you can get into a worming schedule without too much work. Heres a useful site.


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## kim_angel (Oct 16, 2007)

Worming is not something you do "only if and when you want to".
Your horse needs to be on a set worming scheduale. If your barn does not provide this service.... you must. No ifs ands or buts. Its part of the responsibility of owning a horse.


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## .A.j. (Aug 29, 2007)

I work as a secretary at a vet clinic and I know fecal samples can be expensive, about 40$ Canadian, not to mention the basic charge of having the vet come out. I think a good choice would be a basic dewormer and if no improvements are seen then go with the sample. Just a thought. (I am NOT a vet, just work with them so I get a chance to ask a ton of questions)

If worms are not to blame for the dull coat, our old welsh mare's coat looked wonderful after adding a tablespoon of veggie oil to her feed. Also, I spray detangler on all of my body brushes each time I groom in the winter, it picks up the dust much better than the brush alone and it helps with static, just beware of the saddle and girth area, it could get slippery. I also use a small hard bristled broom to clean the mud off of my horse's feet, if your horse doesn't mind, it works well.


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## koomy56 (Jan 19, 2008)

Getting that dirt up from the skin is tricky, but if you have a vacuum available that works with the less effort. Other than that, the traditional curry curry curry the brush brush brush. haha You cant really make it go away unless you put a sheet on him.
Veg/olive oil or molasses I would not recommend. Molasses is super high in sugar, which can cause metobolic disorders, high energy, or poor digestion. Sugar is actually not good for horses. 
We feed soaked flax seed, which you can buy at your local feed store. You soak one cup flax to 3 cups water. Soak it over night, stir it all together and mix with grain/beet pulp/rice bran, etc. You can alot of it and all of the horses who are on it at our barn are incredibly shiny even in the dead of winter. 
There are flexible rubber curries that are great for legs. 
"They" say that if you groom a horse right, you'll burn 350 calories in one session. So dont give up after 10 min.


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

I wormed my horse yesterday he didnt like it lol but ty for all ur replys it really helped


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## kim_angel (Oct 16, 2007)




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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

Personally I would only use those blocks for getting bots off but I don't really even use them then, I would say to just stick with a traditional brush set.


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

Also I forgot to say, there is this weight builder I used and it can be used as weight builder *or* coat shiner. If you gave them two scoops a night it was weight builder, and one scoop was coat shiner, it was *the best* coat shiner I have ever used an it worked like a charm.


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

thanks for ur reply could u maybe send me a link it sounds pretty interesting.


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## Grendel (Jan 22, 2008)

for weight gain: corn oil! in all the cases i've heard, it's works wonders. ask your vet how much he would take or look it up online. corn oil also helps a great deal with the coat. 

Now, if a horse is healthy, there coat should be too. That's one of the main signs that a horse is healthy: good coat. 

so his coat might improve a little now that he's wormed.

if you're looking for something just for the coat and not as much for weight gain, i suggest feeding him 1/3 cup of flax seed -- the oils in flax seeds are really good for horses and it makes their coat beautiful. Feed it to him with some grain (if he gets grain).


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

ya he gets grain with molasses thats what our barn profides and i guess thats what hes been on all his life


i also heard corn oil as well .. i was wondering if i could maybe use olive or vegitable oil the same way


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

Sorry about the link I have NO CLUE what he brand is I am incredibly sorry.


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

its ok ill look into it.


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