# Daily Feather Care ?



## Luke Shire (Nov 3, 2014)

Hello* I just bought a 4 year old gelding shire with 1/4 blue eye. He is the sweetest, calmest, most beautiful boy. 
I read endless remedies to treat his feather.... from sulfur, mineral oil, pig oil, desitin, mtg, frontline spray, pin fine saw dust, baby powder, etc.

This is what i decided on.... I am going to brush daily with a soft brush and wide tooth comb - I've decided to purchase mtg to use as a preventative to use regularly according to label instructions, because I'm hesitant to buy a bag of animal grade sulfur because I usually bring my 4 year old son with me to the farm... I'm going to have Frontline spray as a treatment option and use quick silver or dawn shampoo and pat dry and air dry then use baby powder.
Do you feel this is a good plan?

**What is your DAILY* care cycle?

Please lists names of brands and ideas where to purchase. Thank you**
What is the best kind and brand brushes to use? 
Thanks in advance for your time!


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

On my husbands' Belgian (who doesn't have quite the feathers of Shires), for daily grooming I spritz them with a 50/50 mix of water and hair conditioner then brush through with a hair brush. It keeps tangles and muck out, allows me to get down to the skin of the fetlock and check for scratches, and even in the winter time his feathers stay pretty clean. Congrats on your new horse!


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Does he have a problem? If he doesn't, I would just brush with a stiff pin type brush( I like the round Oster one). Brush the hair UP to make sure nothing is clinging to the skin, and get ay heavy dander out.


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## Rideabighorse (Jan 12, 2014)

I am a minimalist groomer. I have a Belgian. He gets washed when it rains and his feathers get cleaned when I ride him through water. He gets a good brushing when I ride him. He avoids mud and usually looks good. No foot problems in 14 years.


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## Luke Shire (Nov 3, 2014)

Thanks so much for the advice and warm congrats* I was told by the previous owner that he does get scabs rarely and she just sprayed with front line spray once a month and that cured it. I also read never to brush up or I will break his feather.... only down and pat to dry. Did any of you use fine saw dust to dry? I was told always to dry the feather and stay away from blow dryers because that dries them out. Ugh I need to stop reading so much. It's stressing me out. Ha* I will use a 50/50 solution tomorrow. Thanks* do you recommend a horse detangler? Or just any human conditioner with water? Thanks


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## Dolsey (Oct 24, 2014)

I don't brush at all unless there's a need to. I oil them once a week with this stuff: 
Shire Oils - Itch Buster Oil

Keeps the scabby bits at bay and keeps the feather in good condition.

If you wash them, make sure you dry them well. You can use woodflour to dry them.


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## Luke Shire (Nov 3, 2014)

Dolsey said:


> I don't brush at all unless there's a need to. I oil them once a week with this stuff:
> Shire Oils - Itch Buster Oil
> 
> Keeps the scabby bits at bay and keeps the feather in good condition.
> ...


Thanks so much for the advice. Is wood flour the same as fine saw dust? Where can I purchase wood flour any recommendations with good price? Thanks. I will pick up some shire oil too thanks again. 
Any other helpful shire tips? Please share. Thanks so much!


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## Luke Shire (Nov 3, 2014)

Dolsey said:


> I don't brush at all unless there's a need to. I oil them once a week with this stuff:
> Shire Oils - Itch Buster Oil
> 
> Keeps the scabby bits at bay and keeps the feather in good condition.
> ...


Hello again I just emailed shireoil.Com and requested pricing and shipping. I'm in New Jersey USA. Is this how you order or do you order from an outside source? Thanks*


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Unless you are counting the hairs, I don't see how you could break enough off to worry about, but that's the internet for ya. I rarely sprayed my Clyde with Detangler, only shampooed feathers when we were doing an event or parade. I did feel for scratches whenever I groomed her, but she lived outside 95% of the time, and only groomed when used.


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## Dolsey (Oct 24, 2014)

Luke Shire said:


> Hello again I just emailed shireoil.Com and requested pricing and shipping. I'm in New Jersey USA. Is this how you order or do you order from an outside source? Thanks*


I am in the UK and they are not far away so I pick it up from them or buy it at shows/events they are at. 

Woodlfour I think can also be called pinhead sawdust, I'm sure you could find a supplier over there. That company also sell it but it comes in huge tubs and I think postage would be quite expensive.


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## Luke Shire (Nov 3, 2014)

Dolsey said:


> Luke Shire said:
> 
> 
> > Hello again I just emailed shireoil.Com and requested pricing and shipping. I'm in New Jersey USA. Is this how you order or do you order from an outside source? Thanks*
> ...



Do you have any other shire advice? Diet, grooming, etc? Thanks so much*


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

This is the main reason I started with Percherons. Mine drink and play in ponds and ditches all summer long and I figured it would be a loosing battle. 

Diet is critical in skin health. I would make sure he is getting adequate levels of Vit A and protein to provide a natural line of defense. Hopefully he likes carrots. Just feed him a handful a few times a week (takes care of the A). Clovite became very popular with drafts 20+ years ago and that's probably where it started.

What's his diet?


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## luvmydrafts (Dec 26, 2013)

I second the frontline spray and/or drops 1x a month, if you check his feathers and find the scabs it is frontline time...one of my boys when i first got him had a serious case of mites and scratches etc. frontlining him with both the drops and the spray for 5 months took care of it but i check them regularly and if it comes back then we go back to that routine...i do not know why, but we have been lucky this past year...but as soon as i see anyone itching their pasterns im in alarm mode, lol..


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## windspeed (Feb 25, 2008)

Love those feathers! Never trim them, they protect the back of the fetlock from moisture, it's nature's run-off!

I like to use Mane-ly Long Hair Detangler/Polisher as a nice detangler for my horse's feathers. Only apply it once a week or so and the feathers stay nice. Unless there is a muddy day or two...


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## GypsyGirls15 (Nov 19, 2014)

I just got my 2 gypsy girls and the mare has plenty of feather! We brushed out the mane and tail using show-sheen and I'm so happy we did as the next day she came in with 100+ burrs. They brushed out far easier than in my shorter-haired dogs. It was awesome. Only downside is it freezes easily in the barn, while Mane-N-Tail (which another boarder uses) doesn't so we may have to switch over winter.

For her feathers, I use M-T-G. We haven't brushed them out much yet, but just coating them in M-T-G loosened up the burrs so that many have fallen out on their own. Her breeder said she gets scratches sometimes so I figure for her feathers, M-T-G will help both with detangling and the scratches should they come up.


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## windspeed (Feb 25, 2008)

Would love to see a picture of your horse! Caring for your horse's feathers is easier if you use a nigh-quality detangler.
I really like the Mane-Ly Long Hair Polisher-Detangler. It lasts between 5 and 7 days after you apply it! So a little bottle will go a very long way...


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## samuel97 (Sep 2, 2014)

I use pig oil, i brush them out with mane and tail and a mane and tail brush, then i use a body brush to brush out the feathers and brush in the pig oil, i do this every 3-4 days then i just use a comb to do it daily


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## samuel97 (Sep 2, 2014)

when they get scabby i just brush them up to find the sore skin then put sudeocream directly on the skin and they go within 2-3 days


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