Really good clean up grooming when you can't use water due to weather?

[wingnut]

Help! The weather gods have decided not to favor me with some at least semi decent weather this week so I could really get my 2 girls clean and ready to take to the PA Horse Expo on Thu/Fri. So, we're going to have to do it the hard way...without water.

What are your best tips/tricks?? I want them to look as good and clean as possible since they're representing our favorite breed to (likely?) thousands of people.

ETA: I will be using hot water from the house for their tails. No other way to do that well. I'll be bringing them into the basement while their tails dry.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I'd brush thoroughly first then vacuum them to get as much dirt from them as I could. Then I would get a bucket of very warm water and a rag, dip the rag and wring it out until it was only moist and use it to wipe the surface of the coat to give a top cleaning that should get rid of the dusty look that can be so hard to get rid of when they have their winter coat. That should also help to get the coat to lay flat without washing it. Repeat as needed until the whole horse has been wiped clean from dust. If they are staticy, you might try wiping with dryer sheets before brushing (or something I haven't tried but have considered - spray the brush with Static Gaurd....maybe Show Sheen would have the same effect) which works for my cat when the air gets so dry that he is shocking me and himself when I pet him. Use clippers to clean up long whiskers and define the face a bit if you can, scissors can be used too but watch that you don't get a chopped up look. If you can clip try to clean up the bridle path which is usually pretty long and unruly by this time of year on mine and the fetlock hair and around the top of the hooves to give the legs a cleaner look. Wipe out the inside of the nostrils if they have dust or hay chaff hung up in the hair and make sure the mane and tail and forelock are washed, conditioned, combed and thinned so they hang neatly. Wipe the hooves clean, possibly sand lightly and polish or wipe with oil to give then a bit off a shine. I don't know what your weather is like but this is what I think I could/would do to clean mine up at this time of year. I can't think of anything more but I bet someone will have more ideas for you.

 

[wingnut]

That helps! I'm head and neck clipping with a 7.5 blade. We're going into another deep cold freeze (for Maryland) so the idea of body clipping (again with a 7.5) isn't going to happen after all. Even though I have blankets and both would wear them, I'm going to err on the side of caution.

And in thinking about it, I'm going to wait one more day to clean them up as you outline and do their tales on Wednesday morning (I'm driving up Wednesday afternoon) to keep the tails nice.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Once their tails are clean you can braid them and then fold the bottom half up and tie it to the top half and slip a tube sock (if you have no tail bag) over the whole thing. The tail would stay clean like that until you get to your destination then you could take them out and comb them again. They will be wavy if they are braided wet but it might keep you from feeling rushed just before you leave. And I actually like the wavey look . Have fun and share pictures when you get home if you can. We'd all love to see them

 

[amysue]

I use cornstarch on dirty long winter fuzzies when a bath is necessary but not possible. Sprinkle it on and brush it out with a stiff brush like you would use dry shampoo. Once when I had a colt get loose and run thru the cows yard, he took a digger and got covered head to toe in manure. I snuck him in the back door of my parents house and bathed him in their shower stall then dried him off with the hair dryer. That was an extreme case though. Baby powder will whiten socks and spots that look yellow too. Have a blast at the expo!

 

[Marty]

Sounds like fun to me!

I'm not a head and neck person because I think it looks stupid and doesn't "match" the rest of the horse but a lot of people like it.

I would shave a nice bridle path and under the jaw hairs and fetlocks and just brush brush and brush. I'd use scissors to get the dead ends off the ends of the mane and shape it a little bit and tail to try and get it neat. I'd use a sheet to cover and that will just help the body hairs lay down along the way.

Have a great time.

Here you go:

http://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=lrSq_SkNVTM