Hair, skin care during winter?

[Carmen]

Hello all!

Us again
We live in the Dallas area, meaning we have mild Winters here.
I have been reading older posts when I looked for bathing advice but still have some questions:

- When is it too cold to wash our minis? And do they really need it? For some reason the colder it gets, the more they love to roll in the mud... and all I am doing for now is giving the ones that allow me a good brushing to take off as much dirt as I can.

- How often do you brush your minis? Some of mine love it, others just don't enjoy it at all. So I leave it for when they are really needing it.

- I am not planning on clipping them, is that ok? what kind of care do they need to have facing Spring?

3 of my babies are still wearing auction tags because I am not sure if it would be good to spray them with the tag release thing and leaving it just like that without washing them.
I have been able to remove one of the tags by carefully cutting the hair stuck to it but there are a few still remaining.

They usually wear the tags from the auction and then the tags from the Kill Pen

Sorry I am having too many questions, I just want to do what is best for these little horses.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

You can ask as many questions as you like , its how we all learn from each other here

Im in Australia , so I get cold wet winters and really hot dry summers. I dont bath in winter at all here as its just too cold. I do brush legs and mud out of tails on a daily basis. Your right, the wetter the better for minis, they just love the mud

Miniature Horses do not need to be clipped unless you show them. Some owners clip minis that are in some kind of work, may have their legs and girth done and other owners clip to see "whats hiding underneath" all the winter fuzz.


"Spring" whilst it is a nice season is also a dangerous one for me here and my smaller equine kids. Sugar is at its highest content in the grass here and I have to really limit turnout time. Laminitis is a major killer of horses here unfortunately.

Miniature Horses require the same amount of care all year round, the hard part is , every horse is different , so some will require different care than others

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Rule of thumb is 80 degrees to bathe them. Just brush them good in the winter. I would not clip in the winter. Some like brushing and some don't. But they have to be brushed. If you have one that wants to kick a little when you brush belly and legs, have someone help you the first time. Put a lead rope around the foot loosely and if he tries to kick, have your helper lift the foot with the lead rope while you brush. Only takes a time or two and the horse figures it out.
I've wondered if there is static electricity in the winter and that is why some horses don't like brushing. You might try spraying your brush with anti static dryer spray, or moistening it with conditioner and see if that helps.

 

[Carmen]

Thank you for such great advice.
I’m taking note on the lead rope trick.

As I’m new at this, I’ve been applying some rules I apply when rehabbing dogs: if I start something I finish it.
Tell me if I’m wrong but my guess is that, if I let one of my minis get away with -let’s say- no brushing when they throw a tantrum then they will do that every time I try again.

So... I haven’t brushed the “hippies” for a while but guess they will have to learn

They are wonderful creatures. It will never stop amazing me, how they have learned to understand what I want from them just by being patient and loving.

I had to hide Peanut at my other address because horses are not allowed in that neighborhood and I didn’t get any papers so I couldn’t take him to boarding.

He was scared of people, had rain rot and didn’t allow me touching him. Guess that living in a regular backyard with access to my garage for 2 months, and spending most of the day with me worked.

He still runs away from other people but I know he loves me and he knows he is my beautiful boy.

I've wondered if there is static electricity in the winter and that is why some horses don't like brushing. You might try spraying your brush with anti static dryer spray, or moistening it with conditioner and see if that helps.

Good idea. I bought some conditioners to untangle their manes, will try that.
I’m not going to clip them if that’s not needed. I love their fuzzy little bodies the way they are.

I know some people cut their whiskers and I’m happy to know that this practice is not allowed in many countries.

One more question:

- Weather is being very humid and rainy here in Texas this year. I am keeping my minis inside the barn although they LOVE getting all soaked.

What do you guys do? I mean, do you just let them get wet and then get dry by their own?
After seeing and treating Peanut’s rain rot I might have become a little over protective?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Offer shelter and they will go in if they prefer it. Make sure you have no bullies, though, that keep timid ones out. I have had horses that loved standing in the rain and some that gallop for shelter at the first drop.

 

[Cayuse]

Regarding the rainrot, a vitamin E supplement might help with that. I use it on one of mine with funky skin and allergies and have had good luck with it. It takes a few months to work so it is not a quick fix, but it does seem to help from the "inside out".
If you are feeling like you might be up for a challenge someday, you can train the minis to stand for a vacuum. But I would start with the brushing first unless you want a rodeo . I have two that love to be!vacuumed and one that is still learning about it.
I do clip mine in the early spring, I don't like dealing with all the hair and find it easier just to get it off of them all at once.

I have a mini named Peanut, too .

 

[Ryan Johnson]

My Minis all love standing in the rain , the only one that hates it is my little stallion.

My minis grow the thickest insulated coats during winter here. The oils in their coat stop the rain from soaking in completely. As long as they have some cover so they are able to get out of the rain and bad weather they will be fine.

 

[Carmen]

Thank you, all, sincerely, for your advice.
Ryan, that thick coat is just too cute. Rosita has a very very thick coat that makes her so fluffy and fuzzy and huggable!

They have places where they can stay away from wind and rain, keeping away the bully as Marsha says is a must, Rosita can't see anyone having a good time without going and disturbing the peace.

a vitamin E supplement might help with that. I use it on one of mine with funky skin and allergies and have had good luck with it. It takes a few months to work so it is not a quick fix, but it does seem to help from the "inside out".
If you are feeling like you might be up for a challenge someday, you can train the minis to stand for a vacuum. But I would start with the brushing first unless you want a rodeo . I have two that love to be!vacuumed and one that is still learning about it.

What kind of Vitamin E? I have read somewhere that some vitamin supplements made for humans are good for horses as well.
I believe more in giving them the best nutrition possible if it can prevent further problems so I'm up for it!
Do you have any pictures of your Peanut horse?
Mine is a Peanut because one of the rescues sharing his post on the kill pen page named him like that.

The vacuum idea sounds good, will try with the calmer ones LOL

 

[chandab]

You can just get the people gelcaps of Vitamin E, make sure it's Natural Vitamin E (d-alpha). [Synthetic doesn't absorb as well, so takes more.] Dosage is 2IU/pound body weight, so a 300# mini would get 600IU; don't forget to include what's in their feed when dosing (so if the feed provides 100IU, you'd only need to feed 500IU). Some will readily eat the cap and all, others you need to pierce the cap and squeeze out the gel (I had one of those; everyone I have now just eats their caps). I have mostly large minis, so I give them two 400IU caps when I feed it.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I might try this with Dapper Dan. I need to check my feed.