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| Post-ride. The sweat *really* brings out the filth. |
But it simply cannot be helped. I don't board at a "facility" and warm water is a foreign concept in the winter months. Additionally, I'm a firm believer in 24/7 turnout; all 3 of my horses are turned out on 28 acres with 5 other horses. Dirt balls. All of 'em. Q and Stan just hide it better.
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| And he really doesn't look his 15hh in photos. Ever. He's got 3" on Q, but you'd never guess from photos. |
I never planned or really wanted a grey horse because I knew their being dirty would drive me a little batty. And the whiter Griffin becomes each year, the more his dirtiness irks me. And to make matters the worst possible, he has a supernatural ability to find the dirtiest, muddiest areas to roll after a ride. Nearly anyone who has ever seen him roll post ride is absolutely appalled and will stammer out shocked words of, "Oh- Oh! He- he's really doing that?! Does he- does he always do this? He's so- he's so DIRTY. Do you see? He's- he's a brown/black horse now! Ugh!"
Yep. He is. But it is what it is. He's happy. He's healthy. He's well taken care of and groomed thoroughly each time I visit. I even use a high powered blower to blast the dust off of him in the winter, believe it or not.
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| But daggon is he cute! |
The mud and grass stains will just have to persist in photos during the winter months. At least it isn't poop?
Who knows, maybe he can win the award for *The Dirtiest Grey* one day?
Tell me about your dirty horse!
I'm never too upset when my horses are dirty - after all, they're HORSES! It's more important that they get to live outside, scratch their backs in the dirt, and stand out in the pouring rain if they feel like it than it is for them to stay clean. Dino's favorite part of the day in the summer is his post-bath roll after I hose him off after a ride. Sometimes other riders are horrified that I "let" him get so dirty. Eh, he's a horse! He deserves to be dirty if he wants to be. :) It all brushes off with a little elbow grease.
ReplyDeleteElbow grease indeed! And maybe some laundry detergent and Shout...
DeleteMine also live out 24/7. Thankfully the pinto is a bit of a princess and stays remarkably clean. The chestnut will literally roll in his own pee if that's what it takes to make mud. I long for spring when I can bathe him!
ReplyDeleteBahaha, I got a good laugh out of using pee to make mud. Ohhhh dear.
DeleteI had a similar dirt-obsessed grey that I sold earlier this year. No-rinse shampoo was my friend in the winter at shows. I'm hoping to have it a little easier with Cinna, she seems less inclined to roll than my previous greys! And she's still dark enough to camouflage it for now, haha.
ReplyDeleteI did not know no-rinse shampoo was a thing. Buying some TONIGHT.
DeleteOwning/breeding Andalusians (you know, primarily grey! haha) means I learned early on all sorts of whitening tricks 😂 I own more no rinse shampoo, green spot remover, and blueing than any one human probably needs, hahaha.
DeleteIf you have a Tractor Supply lovally, I have successfully used this stuff for many years -- http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/shapleys-easy-out-no-rinse-shampoo-32-fl-oz?cm_mmc%3DSEM-_-Google-_-DynamicAdGroups-_-AllSiteTSCMobileFreeShipStore&gclid=CjwKEAiA3qXBBRD4_b_V7ZLFsX4SJAB0AtEVb0qRX0ehx9i1V5Q35BIopvqbm6svGhXiigUdmJPOKhoCHPrw_wcB
DeleteIDK, Liz, I think Dillon might have him beat. I do understand the obsession with keeping a grey horse clean, though. I am purchasing a portable hot water heater (along the lines of what Stacy got for Klein) for xmas this year and planning on using it at the barn. I don't think I can manage to last until March at Expo to bathe the horse again, especially since Ashke lays in urine and poop.
ReplyDeleteOoohh, portable hot water heater! One day, I will get one of those. Probably when I move the horses next year. I'll live vicariously through you and Stacey until then.
DeleteUhhhh... that's not dirty. That's merely enhancing the grey. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's a much better way of putting it. I agree!
DeleteTurn out sheets do wonders for keeping the main body clean. I haul a bucket of hot water to the grooming area to wash tails and spot rub the dirtiest areas. Other wise...eh..they're horses.
ReplyDeleteSadly I'm not at a full-care facility! They're wooly yaks and don't get blanketed much at all in the winter. I'm super envious of those who can do it and have cleaner beasties though!
DeleteI own two palominos and I absolutely hate it. They just love coating themselves in mud and only look nice in the summer.
ReplyDeleteI miss summer coats already!
DeleteBe thankful you don't have red clay as your ground. The grey horses here all turn an orangey brown and it is gross. It doesn't come out either. Bay all the way for me. She is a bit of a princess though and stays mostly clean even living outside 24/7. Pete on the other hand is a disgusting pig. He has mud encrusted all over him at all times. Good thing he is already mud colored.
ReplyDeleteOne horse, two horse, red horse... wait, RED horse?! When did I get a RED horse. That would be me if we had that.
DeleteWERK IT, GRIF!!!
ReplyDeleteHe's too sexy to be clean, too sexy to be clean...
DeleteMine also lives out 24/7 and either her coat color hides dirt remarkably well or she just doesn't get that dirty. Sure we'll have the odd mudd spot from a good roll, but she's not that bad.
ReplyDeleteI do want to get a shop vac to just vacuum her in winter when she's super floofy.
Q is usually filthier...the joys of a dark coat to hide it! Haha
DeleteI've had two grey horses and they were never happy unless covered from nose to tail with mud, including inside the ears. And sadly I live in one of the wettest places on Earth: ( First day mud (scroll down to see the after rolling photo): http://horsecrazyamerican.blogspot.de/2016/01/fun-in-pasture.html
ReplyDeleteWow. Yep. Totally understand that level of dirty! Thanks for sharing =)
DeleteI'm at a full care training/eventing barn, and this year we're up to 4 greys. They're not as dirty as some of the bays though (one black bay loves looking like a buckskin because of orange clay dirt! And he is talented, gets an even coat of mud all the way around). Amazingly the champagne mare stays the cleanest, and she is the lightest of them all.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's a girl thing? The not-buckskin sounds like he's got some impressive talents!
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