[Skyedragon]

Because of the funky warm weather my mare went into heat last week. Now its freezing cold again and her back legs/butt are NASTY. Is there anything I can use to clean up this mess without getting her too wet?

[littlecreek]

I would get a bucket of super hot water, a coarse towel and a set of rubber gloves. Douse the towel into the water, then wring it out thoroughly. Apply hot towel to sort of "steam" loose the gunk, then rub vigorously. As the towel gets dirty, dunk and rinse it, wring and repeat. Both of you shouldn't end up too wet and hopefully her legs end up clean.

[deltawave]

Those "waterless cleaners" are no match for serious gunk, and if you use them too often they leave a residue that's kind of gross. I'd get some hot water and some baby shampoo, just a dot, and scrub like crazy then dry with a towel. Where was it warm in Michigan? I must have missed it. It's the lengthening of days, not the temperatures, that set off estrous cycles.

[goodhors]

Clean, wet sawdust, rubbed into the hair. Helps a bit if the wet is warm. You just keep rubbing wet sawdust on the dirty parts, until sawdust is coming off horse clean. You can then towel dry hair or use a shop vac with a pointed nozzle on hose to dry the horse. Might have to blow dry the horse for a bit, before warm air is coming out of the vac pointed nozzle. Just using the hose end is not enough size reduction to heat the air. The tight constriction of the pointed end makes air warm itself with friction by being compressed to come out the end. Sounds weird, but really does get warm after a while.

The wet sawdust trick I learned in Pony Club, when they had serious water restrictions at a Rally. Did take off the green stains from laying down, even on grey horses! Just might take time though, working with longer hair.

A suggestion is to clip horse legs with the hair, using low number blades, #10 for the smaller clippers, or the 83A of big Osters. Horse still has hair on legs, but it is short, sheds snow, easy to clean if stained. Big help if things go to mud, with easy drying and you can more easily brush off dried dirt. Clipping would be from knees to coronet of the hoof, getting the shaggy stuff shortened. Again clip WITH the hair, pull out the long stuff to shorten it without clipping to the skin.

[Skyedragon]

Those "waterless cleaners" are no match for serious gunk, and if you use them too often they leave a residue that's kind of gross. I'd get some hot water and some baby shampoo, just a dot, and scrub like crazy then dry with a towel. Where was it warm in Michigan? I must have missed it. It's the lengthening of days, not the temperatures, that set off estrous cycles.

I guess warm is relative, it was in the 40s just a few weeks ago with no snow anywhere to be seen here. I don't know if its the light or the weather but neither of us got a break from her cycles this year.

I kind of figured that I would just have to lug some hot water to the barn to get her clean.

[deltawave]

If you don't have hot water at the barn, just buy some cheap-o washcloths at the dollar store, bring a thermos of hot water and a little shampoo to the barn and presto--instant clean-up kit. I've been known to do this at horse shows--I have a pinto who likes to sleep on poop.

[jjgg24]

Probably won't really be realistic for this but rubbing alcohol is great at stain removal!

[vxf111]

Waterless cleaners are better for taking off marks/stains than gunk/actual dirt. You need water for that.

[hunterrider23]

Hot hot hot water, dip in a wash cloth squeeze out water, and use Excalibur sheath cleaner. It works. Also wear gloves. Once most of the dirty work is done, for matainence use the under the tail wipes from smartpak.