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| {Side note to Oiling & Sulfuring: To make this task easier, make sure your horse is trained to hold his feet still while you work on the feathers. Owning a Feathered breed means you'll be working with their legs in more ways than just for cleaning the hoof and farrier work. Whether you oil & sulfur your horse or not...it's best to train a feathered horse to keep their feet still when you want. One way that I trained mine is to have a cue for them for when I want them to pick up their feet. (Clinton Anderson teaches this technique in his foal training videos.) With the front legs it's a squeeze of the chestnut and with the rear it's a squeeze of their "hock cap". The verbal command "foot" is also given at the same time when I want a foot lifted. Otherwise a verbal command "stand" is given when I want to work on their feathers without them moving their feet around, such as when I need to oil and sulfur them. It is lot safer & easier for you if your horse is trained to stand still at your command while you apply the oil and sulfur.} |
| On this page I have put together pictures and instructions on how to Oil & Sulfur your Feathered Horse with help from my Stallion -Chivalry's Sir Orrick (pictured in the illustrations as a 2 yr old & a 2 1/2 yr old during & just after he was Oiled & Sulfured). During the wet season is when you will really want to oil and sulfur your horses. How often you oil & sulfur your horse throughout the year will depend on your geographical location. You can develop your own schedule with when and how often you oil and sulfur. I like to oil and sulfur at least once a month in the Winter (starting the routine after show season has ended): once a week during "mud season" (Spring as most call it) and then back it off to once every two weeks. A month before show season I quit oiling and sulfuring. For draft horse shows this usually starts around August. With drafts now being used more as riding horses, your show season could start much earlier. Geographic location will also play a role in how you mix the oil and sulfur. Keep in mind that if you live in a moist climate you want a thicker consistency, like that of a thick milk shake, and in a dryer climate you want a thinner mixture with more oil than sulfur. The reason being is that more oil in the mixture will help keep the feathers from drying out and breaking off in the dryer/hotter climates. |
| Following is a list of things you will need to get: (if you can't find them in horse supply catalogs or tack shops, ask the owner of your local feed store if they can order it for you.) ~ Mineral Oil (Animal Feed Grade Only) ~ Do not use art supply or any other mineral oil ~ see below) ~ Rubber gloves ~ Sulfur (Animal Feed Grade "Flour type" Only) ~Mixing spoon ~ Scoop ~ Bucket or container larger than two gallons |
| < Mineral Oil: Make sure you get mineral oil that IS SAFE to use on Animals. DO NOT get any other kind of mineral oil such as from a paint supply store or auto store. Any mineral oil you get should be labeled the same as the one pictured here which states that it is for animal use only. (Click on the thumbnail to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |
| < Rubber Gloves: You should wear rubber gloves while working with and mixing the sulfur. I like to use disposable ones as pictured here because it saves time on clean up. When you're done, just take them off and throw them away! You will save money if you buy the large quantity boxes at your drug store or superstore. Cleaning the mineral oil and sulfur off the reusable kitchen rubber gloves is time consuming and not worth the effort in my eyes as they are cheap. If you are allergic to latex, make sure you check the box and get the non-latex rubber gloves. (Click on the thumbnail to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |
| < Sulfur: Make sure you get ONLY sulfur that is safe for animal use. DO NOT get any other kind of sulfur such as from a gardening store. Sulfur that is sold for gardening is NOT SAFE to use on animals. Check the bag: it states that in the instructions. Sulfur you get should be Animal Feed Grade type. Your local feed store will order this for you from a cow supply company /milling company. Make sure you get the "Flour type" not the granulated. It comes in 50 lbs bags and will probably be priced around $25 U.S. After opening the sulfur bag, I place the bag into a heavy gauge plastic garbage bag that is easy to tightly close and helps keep the sulfur from being spilled. Store it in a safe,dry place where children and animals can not get into it. SULFUR IS FLAMMABLE SO MAKE SURE THAT WHEREVER YOU USE OR STORE IT IS A SAFE PLACE AND WILL NOT BE CLOSE TO GAS HEATERS, FURNACES, OR SMOKERS. (Click on the thumbnail to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |
| < Large Mixing Container: You can use a bucket, or as pictured here, a large container that has a hole cut in the top. I cut a large hole in the top of the container my soy oil comes in. These large oil containers are sold by restaurant supply companies and are about the size of a 5 gallon container. Just make sure whatever container you use is larger than a two gallon container, preferably a 3 to 4 gallon container so it will hold the mix of a gallon of mineral oil and the amount of sulfur to make a milkshake consistency.(Click on the thumbnail to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |
| < Make sure you have a very well ventilated area to set up everything in and work in when preparing your mix. I like to mix the oil and sulfur outside. You can lay plastic down or newspapers under your container so that any spills are easily cleaned up. (Click on the thumbnail to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |
| < Once again, make sure you have a very well ventilated area. (Outside is best ... just make sure you're in an area where the wind won't blow sulfur into your face. ) DO NOT breathe in any sulfur dust and make sure you don't get any in your eyes while mixing it into the mineral oil. Avoid touching your face when working with sulfur. To be sure there are no accidents, buy an inexpensive face mask and eye protectors at any home improvement store. Prepare and apply sulfur mix in a safe area. Keep it away from children & animals and as with anything, be aware of those around you. Pour One Gallon of Mineral Oil into your mixing container and begin putting Sulfur into the Mineral Oil. (Click on the thumbnails to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |
| < Continue to add sulfur into the mineral oil (stir and break up any large lumps with your spoon) until your mix is the consistency of a milkshake. You don't want it to be runny; you want it thick but not too thick. Once it is the consistency of a good milkshake, you are ready to apply it to the feathers on your horse. Don't worry if there are some lumps in the mix – just squish and mix in the lumps as you dish up portions of the mixture to apply on your horse as you go along. (Click on the thumbnails to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |
| Make sure your horse's feathers are clean, dry and free of tangles. Your horse doesn't necessarily have to be 'sparkling' clean to oil and sulfur. Your horse's feathers should be clean as in no mud on them. Feathers should be dry (do not oil and sulfur wet feathers – however, I've heard that slightly damp is okay). Feathers should be brushed out and free of tangles and burrs. |
| < Scoop out a handful of the oil / sulfur mix and spread it on your horse's legs starting at the knees/hocks and then down the leg. Make sure you massage or rub it in thoroughly so that the oil / sulfur mix penetrates to the skin. I've found that the horses usually enjoy the leg massage as you rub the mix in. < The picture above shows the consistency of the mix for a wetter climate ~ just thick enough so that it doesn't run down the leg and yet liquid enough to be able to massage it into the hair so that it penetrates the skin. (Click on the thumbnails to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |
| < Continue to apply the Oil / Sulfur mix to the legs... < massaging it into the hair and making sure it penetrates to the skin. {Side note: If you want to keep the tail hairs away from the rear legs as you apply the Mix...braid the tail up or put it in a tail bag.} < After making sure that the Oil / Sulfur mix gets to the skin....coat the long feather all the way to the ends with the Oil / Sulfur mix. (Click on the thumbnails to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |
| <This picture shows how the feather is ruffled up because of the massaging and rubbing in of the Oil / Sulfur Mix. To prevent scratches from starting MAKE SURE YOU MASSAGE A GENEROUS AMOUNT OF THE OIL/ SULFUR MIX DEEP INTO THE SKIN OF THE BACK OF THE FETLOCK AND DOWN TO THE HOOF BULB. Saturate the feathers to the skin especially in the area of the back of the pastern bones and hoof bulb area. Oil and sulfur all four legs from the knees/hocks down, paying special attention to the back bottom part of the fetlock/pastern area because this is where scratches usually begin. < One gallon of mineral oil mixed with enough sulfur to make it the consistency of a milkshake will be enough to do all four legs on a well-feathered horse. As you can see, Sir Orrick's legs are well saturated with just using one gallon of mineral oil mixed with sulfur. (Click on the thumbnails to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |
| < If your horse is not heavily feathered you could probably get away with not using a whole gallon of mineral oil to complete all four legs. If your horse has very abundant feathering, you'll probably need a bit more than a gallon of mineral oil.(Click on the thumbnails to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |
| <This is what your horse's legs/feathers will look like after walking around a bit. Your horse’s feathers (depending on where your horse is turned out) may look like they are collecting dirt or "staining". People have told me that the oil attracts dirt and debris to the feathers and stains them. Although dirt does get on the horse's feathers after you've applied the oil and sulfur, I have never had any problems with stains on my horses. The oil seems to form a barrier around the hair shafts and keeps dirt and such from staining the feathers. My only experience has been that my horse's feathers turn out a brilliant, sparkling white when cleaned and washed. From personal experience I'd say you don't have to worry because the mineral oil makes it so that the dirt does not stain the feathers and when you do wash your horse (which I would not do for at least 4 to 5 days after applying the oil and sulfur mix) their feathers will be sparkling white. You don't have to wash out the oil and sulfur. Usually within 3 to 4 days your horses feather will look normal and you won't be able to tell you've oiled & sulfured them. I usually just hose the feather off with just water after the 7th day & let them dry before oiling & sulfuring again. Washing the feather too much can actually dry the feather out and cause breakage because you're stripping the natural oils from the hair. |
| On a side note: Check with your barn owner/manager if you board your horse at someone else's facility. This is sulfur and it does have a strong odor. It also drips from the feathers as your horse moves in the turnout/stall. Out of respect to the barn owner where your horse is boarded, you should discuss oiling and sulfuring with the owner/manager regarding when and where you plan to do this prior to performing the procedure. |
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| WARNING NOTE: Some horses may have allergies to sulfur. Either discuss oiling and sulfuring with your vet prior to the first application or do a spot check on your horse to see if any reactions to the sulfur occur before you oil and sulfur fully the first time. (Also, if you are allergic to sulfur take care in keeping it off of your own skin by using elbow-length lined kitchen rubber gloves.) (It was brought to my attention recently of one situation where the owner oiled and sulfured his horse and the horse's legs swelled up in reaction to the sulfur. Many horse medications contain sulfur and the owner's vet told him that he was lucky to have found out that their horse was allergic to sulfur this way instead of from a prescribed medicine. I want to thank that person for letting me know what happened so that I could share the information on this page to help ensure all our horses’ well-being.) |
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| ALSO VERY IMPORTANT: RESPECT YOUR FARRIER!!! --MAKE SURE THAT YOUR HORSE'S FEATHER IS NOT OILED & SULFURED BEFORE YOUR FARRIER COMES FOR THEIR VISIT!!! Don't oil & sulfur before your farrier is schedualed to visit. When your farrier handles your horses feet and legs he/she could get sulfur on their hands and unknowningly touch their face and possibly get sulfur in their eyes. Not a good thing! Just make sure that your horses feather are clean and free from sulfur & oil before your farrier works on them. |
| When ordering Sulfur...make sure you get the Animal Feed Grade "Flour" type...NOT the Crystal/Granulated type. The granulated sulfur does not work well at all for Oiling & Sulfuring horses. |
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| (Click on the thumbnails to view a larger picture then use your back button to get back to this page). |