Followers

About

My photo
I'm a children's author. Animals are a constant source of writing material for me. They are also my heart!

Why, Tango, Why?

>> Thursday, September 24, 2009


See Tango? Doesn't he look handsome and clean? This is what Tango should look like two weeks before our final show of the season. It's been relatively dry. There's no reason for Tango to be muddy. Even if Tango rolls, he should be rolling in the the plain old dirt or grass. But no.
I guess I'm expecting too much for my boy. CLEAN is not a word that Tango remembers. In fact, Tango doesn't even aspire to be clean. I know that but wouldn't you think he could have at least....




STAYED OUT OF BLACK PAINT!!!!!
In case your wondering, this is Tango's butt. The only good thing about Tango's butt right now is that it's bigger than mine. I'll give Tango that...it's his only redeeming quality.


No one seems to know exactly how to get the paint off Tango. They just look at him and gasp. I'm sure they're secretly glad that it's Tango (and not their horse) that is covered in black tar! I've tried to get the paint off with baby oil and Skin-So-Soft The paint doesn't budge. Last night I tried good old Vaseline. I managed to smear the paint around.
While other women my age are home watching TV or enjoying a nice glass of wine, I'm vaselining my horse! Is there something wrong with this picture? I even had to get my husband involved. I thought he might need to hold Tango while I scrubbed away.

But he didn't. Tango seemed to be enjoying a relaxing evening. I actually think my boy thought he was getting a much deserved massage.My husband sighed and took pictures while tossing out other suggestions. "How about that hand soap that gets grease off?" he asked.
"Do you want to go get some?" I responded.
"Your horse is falling asleep," Chuck said. "I'm ready to call it a night."
After about two hours, I'd had enough too. Tango was the only one who seemed contented with the whole paint issue. I think he would have stood there all night long and let me scrub away.
Like I said, we're about two weeks out from our final show. The boy is still covered in paint.
My wrists are sore. My arms ache. No one seems to know why Tango is the only horse on the farm that managed to get black paint all over himself.
Any suggestions for fast effective paint removal would be greatly appreciated (non-toxic preferred)!
Tango's enjoying this way too much!

28 comments:

Miss Janet September 24, 2009 at 11:04 PM  

Oh my goodness! Nothin worse than black paint on your butt!

Have you tried a Mr. Clean Miracle Sponge? Freaky little thing gets everything off!

Paula September 25, 2009 at 12:07 AM  

I would try the mr clean sponge too. LOL.. I looked it up and the lotion or vaseline was recommend..but they also said heat...so possible very warm, wet rags placed over the lotioned up area then take something that can have a sanding effect...what I am not sure but sanding gets paint off...you might be able to do it with very fine sand paper...lightly or if you can slip a piece of paper under the hair that is painted then lightly sand? Well that is my only advice...poor you...like you said the horse is enjoying the rubs...LOL

Anu Lal September 25, 2009 at 12:25 AM  

A nice horse story. I know you might have tried too hard to rub out the paint. Horses are really eye catchers.And I loved Tango's picture.

Maxmom September 25, 2009 at 2:07 AM  

Hi Jan.
We enjoyed your story very much. Sorry to hear about your paint dillemma. Unfortunately we don't have any answers either...great help we are!
Hope it all gets resolved....mmmm....disolved!
MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA
ps. Did you get our email re your books in SA?

CATachresis September 25, 2009 at 4:26 AM  

Well! Short of a number one cut I can think of nothing that would help that hasn't already been suggested.

Your description of your fruitless efforts to remove it made me lol though :) Is it me or is there a very knowing glint in Tango's eye? An agenda of his own do you think?

Sandra September 25, 2009 at 8:59 AM  

When you own a pinto you are destined to have the only horse that gets into black paint! I'd be interesting in hearing if the Mr. Clean Eraser worked.

Unknown September 25, 2009 at 9:56 AM  

A good thing that the front of Tango is handsome anyway. lol Good luck!

RILEY AND STAR MY MALTESEKIDS September 25, 2009 at 11:43 AM  

Hi Jan,

This post is so funny! I wish I could help but I have no idea, maybe vinegar???

Anyway thanks for being a loyal follower of ours and for your support for Riley and Star's present adventure.

Riley and Star's Mom.

Jan Mader September 25, 2009 at 12:12 PM  

I'm getting that Mr. Clean sponge today...I'll keep you posted!

Any other ideas? We're open to anything non-lethal!

Parsley September 25, 2009 at 12:46 PM  

He was trying to be a true 'paint' horse.

Sorry for all the work. I too thought of the Mr. Clean sponge but it says not to use on human skin. Test it out first to see if it irritates.

Have a great weekend.

Honeygo Beasley September 25, 2009 at 2:57 PM  

Hope you get Tango all cleaned up for the show. It's a good workout all that scrubbing, I would think!

Lillian Robinson September 25, 2009 at 3:06 PM  

Oil removes oil. If it is an oil-based paint stain, then mineral oil or vaseline is your best bet. Problem is, it just lifts the oil and mixes. Then you need lots of soap & water to remove the mess you made.

If using the vaseline spread the black around, then it was working! Continue using it, then follow with soap. Dawn works great, but his shampoo should do OK. Just use it straight, and not sparingly. Then rinse well with water. Anything remaining? Keep repeating.

After he is good and clean, use your show conditioner to sooth his skin and coat.

Then get busy finding out where he got into black paint!

Jan Mader September 25, 2009 at 3:24 PM  

My hero!

BeadedTail September 25, 2009 at 7:44 PM  

How funny that Tango found black paint somewhere but with his massage now, he'll probably be seeing out black paint everywhere!

Ziggy Stardust September 25, 2009 at 8:42 PM  

Tango, What did you do? You must be going through(giggle) that rebelious teenage phase. Whats next a mohawk? I know you were just trying to look a little gothic with black in your hair. Next time, maybe check with Mom first.

licks and sniffs, Sasha

Tweedles -- that's me September 25, 2009 at 10:14 PM  

I have a great idea.
1.Paint the spot with blueing. They do that in horse shows, I have seen them
2. Paint the spot a new color with hair dye.
That naughty Tango! I bet he did it on purpose!
I don't have any "reasonable ideas". My moms uses the skin so soft to get tar off herself. It sorta works.

bbes tribe September 25, 2009 at 10:51 PM  

Something has got to work. Lily's ideas sounded good. Hope they work. Tango sure is good looking and he does seem to be enjoying all the attention.
Woofs
Ernie & Sasha

ocmist September 26, 2009 at 2:07 AM  

I wonder if Melaleuca Oil (Tea Tree Oil) would work. I know that it is a solvent and since I sell Melaleuca products, I know that they have several natural solvents and cleaners made of that mixed with citrus. You might find something like that in an herbal store in your area.

Are those hand cleaners your hubby mentioned citrus based (some of the ones my hubby uses to get tar and oil off of his hands are) You could try those and just make really sure to soap and water clean off anything left after the paint is gone. If a horse can get into it, it will, seems like! :)

Debbie September 26, 2009 at 7:43 PM  

Thanks for your wonderful message Jan. I am a retired elementary librarian so I love authors! In fact I would love to someday write a childrens' book. I had horses for over 40 years and my last horse was a 16.3 anglo-trakehner that I raised from a foal. I owned her dam. I rode and competed in dressage. But I put Lark down in March due to the infirmities of age. I believe she is my last horse. There's no way to get another horse after having the horse of a lifetime. As for your black paint dilemma, I believe Tango thinks he is part zebra! Everyone has made great suggestions, so just let us know what ultimately worked.

Sailor's Mom September 26, 2009 at 7:56 PM  

You may want to se if Goo Gone will remove it. Or Simple Green.
Barring that, the way I see it is: you only have two choices. White chalk the HECK out of his bum (if this is allowed in the show ring) or paint another spot over the paint to make him a pinto still. If this is allowed.

Poor you, I feel your pain.

Sailor's Mom September 26, 2009 at 10:04 PM  

How about linseed oil?

And I asked my marestare.com friends about this and they said that Turpentine and the other paint remover that starts with a V may be too harsh. Acetone (nail polish remover)might work.

I've used turpentine on my hands and then washed them well afterwards. If you are ready to wash, wash, wash, turpentine would certainly remove oil-based paint.

Ryan September 27, 2009 at 11:07 AM  

You could paint him all black.... Great story!!!

Sharon Wagner September 27, 2009 at 11:47 AM  

I think it was sabatoge!

TC September 27, 2009 at 1:18 PM  

LOVED the comments, feel sorry for you Jan, I think the vaseline, baby oil, or maybe the tea tree would do the trick and then dawn since that's what they use to get the oil off of the baby seals and birds. Yes I have a bottle in cabinet.
Paint horse, ROFLMAO for real, dye him black, :-D

i September 28, 2009 at 1:53 AM  

Oh dear, hope you have the paint removed by now. I remember once my dog stepped on some green paint and she had green paws. I tried various ways but they didn't totally come off. So I googled and saw a suggestion using olive oil. It really worked. I cleaned her paws with olive oil on cotton balls. Then rinsed it off with shampoo.

But not sure if it works on horses though.

sandy September 28, 2009 at 12:46 PM  

Finger nail polish remover? Followed by lots of hot soapy water?

Nice pictures, sorry for your troubles. Come look at the pretty sunrise I posted, it will make you temporarily forget your troubles.

And in directly the opposite direction, did you see what I posted on Sandy's space?

Good luck.
Sandy

Bumpkin Hill September 28, 2009 at 2:50 PM  

Oh Tango!!! I used to have a grey mare that got lots of stains, I used a product called Stain Away that you could spray on, but I never tried it on paint! I tried searching on Google for you, found a few items about removing paint from dog's coats, one person suggested peanut butter!!! I also heard about Vetrolin shine helping to loosen stains, not sure about paint though. I do hope it clears off and your hands and arms survive!! Good Luck, Catherine x

Janet September 28, 2009 at 4:56 PM  

I say roll with it... With a little vision, I think we could work up a Picasso. He'd be the most artistic boy out there... talk about panache!

We'd Love to See Who You Are - We Know You're Adorable for Sure!

Blogger templates made by AllBlogTools.com

Back to TOP