I've also done the boiling water on some ponies with awful hair. I rub conditioner into and try to comb out all the knots working from the end up to the base, sometimes in sections if it's that bad and then once I get it all combed through if it is really dry and frizzy I'll take the hair with the conditioner still combed through it and gently dunk it in boiling water for a few seconds several times. Then style and let air dry. I've had pretty good success with this, especially on the plushies too.