Last Updated on March 2, 2022 by Allison Price
Tips to take her mane and tail from being mediocre to remarkable!
A shiny, flowing mane and tail will attract the attention of all horse lovers. You can maintain the lustrous locks of your horse with a little knowledge about nutrition, environment and care, and even grow the mane or tail of your dreams.
Healthy horse = healthy hair
If your horse is not receiving proper nutrition, no amount of product potions can improve his hair condition. You can naturally improve his hair and tail by giving him a high-quality diet that meets his nutritional needs. Hair needs to be healthy and happy, just like hooves. Supplements that support both of these structures include the B vitamin Biotin, essential amino acids Lysine and Methionine, as well as trace minerals such zinc, copper, and iodine.
Have a lookA small nail or splintered board in a stall or on a fence can easily snag and rip out mane and tail hair.
Check your horse’s living areas for any potential hazards such as a tangled mane or tail, or forelock. This could lead to her hair becoming twisted and caught. Hair damage can occur from a loose or splintered piece of wood, broken wire or fencing, protruding nails, screws, feed tubs or buckets, as well as metal hardware such hinges, latches, gates, gates, metal hardware, protruding nails, screws, protruding nail or screw heads, protruding nuts or screws and torn buckets or feed tubs. You can avoid serious mane and tail problems by doing some preventative maintenance around the area where your horse spends her time.
Stop it
Itchy horses will have a frizzy, rattled mess of hair on their docks or mane bases. Horses will quickly find a way of self-soothing and scratching the itching by rubbing. This can cause hair and skin problems in a short amount of time. If your horse is not properly moisturized, inspect his underbelly, sheath, or udder. Also, pay attention to the fold of skin from the anus up to the hind legs. These are areas that can lead to tail rubbing. Apply a broad-coverage, frequent fly spray to your horse’s skin to stop annoying biting insects.
You can apply topical creams if the itching continues. If you are unable to identify the cause of your problem, consult your veterinarian.Wind knots can be avoided by keeping manes clean and moisturized, and by using a detangler.
Be wash-wise
Avoid using dish soap, laundry soap, or harsh cleaners that aren’t made for hair or skin. Regularly bathe your horse to prevent his hair becoming dirty. Otherwise, it will tangle and fall off. Rinse the suds from the top, and spend most of your time rinsing the mane and tail bones. Your horse’s tail and mane will be silky and moisturized if you use a conditioner.
Stop using the brush
Equestrians often ban combing after their horse is washed with a conditioner and glossed with a detangling spray. This is a great practice to keep up. Use your fingers to remove any hair debris and tangles between washes. Apply a detangler product to your hair if you are dealing with a knotted mess. Massage it in gently and then use your fingers to untangle the hair. Take your time and be patient when tackling tangles. Rushing can cause serious damage to your horse’s health that will take months, if not years, to heal.
To avoid pulling, start at the tail end and work your way up.Start to braid tail hair by crossing the first few sections of hair looser at the tail bone, then tighten up your braid to the bottom and secure with a hair-friendly band. A trail braid that’s too tight can cut off blood circulation to the tail bone and cause pain.
Get help in braiding
Braids can be a great way for horses to avoid tangles or snags. However, it is important to properly braid the hair of your horse. To avoid reducing blood circulation, you should start braiding below your tail bone. You won’t have any problems if you keep your braids loose and low.
A simple way to protect your horse’s hair is to braid her tail and place it in a tailbag. To re-wash the hair, condition it and assess progress, you should do the tail bag at least every two months.
Horses can rub out tight mane braids that are too tight for them. The first four to five crosses of each braid should be looser, so that it can stretch as your horse moves her neck. For a neat, neat braid, continue crossing the sections. Apply downward pressure to tighten every crossover. To close the braids, use a hair-friendly elastic.A blanket that doesn’t fit your horse correctly could rub off portions of hair and leave a noticeable hole in the mane.
Find the right
Poorly fitting blankets can cause friction to your horse’s neck, withers and mane when she moves. An unfit blanket can rub manes in visible places and lead to inches of hair loss. This can be fixed by trimming the mane to the extent of the damage, and then restarting the growth process. This is a very painful setback, but it can be avoided by simply knowing the correct measurements of your horse.
Horses with long, beautiful manes or tails may “have it” in some cases. While you cannot change your horse’s genetic makeup, you can help ensure that her environment is safe, provide nutrition and add hair growth supplements. You can also support and encourage her to grow the best mane and tail possible.
