maintenance of long manes and tails

[Alex T]

just wondered if any one plaits or ties up when turning out? my mares tail is looking rather thin at the moment and her mane is an ok length but id like to keep it a little longer however it gets very tangled and ends up coming out when brushed:eek:

[eventerbabe]

i always worry about plaiting up should they get caught in the field. I use the cowboy magic detangler once a week on my cobs incredibly thick mane and tail and it keeps them tangle free :)

[old_woman]

My mare's mane is VERY LONG.
Rules -
1. NEVER brush with horse brushes. Only ever with a non-breaking human brush, and then only after it has been combed through with an afro style comb, working from the ends of the hair upwards, very gradually.
2. Any knots and tangles are separated by hand. Baby oil, coconut oil or conditioner can be wiped on your fingers to help with this.
3. Only wash when absolutely essential. Use a very gentle shampoo, and DO NOT brush or comb until completely dry. Wet hair is weaker than dry; it will stretch much more easily and then after a few days may well break off.
4. A firm but careful finger massage on the crest and the dock, with something like olive oil or coconut oil on your fingers, can benefit the hair - as long as you are massaging the skin and being careful not to tug on the hair. It helps improve the circulation to the hair follicles. Your horse will probably enjoy it, too.

Of course I assume your horse is in good health and getting the appropriate vitamins, minerals and trace elements, either from his diet or from a supplement. The condition of the hair reflects the condition of the body at the time it was grown ...

[coss]

lightly (do not do them tightly as that makes things worse) plait the mane and tail. everytime you do anything with it, spray with a mane and tail conditioner. i use a body brush to brush manes and tails as i find it gentler, with tails get the knots as the bottom out and work you way up to the tail bone so that it brushe out smoother.
This is my boy plaited
http://file017a.bebo.com/12/large/2007/02/12/19/1359860817a3593605303b893088691l.jpg
And this is how his mane is at the moment (but its not as neat at the moment and that isn't neat anyway)
http://file023a.bebo.com/6/large/2007/01/11/13/1359860817a3160922868b313950957l.jpgi
i usually will condition and plait roughly every 3 weeks.

just make sure you don't pull it too tight ;)
his tail is actually down to the ground now :)

[NoviceNic]

I dont tend to worry through the Winter. Just loads of conditioner as I groom them through with a Human Hair brush. If I were showing through the Winter then I am sure that I would worry more...;)

[Trewsers]

Storm has a very long tail - I just comb it once or twice a week with a wide comb (plastic not metal) and use Canter spray on it. Same with her mane, thats very long too - I never use a brush on it - used to make me cringe watching folk tear through their horses tails and manes with sharp nasty plastic brushes........!!!!

[coss]

Storm has a very long tail - I just comb it once or twice a week with a wide comb (plastic not metal) and use Canter spray on it. Same with her mane, thats very long too - I never use a brush on it - used to make me cringe watching folk tear through their horses tails and manes with sharp nasty plastic brushes........!!!!

too true!! :eek: i can't understand why they do it, it doesn't even sound healthy

[Jessey]

Jess' tail was really short (she is 4) so since October I have been trying to get it longer and thicker - it now lays about 3" on the floor but isn't much thicker though I think that will come this summer :p
I simply plait it up gently after conditioning with Cowboy Magic detaingler and conditioner and put it into a tail bag - I take it out about once a month :p

Both have longer manes, during the really bad windy weather I plait them to stop them from getting the dreadlock effect, now I leave them as much as possible but right beofre a show (or if they get wild) I plait them over so they lay better :D

You can just see Jess' mane in this picture
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/Jessey129/Jess%202007/Jess09-13.jpg
And her tail plaited and in a tail bag
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/Jessey129/DSC01361.jpg
And Bo plaited mane and tail but no bag (he broke his!)
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/Jessey129/DSC00862.jpg

[magicalmac]

I swear by 'Hydrophane bloom and groom'. My little shetland has a very long mane and tail and this leaves it in fantastic condition and it never seems to tangle.

[Bay Mare]

No, I never plait the tail to turn out, just some leave in conditioner after a wash.

Mane wise I wouldn't plait now because it's long but I used to attempt (in vain) to train her mane when it was short and though she didn't rub a LOT of hairs came out with the elastic bands, it just wasn't worth it. Now I just brush through (the Oster brushes are brill) after I've given it a spray with mane and tail spray.

[Alex T]

thanks for all the replies !!i havent decided what i might do yet but thankyou for all the advice i am going to try a bit more conditioner in it first especialy as the flies are about now!!

[sheryl]

I rarely brush Indi's mane. I keep it tied up, like this, all the time, and only take it out to tidy it up, and re plait about once a month.


http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k153/sheryl4lee/DSC01203.jpg

I love the Wahl spray to help me brush it through.
I've been doing this for 2 years now, and this is what it looks like now!


http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k153/sheryl4lee/DSC01190.jpg