Looking after long fine manes

[Jessey]

Guys I need some help, Bo has a reasonably long mane - http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/Jessey129/DSC00863.jpg sorry its braided there but you get the idea.

The thing is he keeps loosing chunks out of it, he did it last summer, so I trimmed it all level and have just got it back to a decent length and again (but in a different spot) he has lost a chunk of mane. I can't tell how he does it, there is about 2" along his neck that is down to the roots, not sure if its his neck cover (where the top strap attaches) or if its where he puts his head through the fence or if he rubs it when he rolls :mad:

I try not to brush his mane so it gets done maybe once a month if he is lucky and then its done with lots of conditioner. Do you think one of those hoods would help or a mane tamer of another kind? his mane is really fine and soft, and quite thick, left alone it ends up in dreadlocks and you struggle to get them out, plaited it seems OK but last time I did that when I took the two plaits out to either side of the thinning bit most of the hair that had broken was still in the plait, but no longer attached :( Its not like a real rub when the hair is all ruffled up, its just the hair is no longer attached :(

Any suggestions appriciated.

J x

[Shadowlark]

sigh I love long manes.. they are so beutiful and I have a morgan - renowned for thier long think wavy manes and tails.. But Splash is roached I just couldn't stand the heart break of all my careful work going to pot because he rubs it on the fence of his paddock leaving big ugly 2 inch gaps.. or getting into a fight with a mare who removes.. bit ugly 2 inch gaps.. so ZIIP off it came.
Anyhow some things we tried that didn't work for us.. but hey who knows.. Mane tamers, running pipe insulation foam under the top rail of his paddock, chicken fencing to keep him from sticking his head through.. leaving him braided.. not leaving him braided.. putting it up in a long french braid... HAHA one time.. I cut a pool noddle, and ran it over the mane down the nape of his neck with some velcro straps.. yeah THAT sure didn't work but he DID look funny making it all worth while

Good luck!

[Jessey]

Oh don't tell me that, Roached, never :(
Come On, somebody else, please....

J x

[Jessey]

BUMP, come on someone, any ideas, Pleeeaaaasssse :)

[domane]

Well the only thing I can think of for total protection is a neck cover on the rug and then under that, one of those stretchy nylon-lycra hoody things but it's a bit drastic isn't it??? (and sounds expensive to me :D )

[Shadowlark]

Yeah.. when I bought Splashy I said roached never!! His old owner told me she kept him roached and I thought.. poor little morgan.. they should have a mane! But now I realize he looks heaps better with his Mohawk :) He has a big thick studdy neck and the roached mane makes it look even nicer - well better then the huge gaps it used to have ;)

All those mane tamers and stuff tended to make his neck itchy.. causing him to scratch it on stuff.. causing him to rub out yet MORE mane. And if they get damp under you can get rot issues so in a damp climate I would avoid them to begin with!

But if you are determined to keep it long,.. the only thing I can say is learn to live with the missing chunks.. I did find it was worse when I kept it braided then left natural. for what it's worth..

Good luck!

[Trewsers]

I only use a wide toothed comb on ours - never brush it - its too tangled!;) I'm a hair sore person:eek: (don't know if horses get hair sore) so only comb gently with Canter sprayed on. I wouldn't keep plaiting it up - it might be like humans - if we braid our hair too much it can cause a form of alopecea.

[Jessey]

I have just left it the last few days, with no neck cover and no braids and its a total mess but no worse :) I think wrapping him in cotton wool might do the trick :rolleyes: :D