Mane and Tail upkeep

[angelsdream]

Ok, how do you guys keep the mane and tail healthy? I know some of you have long mane's, so give it up - what's the secret?

I have heard Emu oil really make's it grow and conditions it -

[desperatehorsewife]

I spray mine with show sheen about once a week, especially the tail. Some horses are harder to keep up on, though.

[fantasykiger]

OK this is my trick all winter long I don't brush it, I may go out and use my fingers to untangle and unroll the dreads that sometimes form but I do not brush the mane and tail I leave it alone. If it is to cold to wash the mane and tail and apply detangler to brush it out properlu, I just don't. However in the spring and summer when it is warm I am washing horses probably every other week. I always brush the hair from the bottom up after untangleing most knots with my fingers. I don't want to break the hair just comb out loose hair and untangle knots. I do it section by section working with a small amout of hair at a time. I hardly ever braid tails but I do braid manes in the summer when it is real hot just to help keep the horses cooler. But never leave the braids in longer then a week. Show Sheen is awesome for applying to clean dry manes and tails as it reduces the amount static, therefore not so many knots develope and repels dirt.
There is something I have some to realize in my quest for beautiful manes and tails. Some horses only grow their manes so long and that's it. My BLM mare has never had her mane trimmed yet it never gets any longer it is like it just breaks off at a cetian point. It is wonderfully thick never tangles but never get any longer then the middle of her neck. Her tail how ever is the thickest of all my horses and will grow long. Of course in my pasture you will see some roached manes, because if it don't grow pretty we just take em' off.

[angelsdream]

Ha - That is exactly what I do. People look at me like Im crazy when I tell them I don't brush there mane or tail unless it's wet. I have cowboy magic I put in and work thru the knots with my fingers. Everyone at my barn has strict rules never to brush my horse's mane or tails. I do know there's a fungus that get's in there that MTG won't kill, so I use Listerine/Baby oil 50/50 to kill it. That helps with there manes. Sometimes they'll have that fungus which makes it real brittle and starts coming out over time, once you kill the fungus, it starts growing.

Just wondering what other people's tricks were,maybe Im missing something. The guy who told me about the Emu oil swears by it. He has show paso fino's and when he needs one to grow, that's what he uses and works wonders.

[fantasykiger]

I have never heard of emu oil but around here in the summer time adding a bit of oil to the hair sure would not hurt it is so dry, fly away hair with the dust knots up so easy. It is the hardest time of year to deal with the real long manes and tails.

[nrly]

I brush them everyday, but we do not get cold like most, I use show sheen, also I have noticed their mane and tails look so much better now that they are on strategy, shooter had such a thin tail long but thin, it is now getting thicker, Flashy had a long wonderful tail but her neighbor chewed it off short, I have had to trim Stormys 2 times now, Nova mane is finally growing in, and riddle looks good, all i feel due to how they eat, and how I take care of it. now i only bath them once a month.

[dara]

I agree with fantasy kiger, but i am not as hard core about not brushing. But because of that lots of hair gets broken and ripped out, now if i was better like fantasy kiger my Ellie would have a much longer mane than she does now.I also really like show sheen ALOT.

[stormyranch]

I use VO5 shampoo and extra creamy conditioner on Dino. I spray his mane and tail with show sheen when it is still wet, and brush it out when it's dry. The brush just sails through the hair. You may notice Dino's mane is on both sides of his neck. I have never seen one so Thick!
Kevin

[nrly]

I use suave coconut shampoo, and conditioner when I bath them. Show sheen when dry.

[desperatehorsewife]

That's a huge amount of mane, Kevin! I ought to try that with Quiet Storm as she's got a super thick mane and tail on her, too.

[dara]

Kevin do you use a color enhanching body shampoo or is his coat just that golden! His coat is awsome!

[stormyranch]

That is his natural coat!

[angelsdream]

Ok, Ive never used show sheen before, Ive always used cowboy magic, but I'll have to try it. Cowboy magic is really expensive -

WHOA ! What a mane - you've got your work cut out for you Kevin. It is thick. I love braiding the manes - I always braid my horse's mane when we trail ride in the summer, keeps them much cooler. I put different color rubberbands in them, to match whatever Im wearing..ha people get a kick out of it.

[fantasykiger]

That is one thick mane on Dino' and I love his metalic sheen. I have only one horse that has that sheen to her as well. I am lucky that While my Kigers manes are long they are not to thick, the tails are another story. This pic' shows off Fantasy's mane but it is all on one side.

Most annoying I guess is that they are naturaly curly or wavy which lends to dreads easily developing in both manes and tails.

[nrly]

my husbands BLM Mustang shines like that too, and she always has sign of a healthy horse....
Stormy shines and has some dapples,her mane is long and tri colored, and her tail is long and tri colored also...she has black, dun, and white hair in her mane...