# Mane and Tail Growing..



## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

looks pretty long the way it is. I would be happy with how it is going and keep doing what you are doing.


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## ImpulsiveLucy (Oct 8, 2012)

I have used MTG on my paint! I don't have pictures, but it seemed to work well. I used it every 3 days, and never covered his tail like it said- pasture horses would try to eat it. 

Also, just keeping it clean and LOOSELY braided helps. I add Regis salon silk drops to their tails, and use a bit of showsheen in it. Gets expensive but all mine but the appy have AMAZING tails! 

And remember- LOOSE braid!! it looks pretty tight now, keep it loose or else it will just pull out the hairs your trying to grow.


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## ImpulsiveLucy (Oct 8, 2012)

Oh! and Don't braid around the tailbone either! It just pulls out the hairs your still trying to grow.


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## hollyw9 (Feb 23, 2013)

This is great! I was just looking for advise on growing my friends friesian main and tail longer. I have her main in breads but have not done her tail. I also am a hairdresser so that helps. I also have the Redkins antisnap also works great for people hair too. I will try that for her friesian. About how long should you keep the braids in? My friend leaves hers in for about a month. I really don't like that, but again not my horse and I also could be wrong. And what is MTG? Sorry if that's a stupid question. But it's been about 20yrs being in the horse world and picking up the lingo is a little slow. Thanks


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## hollyw9 (Feb 23, 2013)

Oh and your horse looks great!


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## hollyw9 (Feb 23, 2013)

hollyw9 said:


> This is great! I was just looking for advise on growing my friends friesian main and tail longer. I have her main in breads but have not done her tail. I also am a hairdresser so that helps. I also have the Redkins antisnap also works great for people hair too. I will try that for her friesian. About how long should you keep the braids in? My friend leaves hers in for about a month. I really don't like that, but again not my horse and I also could be wrong. And what is MTG? Sorry if that's a stupid question. But it's been about 20yrs being in the horse world and picking up the lingo is a little slow. Thanks


*mane sorry I have spelling issues. Thanks
:lol:


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Well, I braid my guys tail with a long strip of sheet in it....tie it up (below the bone of course), wrap it in vet wrap and leave it in during the winter......which keeps the ice and mud balls from breaking it. I have tried MTG, and hated it......but I started using a mane and tail moisturizer that is cheap and works really well-every time I ride-it has helped for sure. I do bang mine, as I have a reiner, but his mane has grown hugely with the conditioner. It is this stuff:
Healthy Haircare Moisturizer | Dover Saddlery

You dilute it is a regular spray bottle and spray it on before you brush every time. My reining trainer uses it and this is one of the horses he has and uses it on......




 As you can see they also keep it braided much of the time.


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## xoxosalem (Mar 6, 2013)

*mtg*



hollyw9 said:


> *mane sorry I have spelling issues. Thanks
> :lol:


mtg is some oily substance that people can put on the horses roots in there hair and is said to grow longer, also I leave braids in for a week then wash and redo..


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

And MTG smells awful, and holds dirt and dust. Yuk. BTDT.


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## TeamRoper16 (Apr 30, 2012)

I would HIGHLY recommend NOT using MTG. My horses never rubbed until I used MTG. They one rubbed her tail so bad it caused sores and took forever to heal, let alone grow the hair back. I know some people have success with it but honestly I don't use if for anything other than small scratches or scrapes on their body, never use it on their mane or tail.
Here's what I do for manes and tails and I'm growing just under 2 inches a month. I use a new product called BioMane. It is seriously amazing. A lot of barrel racers I know are using it and they love it (if barrel racers love it, it's got to be good) It's a feed. I order it off their website Home page. It is the greatest product I've used for growing manes and tails (and I've used a lot)

Braiding
Mane: It's VERY important not to braid too tight at the base of the braid (near the roots) because this will cause irritation and result in rubbing. It's a constant pull on the hair. So I start the first few crosses of the braid fairly loose and then about halfway into it I tighten it up to make sure it holds. Don't use rubberbands to hold the braid if you're leaving it in. Band cut the hair strands if they're left in. Use black electrical tape. It's better than other tapes because it won't leave a gummy mess when you remove it.

Tail: Same thing goes for the tail when starting the braid, don't do it too tight. I start at the base of the tailbone, fairly loose for the first couple crosses and then tighten it up and finish with black electrical tape. I keep the tails in tail bags because the horse naturally is going to swat at flies, and this causes the hairs to break. But if the tail is in a tail bag, the hairs are protected. Really I think most any style tail bag works, just pick one that will fully cover the tail (the braided portion) and won't irritate your horse. 

*BRAIDING DOESN'T MAKE THE HAIR GROW! *Braiding helps protect the hair. BioMane is what is making my horses' manes and tails grow. I braid them to ensure that what is growing is going to stay and not get broken off by swishing and swatting.


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## michigancowgirl (Feb 17, 2013)

Remember to supplement with biotin, the hair grows from inside out and fed proper nutrition will help hair grow and be shiny


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## 38458bayhorse2012 (Nov 3, 2012)

I use to show the Arabian circuit and had tail growing down to a science. I used old tube socks as tail bags. You have to cut it down the band to make the tie strings. I cut them in half, and then in half again so I had four strings to work with. All tails were shampoo'd, conitioned, and then I used Cholesteol, a leave in human conditioners. when the tail is dry, braid it up in a medium (not too tight, not too loose) braid all the way down. Then I flipped the braid and pulled it through the top of the braid several times until it was looped up enough to fit into the tail bag. I then took a piece of yarn and tied the tail so it didn't sag in the tail bag. I had tails longer than I'd ever seen before. In summer, make sure you add some hay twine to the end (or something like it) so your horse can swish the flies.

Stay far, far away from MTG. I had a horse lose his forelock and part of his mane because his owner used the "recommended amount". 

Good luck!


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## sewsmarty (Jul 17, 2010)

*Another great product..*

Some great info posted here...I agree with mtg....until I saw the post I didn't realize that is probably what was making my horse rub his mane.....put it on once, thank heavens, and the next day he was rubbing his neck against a tree several times...plus it stinks and is oily...

I LOVE....LOVE Eqyss mega-tek rebullder.....that stuff is awesome...for horses and people...I have only used the rebuilder/conditioner so far....I used it on my hair first....I have straight hair to the middle of my back...I washed my hair, rinsed then applied mega-tech (smells just like coconut), left it on for at least 5 minutes and rinsed out....I was AMAZED....first of all I could comb right through my hair with ease and never could before when my hair was wet...I would always end up with a headache before and I had tried tons of conditioners plus my hair has highlighter in it....then after I blow dried it i couldn't believe how soft my hair was......the next day couldn't wait to use on my horse....his mane is very thick from using farriers formula....I could comb right through it while wet and after it dried it was awesome....shinny and today has been 3 days and I can still smell the coconut in his hair.....make sure to leave it on for at least 5 minutes.....I got it from smart pak but I saw it at tractor supply the other day and it is on ebay....it is about $29 but I promise you won't be sorry...it is amazing...I got another bottle for my horse as I am using the first bottle i got....I will never be without it.......if you try it let me know what you think....


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## Crossescowgirl (Apr 29, 2013)

I have never had a problem with mtg, i put it on useing plastic gloves then put a slinky on and leave it and it works great!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I was just reading on how to enhance the growth of mane and tail. Absolutely nothing works despite the claims. The recommendation was to start combing and the very end of the hair and carefully work to the roots, trying to avoid breakage. Like so many do, simply wash, rinse well then add a crème rinse and rinse out and braid medium tight and if you wish use a tail bag as well but for no more than three days, Remove braid, gently comb out, rebraid and rebag. It was recommended to braid in 5 or 6 braids, using the same procedure as the tail.


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## Blue Smoke (Dec 22, 2012)

I would suggest NOT braiding and keeping in a tail bag in the summer if your horse has any sort of turn out. I have seen far too many incidences where the horse was swishing his tail furiously trying to rid himself of bugs, getting it caught on something (fence, tree, shelter, even in the stall) and ripping nearly an entire third of the braid out. Without that braid it is likely only a few strands would have been pulled out. 

Personally I only put the tail up in a sock starting in the fall when the bugs go away, until the bugs return in the spring, then leave it down except for the night before a show. You do as you already said, wash, condition, and put up for no more than 2 weeks at a time (preferably less) but instead of using a brush or comb, use your fingers to gently comb through the tail and mane. Do NOT braid above the tail bone, start about an inch or 2 BELOW the tail bone. I don't have as much of an issue with keeping manes braided, but make sure there isn't something they can scratch on that a braid can get stuck on, I usually use a small strip of sheet in the mane instead of bare braids, it keeps strands from rubbing on each other and can hold conditioner in longer. 

Had bad experiences with MTG, rubbing and hair loss when used as directed, and it STUNK horribly, left a very greasy/sticky film. And absolutely don't braid too tight or you will have a horse that gets irritated and scratches.


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## sewsmarty (Jul 17, 2010)

*Mane socks*

You also might want to try mane socks they have a website and are awesome....


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