# How to Grow out a mane and tail and to thicken a mane and tail



## Runninghot88 (May 26, 2012)

I have a Dun gelding who has a very thin mane and tail :? He also along the crest of his neck where his mane starts has a lot of short hairs that stand up mohawk style. I have been using MTG on his mane to try and grow out the short hairs so they lay flat with the rest of his mane. How often would you use MTG (as in days in between)? What can be done to thicken the mane and tail? Thanks


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## BoldComic (Feb 26, 2012)

I know that biotin can help with manes and tails. I hate MTG because of the smell but I hear it works well. I always keep a thin tail braided or in a tail bag to minimize damage. Never use a curry on them. And I think products with silicone (used for shine) can dry the hair out. I know there are lots of threads on manes and tails and MTG so you could do a search... Good luck.


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## mlkuhn12 (Jan 7, 2012)

When I put my horse on Accel his mane got so thick and his tail now touches the ground. So maybe try a mineral supplement.


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## SaddleStrings (May 15, 2012)

Also, don't take a hair brush to the mane and tail every day. It breaks the hair and thins it. It's better to just hand pick knots and tangle and pick debry out daily. Sometimes I'll just use a body brush to brush through my horses manes and tails. If you have a really bad tangle, use a tiny bit of baby oil and gently pick it out. Like BoldComic said, the silicone detangler products tend to dry out the hair, so baby oil adds a little moister to it I think, with out adding a lot of chemicals.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I agree with above don't use a silicone based detangler, it will dry out the hair and cause breakage.
Don't brush out, pick out tangles carefully.

I use MTG and put it on several times a week just at the base of the mane and tail. Then I use Coconut Oil($5 at WalMart in the cooking oil section) on the rest of tail and mane as a conditioner. 
It is really greasy and the dirt will stick. But I don't know of anything else that will repell dirt and condition without drying.

You can keep the tail braided and in a bag, but I have never had much luck with keeping a mane braided.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Arizahn (Sep 25, 2011)

My daily routine is to detangle the mane and tail by hand, comb through - stopping to tease out any further tangles by hand - and then brush with a stiff brush. Apply a double handful of baby oil to both the mane and tail, work through with fingers, and lay the mane by hand. Then brush the oil through with the dandy brush to avoid having a greasy look to the mane and tail. I do not bathe her mane or tail.

I also feed cod liver oil, and apple cider vinegar, plus general purpose vitamins and minerals, including biotin.


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## Walk It Out (Jun 26, 2012)

My routine is pick out the tangles from her mane and carefully brush trough is, stopping at any snags. Then I condition it with coconut oil, braid it, then put MTG at the base of her mane. I only take out the braids if they start to fall out, and do this over again, and in no time her mane looks a lot longer. For her tail, I put some good deranged in it, brush it out where there's no knots, put coconut oil in it and wait for it to soak it in. Then I braid her tail using a 3tube tail sock. And apply MTG on her tail bone and massage it in.


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## fvfarabians (Aug 12, 2008)

MTG works good but yes it smells


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

> MTG works good but yes it smells


Like bbq! I actually really dont mind the smell. It works well, i just put it on once a week.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

BlueSpark said:


> Like bbq! I actually really dont mind the smell. It works well, i just put it on once a week.


It smells like bacon to me. Also makes me a little hungry.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Spirit Lifter (Apr 23, 2012)

MTG attracts dirt on my horses white tail, mane and forlock so I don't use it. I use a detangler that doesn't have alcohol as an ingredient because it dries out the hair. Then I use the body brush on the tail and mane. I put the tail end on the top of my leg and start at the bottom and work my way up. Once the bottom is tangle free, I divide the tail in fourths and work each piece separately up to the base of the tail. If you look at the body brush when have finished and you have done it correctly, you will only have 2 or 3 hairs that you've lost.


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## LoveMyBandido (Jul 2, 2012)

I have used MTG on my mustang. It's seriously a miracle. I don't have a great picture of his mane right now...but you can see how long it's grown. 










nowadays...










it's past the bottom of his neck. and this is not a very good mane time for him...his mane got a little wild when I didn't brush it and eventually I had to work it all out. which led to some breakage and thinning out...but MTG will seriously work, you just have to get past the smell.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Runninghot88 said:


> What can be done to thicken the mane and tail?


You cannot change genetics. Hair can only be as thick as the folicles allow.

MTG does NOT make hair grow. The bottle plainly says ENCOURAGES hair growth. Encourages does not equal make.


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## LoveMyBandido (Jul 2, 2012)

mls said:


> You cannot change genetics. Hair can only be as thick as the folicles allow.
> 
> MTG does NOT make hair grow. The bottle plainly says ENCOURAGES hair growth. Encourages does not equal make.


That's very true; but, it's worth a shot...there are things you can do to see if your horse's mane and tail have the potential to grow.

For me, Bandido must have the genetics for a beautiful mane and tail...but, I will say that MTG definitely sped up the growth of it.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

LoveMyBandido said:


> I will say that MTG definitely sped up the growth of it.


:?
Sigh . . .


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## LoveMyBandido (Jul 2, 2012)

mls said:


> :?
> Sigh . . .


I didn't realize it, but apparantly you were at my ranch during the times when I used MTG and the times that I didn't. 

this was my PERSONAL experience with the use. If you'd like to say that you tried it and it didn't work for you, feel free; but I'm pretty sure you can't legitimately claim to know what worked or didn't work for me.


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## MurrayLover12 (May 8, 2012)

I am going to borrowsome tips  but for detangling without the thinning I use cowboy magic on a stiff brush and brush over the mane, tail, and forelock


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