# Hair rubbing off



## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

A lot of people swear by MTG, but I have no experience with it. 

However, I would suggest that you take that halter off and leave it off. If she must have a halter during turnout due to barn rules, buy a larger leather one and put padding on it. This halter could be too small for her also, just as it sits. If you don't rectify it, she's going to get sore and then not allow you to halter her and react poorly to being ground worked, then also riding because the bridle with bother her as well.

If she is hard to catch, consider a leather neck band instead of a halter.


----------



## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

thanks northernmama, I've been meaning to get a leather halter anyway at some point...the one she's wearing in the pics is actually new...the one she had before was a lot larger, so I thought that getting her a nicer fitting one may help because it wouldn't be moving around as much (she wears a cob)...here's a pic of her in her old halter, the one that may have been causing the rubbing (unless it's been the bridle)? (sorry, pic is rather large)...


----------



## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Oh, but what a beautiful picture it is! It's sweet. 

It does look like you could match up the marks on her face now with where that old halter was though.

_Can_ you go without a halter for her? I halter my girls only for feeding time for my bossy mare and when grooming them. I know that won't help with the kicks and nips and scrapes, but it'll help her face.

BTW, I love those braids. They look so, so, so... I dunno... just so cute somehow.


----------



## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

Hair just rubbing off could be a sign of poor diet or lack of something. Happened on Blu's face until I got him a salt block. Even make sure you brush quite a bit to keep the oils circulating..


----------



## Fancygal (May 14, 2009)

I use nu-image on my mare because she has a thin mane and I asked my vet and he said he had a mare that didn't have good hair on her shoulder and it has worked on my mare, it also gives them a really good shiny show coat too. I think MTG is more of a mane and tail product then on their body. Also nu-image it's that expensive either.


----------



## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

northernmama said:


> Oh, but what a beautiful picture it is! It's sweet.
> 
> It does look like you could match up the marks on her face now with where that old halter was though.
> 
> ...


I'll ask the place where I board...they leave all of their halters on when they turn out I think just because there are 40+ horses so it's easier for them if they leave the halters on...but she is the alpha mare of the pasture so she always comes right to the gate to come in, no issues...and she's always first! So I'll ask them today, just to see if it helps any, thanks! Her halter gets left off when she's in her stall, so it's really just when she's in the pasture that she wears it. I wonder if any of it could also be caused by the bridle?

haha, yes the braids...very quickly done, nothing special..they're just training braids to try to make her mane stay on the right side!


----------



## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Fancygal said:


> I use nu-image on my mare because she has a thin mane and I asked my vet and he said he had a mare that didn't have good hair on her shoulder and it has worked on my mare, it also gives them a really good shiny show coat too. I think MTG is more of a mane and tail product then on their body. Also nu-image it's that expensive either.


Never heard of it, I'll check it out, thanks!!


----------



## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

BluMagic said:


> Hair just rubbing off could be a sign of poor diet or lack of something. Happened on Blu's face until I got him a salt block. Even make sure you brush quite a bit to keep the oils circulating..


Thanks for the tip, I'll look into this as well...although she's always had a mineral block (and LOVES it), and I brush her every day (I actually get picked on at the barn because I groom her so much!!)  I always use a really soft brush on her face, or just my hand...what does everyone else use on the face to groom? Any good tips?


----------



## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

ok so talked to the barn manager and they won't turn her out without a halter, for safety reasons...they said if she were ever to get loose, they'd have no way to catch her without one. So not haltering her is out...what else can I do to stop the rubbing?? Someone at the barn suggested I buy some sort of padding for the halter...anyone know where I can get some of that?


----------



## cowgirl4jesus94 (Jun 14, 2008)

Splash rubbed it off under his eyes. But it grew back pretty fast. It could be something in her diet or her head could just be itchy.


----------



## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> ok so talked to the barn manager and they won't turn her out without a halter, for safety reasons...they said if she were ever to get loose, they'd have no way to catch her without one. So not haltering her is out...what else can I do to stop the rubbing?? Someone at the barn suggested I buy some sort of padding for the halter...anyone know where I can get some of that?


Maybe the barn would consider a neck band instead of a halter? 

The padding can be had at a tack shop. It's just fleece or nylon-fleece padding. A sleeve with velco on it so you can put it where-ever you need it.

Edited to add:
Yes, some could be caused by the bridle, but if she does have sensitive skin or even if this is due to dietary considerations as others have suggested, the bridle isn't on her all the time -- the halter is. So that's where I would focus my attention.


----------

