# keeping another horse from chewing my horses mane?



## shaggy

Is there anyway to keep another horse from chewing my horses mane? Aside from actually separating them which I'm not able to do at the moment. IS there anything I can put on it or something?


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## HorseCrazyTeen

I wonder if Bitter Apple would help? Has anyone else ever tried this? Or braiding it up *and* using bitter apple? I'd like to know, too. The boys like to chew on my mare's mane!


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## shaggy

never heard of bitter apple and I thought about braiding it but then I got scared the other horse would chew the braid off! lol does anyone know if neck covers work at all?


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## shaggy

bump please help me out people!


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## shaggy

Bummp (im gonna keep bumping til some else replies)


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## shaggy

Really 111 views and no one has anything to say or any ideas


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## EthanQ

My aunt put hotsauce on her horse's mane and it kept her gelding from chewing the mares mane.


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## HorseCrazyTeen

Bitter apple is a nasty tasting spray, it's is actually meant for dogs so they wouldn't chew on their paws (or lick their injuries, or eat the couch...) but I don't see why it wouldn't work for horses. You can buy it at PetSmart. Just wear latex gloves, because that taste doesn't come off your hands for a couple of days and will ruin the taste of your food. And a neck cover would work too, if you would rather use that. Sounds like the easiest thing to do in your case!


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## shaggy

EthanQ- Hot sause interesting idea!

HorseCrazyTeen- cool thanks I may have to try that bitter apple stuff


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## Cherie

Most horses, calves and colts that actually eat manes and tails are lacking Calcium. It is usually horses that are on grass or grass-hay which is often deficient in Calcium.

If you would make a loose mineral available that has 3 or 4 times as much Calcium in it as it has Phosphorus, and 25% or less salt. The horses will eat it instead of manes, tails, trees, wood fences and stalls. This is NOT the same thing as 'trace mineral' blocks and loose minerals are far better than blocks. Ours is 24% Calcium (Ca), 5% Phosphorus (P), 24% salt, 2% Magnesium (Mg), with Zinc and 150,000 Units of Vitamin A per pound.


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## busysmurf

We used to braid it and put dish soap on the braids. Make sure not get any on his "scalp" cause it'll get itchy. The end up looking really greasy, but it washes out easily.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## shaggy

busysmurf said:


> We used to braid it and put dish soap on the braids. Make sure not get any on his "scalp" cause it'll get itchy. The end up looking really greasy, but it washes out easily.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


no a bad idea.


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## busysmurf

shaggy said:


> no a bad idea.[/QUOTE
> 
> Just curious why you say that.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


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## shaggy

oh I'm sorry BusySmurf it was a typo! It was supposed to say Not a bad Idea!


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## busysmurf

Not a problem I just went "huh, what'd I mess up this time?" LOL


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## shaggy

lol the only thing was messed up is my horrible typing when I'm in a hurry lol


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## Cherie

And you've got something against treating the cause of mane and tail eating?


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## shaggy

Cherie said:


> And you've got something against treating the cause of mane and tail eating?


huh? I don't have anything against it.


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## DancingArabian

Cherie said:


> And you've got something against treating the cause of mane and tail eating?


The horse doing the chewing might not be hers, in which case she may not be able to make dietary changes.


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## shaggy

wait dietary change? did i miss that somewhere?


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## Cherie

How many horses are running together?

What are they eating for forage? Are they eating grass and/or grass hay? If so, it is very simple to put out a high Calcium loose mineral.


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## shaggy

Cherie said:


> How many horses are running together?
> 
> What are they eating for forage? Are they eating grass and/or grass hay? If so, it is very simple to put out a high Calcium loose mineral.


There are 5 geldings running together. Two are mine. They eat grass as they are all pasture kept.


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## Gibbsgirl

there is always a grazing muzzle too.

Does double duty if your horse is pudgy. (not implying anything)


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## Cherie

I would guess that they need Calcium and that a good high Calcium loose mineral with Magnesium, Zinc and only a little if any Phosphorus would stop the tail chewing. It will also stop pastured horses from eating tree bark and wood. 

If you want to test it, cut down some young cottonwood, willow or poplar limbs or saplings and see if they attack them.


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## Cherie

You can't stop him from eating his only source of forage. The only thing you can do is balance it.


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## shaggy

Gibbsgirl said:


> there is always a grazing muzzle too.
> 
> Does double duty if your horse is pudgy. (not implying anything)


 Hehe they're all pudgy lol


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## shaggy

Cherie- hes not eating my horses mane like food, he's chewing on it when they groom each other.


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## Cherie

That's what they do.


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## Mrough

I have tried viniger just plain white it works good to


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## LoveHipHop

We've recently had this problem with Hippy; one of the other horses in his field was chewing the end of his tail until it was lovely and thick at the top, and really thin and straggly at the bottom!
You can actually buy anti-chew spray for horses to put on rugs etc. and we used that on Hip Hop's mane and tail, and it worked well! He's stopped now, thank goodness, and Hip Hop's tail si starting to grow back lovely and long now! 
If not, maybe plait your horses mane, as suggested before?
Good luck!


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## DancingArabian

shaggy said:


> wait dietary change? did i miss that somewhere?


Read Cherie's posts in this thread. I can't see the post numbers from mobile mode but it looks like her first one is post 10. She explains about what could be causing the chewing from a nutrition perspective.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## shaggy

LoveHipHop said:


> We've recently had this problem with Hippy; one of the other horses in his field was chewing the end of his tail until it was lovely and thick at the top, and really thin and straggly at the bottom!
> You can actually buy anti-chew spray for horses to put on rugs etc. and we used that on Hip Hop's mane and tail, and it worked well! He's stopped now, thank goodness, and Hip Hop's tail si starting to grow back lovely and long now!
> If not, maybe plait your horses mane, as suggested before?
> Good luck!


Thanks for the reply! I may try the anti- chew stuff! I would love to braid it just to get it off his neck but I'm scared I go to the barn and find a braid chewed off lol


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## shaggy

Mrough said:


> I have tried viniger just plain white it works good to


Vinger why didn't I think of that before! I use that to clean everything in my house! lol


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