# Please help with my horses mane



## LoveMyDrummerBoy (Nov 5, 2009)

I show at local Dressage shows about every other weekend. My horse usually has a super thick, long mane and typically in the summer, I have to braid it because my horse gets really hot and sweaty when its 100 degrees and he has a blanket of mane on his neck. I usually braid about 7-9 braids down his neck and rebraid all the time (about every 3-7 days). The problem that is occuring this summer is that his mane is starting to break off and is rapidly getting shorter.

My trainer told me that the people who own the fresians that are showing all the time in my area, do a typical french (or running) braid and then vetwrap it. I would consider doing that, but have no idea how that could be done.

Does anyone know how to do that or have any other ideas or tips on how to save his mane? :?

Thanks in advance


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## LovesMyDunnBoy (Aug 11, 2011)

I know how to do a running braid, (not sure about the vet wrap lol) it's basically like french braiding down your horses neck. I'm trying to think of how to explain it...
Okay, take a section of hair at the top of the neck and brain it just about two times, not all the way down. You should have two sections in one hand, (closer to the poll) and one it the other (closer to withers) now in the one with one section, grad another section and do once over (like continuing the braid) and then do the same all the way down the neck. Be careful and keep it as high on the neck as possible, it's less likely to fall out. And this can be harder the shorter it is. Sorry if its hard to understand lol, the best I can do with explaining and now being able to show you!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## LoveMyDrummerBoy (Nov 5, 2009)

First off, I love your username!! :wink:

Secondly, I do know how to do a running braid, what I'm asking about is for everyday use. A braid that I can use, without making my horse much hotter than he already is, but also not allowing the mane to break off and become shorter. I've lost like 4 inches this past month or so. :shock:

Perhaps my original thread was misleading, but I think that the question is properly rephrased in this post.


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## LovesMyDunnBoy (Aug 11, 2011)

Ohh, I understand. Oops  and thanks I was thinking the same about your username lol! I have to read it twice. I have always loved to use the running braid, it's made my mares mane grow out. But I can't seem to think of another way to prevent breaking.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DejaVu (Jul 6, 2011)

Just take some rubber bands, and instead of braiding, just band about two or three areas down the length of his mane depending on how long it is. Make sense? It's just like doing a ponytail, in big sections down his neck. Once the initial top one is done, do another farther down that section. It's not as pretty as braids, but it's nicer on the mane.

It gets it off their neck nicely, without worrying about the breakage of braiding all the time.

Sorry if that's confusing, it's the best I can think to explain it.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Condition, condition, condition!!

I don't know if you use any products in his mane, but make beware of detanglers and shiners that make the mane dry and brittle. I just use conditioners in my Haffies manes for the most part.

IDK if this would work, but how about chopping up some pantyhose into rings, and using them to twist around bunches of mane rather than braiding it up?


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## ScharmLily (Nov 23, 2009)

Maybe make your braids smaller and looser. Less weight to pull and less tension should help minimize mane loss. Also, maybe just braid on the really hot days. I thought that I would braid my mare's mane this year, but I realized that having the braids in all the time was just too itchy for her. Also, weekly brushing was pulling out too much hair even though I was VERY careful. Now I just do a loose french braid on the really hot days.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

I've found that when they are braided they tend to break off more hair when they rub on something, so no advice there. 

I have working QH's with manes to/past their shoulders. I use jojoba oil to condition (I get it by the gallon from Solid Gold in CA, fairly expensive but lasts a long time! I use it on myself too) I try to keep them worked through on a regular basis, no metal combs of any kind and usually just finger comb them to prevent breakage. 

You might try MTG to get some growth going. The stuff works wonders but smells like a smokehouse. I use it on broodmares that have had their tails used for pacifiers. Had one chewed off to above her hocks last year (despite trying cayenne, listerine, sour apple, darn babies!) and it's to her fetlocks now, I used MTG every other week on her.


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## Lightning H Ranch (Aug 16, 2011)

I just attempted a running braid the other day! It's pretty much like French braiding. You start at the poll and, instead of adding pieces from both sides, you add pieces of hair from the opposite side of the poll, if that makes any sense. I could try to make a video and send you the link once it's made. But it's not near as hard as it looks.


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## Jamzimm101987 (Aug 11, 2011)

This will all depend on how attached you are to your horse's long mane. Braids, no matter what shape or style will break hair. If you don't care about the long mane, then you can just do maintenance braids. If you really don't want the mane to break, just leave the mane down and unbraided when you're not showing. I don't think it bothers your horse as much as you think it does.


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

I had to do braiding on my girl's mane because she likes to rub against stuff and is ripping her hair out in chunks. It's far thinner than it was a few weeks ago. Which was disheartening because I love love love her mane. So I asked someone on here, who owns the Friesian stallion Teake, what she does with her horses mane. She says she braids it and folds it up twice and then bands it with expensive electric tape. Not to use the cheap stuff because it will melt and get sticky. And she only washes his mane every other week to every three weeks or more or less when needed. So far so good. She hasn't been able to tear any more mane out and the braids are staying in a lot better than with rubber bands. The only time I use dentangler is when I can't get a knot out. I've been using conditioner in her roots and giving her flax seed with her grain.


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

Just for reference. Here is Teake's fan page:
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Pics from there:
Braided








Unbraided


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## nicole25 (Jun 24, 2011)

ShutUpJoe said:


>


Holy Cow, now that is a mane!! How beautiful.


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## Made by the moon (Aug 17, 2011)

have you ever heard of "Healthy hair" ?? its pretty popular. but if not you should get some you can spray it all over thier mane, tail, and coat, everyday. it wont dry it out, makes it grow thick and shiny. my sister sprays it on her western pleasure show horse everyday! works good! hope this helped


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

I'm curious Joe, how is it that the tape doesn't pull the hair when it's removed? Seems like it would pull the mane out if it was stuck to it like that?


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## nicole25 (Jun 24, 2011)

I was wondering the same thing about the tape. If it is not the cheap stuff it definitely has some adhesive on it that could really pull anything off. I wonder how long it takes to braid that mane.


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## Made by the moon (Aug 17, 2011)

PRETTY MANE! but seems like it would get really hot really fast! does it get hot where you live? i would keep it braided alot in the summer so its comfortable


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

nicole25 said:


> Holy Cow, now that is a mane!! How beautiful.


What a beautiful mane!!!


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

Just a note. That is NOT my horse. I sampled this first on my Haflinger's mane to make sure it wouldn't pull. When I took it off there was little hair that was pulled out. Most of the hair that was stuck to it was hair that was already loose. I was really careful when I pulled it off but I didn't need to be because it came off really easily. I took a picture of her all braided up today because I got on her for the first time. But I have no downloaded it yet. I'll post pics of her mane though. Just to show you what I'm talking about. 

This is when I left it unbraided. 










I asked around and someone told me that they kept their horses mane braided but he was stalled. So I decided to give it a try. 










But she would tear out the braids and break off her mane. Not sure how well you can see it in this picture. 









See all the lose hair? BUT when I kept it braided it looked like this unbraided. 










Which is WAY better than what it looked like when I didn't keep it braided. And it didn't get as tangled. She would seriously get twigs, hay, bugs and all sorts of stuff tangled in her mane. She's had the electric tape in her hair for about three days now and there are hardly any loose hairs. I'll let you guys know how her mane looks in about a week and a half because I'm going to take it down and make sure that this way is working.


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

Downloaded the pics but most of them were taken too far away to tell anything. Her is her forelock. I couldn't keep it braided at all before. She would rip it out and some of her hair. This is the longest it's remained braided.


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