# Winter mane protection



## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

I always hear about the elaborate things people do to wrap their horses tail (going to give it a go again this winter), but I never hear about manes. Does anyone do anything different or special for wintertime mane growth/protection? I have an Arab so I don't need to keep his mane short and I can make decent button braids with his mane long since its fine. A few winters ago, before I bought him, part of his mane was rubbed off by his blanket since his the owner wouldn't groom the unused horses so they'd all get the ugly dreadlocks and many would end up with breakage. One made got so bad that roaching her was the only solution!
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## cowgirl4753 (Aug 3, 2012)

I've got a palomino mare that I will be keeping braided this winter, not for anyother reason but to keep it clean. Don't have the facilities to wash it during the winter so this will help keep it clean. My boys I don't worry about till spring, as the grass is always greener on the other side! 
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## BigBenLoverforLife (Sep 19, 2012)

I just use the same routine as always?


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## Northernstar (Jul 23, 2011)

It doesn't say in what region you are located, but here in the north, most all horse owners keep it "pure and simple" when it comes to winter - (albeit blanketing of course for a horse with health issues, old age, etc)..... I'm always amazed at how thick horse hair really is, and with our extreme winters, am visibly reminded of the way "Mother Nature" has provided the horse with a long mane - water cascades off of it, (as well as the outer body hair) keeping their necks dry, icecicles cling to it, keeping the neck warm....The very same with the tail - Nature gave the horse these "tools" for a very specific reason, and nary a winter have I seen so much as a shiver - as long as hay is readily available to keep 'fuel' in their 'furnace'


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## brighteyes08 (Jan 20, 2010)

I never do anything to the mane because his only grows to a medium length, I do put a loose braid in the tail and leave it so it wont get tangled.


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## Almond Joy (Dec 4, 2011)

Subbing... I'm gonna go search for a video that shows how to wrap a horse's tail


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## Wheatermay (Aug 22, 2011)

I braid mine up and wrap them with vet wrap and take it out every week or two and redo.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Ditto Northernstar, except I'm in southern Middle Tennessee.

My 25 yo with Equine Metabolic Syndrome STILL has a tail that's dragging the ground and he goes out on 22 acres every day. Granted it's only by about 3 inches right now but, by the end of winter, it will double that.

By the end of winter all my Walking Horses tails will be dragging the ground to some degree or another.

The 26 yo Arab's tail never did get that long but his mane is still below his shoulder and will be "way below" his shoulders by the end of winter.

Their hooves don't slow down much in the "slow season" either.

I attribute all that "retainable growth" to Omega-3 Horseshine. I have never shown so have no desire, nor the time, to be wrapping things. 
They "run with what they brung"; I just want them to be healthy while they're bringing it.

It turns out the Omega-3 Horseshine has been an added growth boost that keeps their manes and tails strong enough to barely break off when they get the summer itichies and are swatting at flies out in the pasture.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

There's tons of threads on here about tails. No one mentions the mane!
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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I keep my gelding's mane up in a running braid year round. It's about 3 ft long and turns into dreadlocks very quickly if left down. I also keep his tail braided and in a bag. I re-do them both approximately weekly.


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## Reiner8 (Sep 1, 2012)

I would braid it and put it in mane braiding bags. I saw some mane braiding bags somewhere on the internet.....


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

verona1016 said:


> I keep my gelding's mane up in a running braid year round. It's about 3 ft long and turns into dreadlocks very quickly if left down. I also keep his tail braided and in a bag. I re-do them both approximately weekly.


Do you have any problems with other horses yanking out mane? I've done pasture brake during the summer but sometimes I come back and theyre unravelled. I can't determine if the bands are just falling off if they're being helped off.
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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

DancingArabian said:


> Do you have any problems with other horses yanking out mane? I've done pasture brake during the summer but sometimes I come back and theyre unravelled. I can't determine if the bands are just falling off if they're being helped off.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


In the 6 months or so that I've had him, his braid has only come out once, but I'm not sure if it fell out on its own or if one of his turnout buddies helped  He's stalled most of the time (he usually gets3-4 hours of turnout daily) so they don't have a ton of opportunity to try!


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

The horse's mane is another means of how the horse controls his skin temperature. If you alter that you reduce the horse's protection. Same if you chose to blanket your arab. He will grow a good coat and be warm if, as NorthernStar says, you provide hay round the clock. Digesting hay is what warms a horse, not a blanket. My arab had a long thick mane and tail and grew a coat like a grizzly bear and our temps have hit -30 F.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Saddlebag said:


> The horse's mane is another means of how the horse controls his skin temperature. If you alter that you reduce the horse's protection. Same if you chose to blanket your arab. He will grow a good coat and be warm if, as NorthernStar says, you provide hay round the clock. Digesting hay is what warms a horse, not a blanket. My arab had a long thick mane and tail and grew a coat like a grizzly bear and our temps have hit -30 F.


I'm in MD if that matters.

Most of the horses where he is now are starting to get in some winter growth. His fur is so short right now, he looks and feels clipped (but he is NOT clipped, at all).

He's on free choice pasture right now, and I will start introducing hay as the pasture dies off, working up to free choice hay when it's all gone.


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