A mane could be your horse’s best feature, but not without some work. Breakage is your number one enemy when trying to grow out a mane. Finding what causes the breakage and fixing it will allow the hair to grow and be strong.
Diet and Health
If your horse is having a hard time with growing a healthy mane you might want to check with an equine nutritionist or vet first thing. Holes in a horse’s diet can lead to hair that isn’t strong or soft. The nutritionist might suggest any variety of ways to give your horse a boost. Certain vitamins and minerals aid hair growth and health, including biotin, amino acids lysine and methionine, and trace minerals zinc, copper and iodine. A great way to get these vitamins is through flax seed and a variety of other supplements on the market. Assuring your horse has a complete diet can prevent skin conditions that may cause your horse to itch and pull their mane out as well.
Bathing
Take extra precautions with your bathing routine. Don’t over bathe and when you do bathe your horse use products that are gentle and moisturizing. Pay extra attention to the root of the hair and massage the scalp to increase circulation. After you’re done take extra care to wash out all the shampoo to ensure no irritation occurs. Limiting baths allows the skin to produce its own nourishing and strengthening oil which in turn creates a healthy mane. This is essential since weak hairs are more likely to break and limit hair growth.
Brushing and Braiding
Brushing a long mane should be done gently. It’s encouraged to prepare the mane by putting a leave-in conditioner on the hair and letting it be absorbed before going in with a brush or comb. A moisturized, conditioned mane will not tangle as easily as a dry mane making it less work for you and lessening the amount of breakage that could happen while working with the mane. While brushing take your time and don’t be afraid to use your fingers to loosen knots. Once the mane is brushed you can start to braid. Loose, simple braids can be essential to reaching the desired mane length. Keeping the hair braided assists in keeping the hair clean and protected from the elements. It’s important to keep the braids loose as tight braids limit circulation and can break the hair. After you braid you can also put in mane braid bags to further protect the hair.
By preventing breakage and strengthening your horse will have luxurious locks in no time!
Dr. Groom Recommends: IntenseEQ Leave-In Combing Cream
- Non-tacky, easy to comb, and anti-frizz conditioner.
- Adds definition, volume and memory to hair.
- Contains moisturizing Silk Beads, Argan Oil & Botanical Extracts.