Posted 2005-11-22 7:13 PM (#33346) Subject: taming a mane
Regular
Posts: 67
Location: Iowa
I need suggestions.My horse has a very thick mane. When I first got him, he was full of burrs. It was one solid burr throughout his mane, forlock, and tail. He even looked like a unicorn! When I got all of them out, his mane all laid on one side. During the winter, he rubbed a good section off due to a hay ring. Ever since then, I can't get it to all go on one side. I've tried braids, rubber bands, even packing mud in it. The briads and rubber bands eventually end of standing up. I haven't tried a fabric type mane tamer. Are there any home remedies? It's not really that big of a deal because he is just a trail horse. I don't want to buy something just for looks. (During the 4-H fair we band it.) It just bugs me.I'm wondering if it would help to trim the hair on the bottom of the mane to thin it out. Any suggestions? Thanks
Posted 2005-11-22 8:34 PM (#33354 - in reply to #33346) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
Location: Kansas
If you're only trail riding and you could stand the growing out stages if you decide to let him go back natural, you could always undercut his mane. Lay it all over on the opposite side from where you want it to lie, take electric clippers and cut in about 1/4 to 1/3 the width of his mane all down the length of the mane. Start with a very narrow width, you can always make it wider but you can't make it narrower if you mess up. You will want to start at ear and go down to end, keeping a fairly straight line all the way down. That will thin it out and it should lay over fine. Did this a hundred years ago (ok, late 1970s) with my show horse. Word of warning-it's a mess to grow back out later.
Posted 2005-11-23 11:49 AM (#33366 - in reply to #33346) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Location: KY
We use baby oil on the manes; the best thing I have used on an unruly split end sun bleached mane was hair color; it sealed the hair and conditioned it too. If you are into sewing, you can make a hair net for the mane or there are mesh ones available on horse supply sites. Put oil on the mane then put the net on it; hair training is like horse training; patience, persistence and time. Good luck.
Posted 2005-11-23 2:19 PM (#33377 - in reply to #33346) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Regular
Posts: 67
Location: Iowa
Thank you. I am going to try thinning it out. I have all winter to let it grow. His mane all there now, it's just half on one side and half on the other starting about half way down.
Posted 2005-11-29 8:44 PM (#33588 - in reply to #33377) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Regular
Posts: 87
Location: Perry, Georgia
I use afro sheen. ;) No kidding. I wasnt about to pay a fortune anymore for ShoSheen, etc. which are just silicone coated junk anyway so I decided to get a little creative.
I went into the hair products section at Wal-mart and found these great products for African american hair. I ended up buying this jar of Miracle Afro or something like that (I'd have to go into the barn to get the name) but it is incredible stuff. It's real gooey, has aloe, Vitamin E, A, all kinds of really great stuff. It makes my horses manes shine! And really conditions them. Warm it up in your hands, rub it into the mane and then comb it in. It's fantastic.
Yesterday a friend was over and said, "wow, what do you do to their manes?" I just said, "afro sheen." Everyone has the same reaction. They can't believe it.
Posted 2005-11-30 9:14 AM (#33602 - in reply to #33346) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
Location: Kansas
And here I thought I was the only one who did that! My beautician uses a sizing product made by Lamaur on my hair that is the best thing in the world to get tangles out and to use on manes when banding. Also makes hair very shiny and conditioned and tails look fuller.
Posted 2005-11-30 2:36 PM (#33615 - in reply to #33602) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Regular
Posts: 87
Location: Perry, Georgia
Terri, I just went out to my barn and got the stuff. It's African Price "Magical Gro" (Maximum Herbal Strength.) It's a fraction of the cost of anything you get in the Horseman's supply places and it works better than all of it, imo. If you're caucasion, you get a lot of funny looks but it's worth it!
Posted 2005-11-30 7:17 PM (#33632 - in reply to #33346) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Regular
Posts: 67
Location: Iowa
being that it's winter and COLD, here, I won't be combing and banding the mane anytime soon. I do want to try that afro sheen this spring/summer. His mane does look nice when it's all nice and combed, cleaned, and banded. I'm looking to do something this winter to help it stay on one side. It's so thick that the front part of his mane wants to lay on the left while the other part lays on the right.
Posted 2005-12-02 10:27 PM (#33698 - in reply to #33346) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Expert
Posts: 1989
Location: South Central OK
My fav is a hoodie that zips up the underside from nose to chest. They are made from Spandex and you don't use any product on the hair.
On a side note, when I showed cattle there was a product that we used to break/train the hair, and it smelled like mint. Try looking on the Sullivan's website for more info. It worked like a charm!
Posted 2005-12-04 5:01 PM (#33742 - in reply to #33698) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Regular
Posts: 87
Location: Perry, Georgia
hunt, I just saw that in my Chick's saddlery catlogue. Marn, if you're interested just let me know I can probably find you a link, online. It's a great place to buy tack cheap, by the way. But never saw the hoodie before.
Posted 2005-12-04 5:03 PM (#33743 - in reply to #33346) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Veteran
Posts: 169
Location: CA
I stopped using ShowSheen because it just didn't do a good job at getting out tangles or conditioning the mane. Also quit Cowboy Magic: loved what it did when first applied, but the next day the mane was dry again. A friend gave me this concoction, and it works great for conditioning dry manes/tails, and for creating a soft coat:
In a 32oz or less spray bottle, put a big squirt of Laser Sheen, two big squirts of both Mane and Tail, and Infusium 23 Leave in hair conditioner, fill container with water and shake well.
That being said I'm heading to Wal Mart tomorrow to find that African Pride Magical Gro and see how well it works!
Posted 2005-12-09 8:33 AM (#33894 - in reply to #33880) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Regular
Posts: 87
Location: Perry, Georgia
marn, I just went through some catalogues and it's called a mane tamer. I just round it online at http://www.chicksaddlery.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MT53 but first found it in their catalogue which has a picture of it on the horse so you get a better idea. I'm looking at my state line tack catalogue and they have one too. It's called a Deluxe polyester mane tamer. for $16.99
I threw out my chicks catologue so I cant get you an item number but it's exactly what I think you are looking for. Oh wait, I just found it on stateline's web site. Here's a picture of it and it's use. http://www.statelinetack.com/slt/main.jsp Let me know if this helps.
Also, how did it go for everyone who used those hair products? They work great for my Arabs with their long manes and I dont even need to discuss the price difference between African Pride and ShowSheen! There is some great stuff in those aisles. ;)
Posted 2005-12-09 8:56 AM (#33897 - in reply to #33894) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
Location: Kansas
A word to the wise...if accessing Chick's website, be SURE to use the word "saddlery". I didn't and...well, you can just imagine what came up. Yes, I'm a little naive, well maybe not anymore!
Posted 2005-12-09 9:39 AM (#33898 - in reply to #33897) Subject: RE: taming a mane
Regular
Posts: 87
Location: Perry, Georgia
lol, terri. Too funny. I once had to look up something by an artist and up popped one of Robert Mapplethorpe's "works". That image is still seared in my brain. One letter off in a google search and you can be scarred for life . ;)
Marn, by the way, I forgot to answer your question: It's for horses, not humans!