A horse with a beautiful, silky looking mane is something we should all aspire to have, and with our top tips, it’s really not that difficult to ensure that your horse has a healthy tail that is thick, and looking great.
Grooming your horse serves many purposes. It is an ideal time to get to know your horse and to bond with him. Horses, in general, enjoy being groomed. Thorough grooming promotes good health and a shiny coat by removing dirt and dander that can cause dry, itchy skin. If you take the time to groom your horse thoroughly every day, you will notice any small cuts, abrasions or irregularities that you otherwise might not find. A grooming session is also a good time to teach young horses good ground manners, such as standing quietly and picking up his feet when asked.
So here goes, our top 5 tips for a healthy horse mane;
- Healthy hair comes from the inside out – so think about your horses’ diet and make sure he’s receiving proper nutrition. Healthy hair comes from protein, amino acids and vitamins in quality forage and feed.
- Use grooming tools designed for manes and tails. Ideally, use your fingers to remove any knots and whatever you do, do not use human hair brushes as these will break the hair and pull it out. Do you know it can take a year for a long horse hair to grow back?
- To stimulate growth, brush the dock of your horse’s tail daily with a dandy brush. This will loosen and remove dirt and dander, which can make your horse itchy. Brushing the dock and upper part of the tail bone also increases blood flow, which stimulates growth.
- Make sure you inspect your horse for any parasites or insects which will cause itching. You can help your horse, by making sure he is on a regular de-worming program and by checking their sheath and anus area. Consult your veterinarian if you suspect there might be a problem.
- Give your horse’s tail a bubble bath! Put a small amount of shampoo into a small bucket and then add water to make it sudsy. Hold the bucket in one hand and dunk your horse’s tail in it with the other. Swish it around thoroughly, then rinse. To help stop your horse from standing on his tail while it dries, pop it in a loose slip knot.
When grooming your horses tail, make sure you stand beside him and not directly behind him as he could kick-out. This is also the case for a horse that has never kicked before, as you never know when something might startle him.
Enjoy grooming your horse and we hope our tips help you in achieving a beautiful horse mane.
For more information please feel free to call Morag on 01698 886 492 or email on contact@scottishhorsehelp.com.