damaged mane never growing back ?

[NiceNeverNaughty]

my mare had rubbed a large section of her mane before I got her - its been like this for years. I was told she had mild sweetitch (which she may well do) but she has never rubbed the rest of her mane or her tail.
Ive had her 2 months and have been using megatek, she is also in a very light fly rug (Amigo Mio) that has a silky lining on the neck and she is in an electric fenced paddock so has nothing to itch on. There is however , so far.. not a single millimetre of any growth on the rubbed part whatsoever. Could it be that the hair follicles are so damaged it will never come back? she’s a highland so looks very odd with only half a mane

 

[Pinkvboots]

Sometimes when it's badly damaged it never grows back as good, do you use a neck rug in winter? one of my horses can't wear a fly rug with a neck as it rubs part of his mane away I would be inclined to never put any rug over the neck if she is not rubbing it.

 

[C1airey]

My horse has sweet itch. He's hogged, but even so you can see a definite bald edge to where a section of his mane should be. It never, ever grows. If he'd rub the whole mane out, he'd save me a lot of time with the trimmers - what's left of it grows like a weed. He does itch his tail, but never enough to rub bald spots, and by the end of the summer, his midline is usually bald, but that also grows back.

Sorry OP.

Would she suit a hog?

 

[NiceNeverNaughty]

doesnt sound good then - her forelock is full and being a highland - she suits it. She’d look odd hogged i think but equally she looks odd with only half a mane

 

[Gloi]

Mine has had sweetitch for about 20 years and although he gets through most summers without much damage he still has about 8" of mane that doesn't grow due to previous damage, just has wispy bits a couple of inches long although the rest of his mane is thick. On the positive side it saves it getting tangles in the reins

 

[Cortez]

This is my 16 year old with sweet itch. His mane has never grown back in the 12 inches or so where he rubs it:

 

[NiceNeverNaughty]

please excuse the carcass in the road........ this is the best pic i have

 

[crabbymare]

although its messy sometimes cornucrescine will work but you need to apply a very thin amount and check that they are not sore as it can sometimes irritate once or twice a week is best if they are sensitive.

 

[Gloi]

Best just to accept that's how it is, so long as she isn't full of sweet itch scabs in the summer be happy with half a mane

 

[pizzi]

I rubbed linseed oil into a mane-was suggested by an old horseman- and it worked. Maybe coincidence but the horses mane hadn't grown for a long time.

 

[NiceNeverNaughty]

thanks , will try that

 

[fuzzymooch]

I rubbed linseed oil into a mane-was suggested by an old horseman- and it worked. Maybe coincidence but the horses mane hadn't grown for a long time.

although its messy sometimes cornucrescine will work but you need to apply a very thin amount and check that they are not sore as it can sometimes irritate once or twice a week is best if they are sensitive.

Second this, D had an old scar on his back when i ygot him, no hair about the size of a 50p price. Cornicresent worked for the most part. Might be worth a shot. Marmite good too for keeping sweetitch at bay .

 

[Greylegs]

I feel your pain!! My highland removed the centre section of his mane last October and it's just starting to recover. He has a definite bald area down one side of his crest but the hair on other side grows over, so the regrow that is thinner than the rest of his mane. I've owned him nearly 6 years now and it's never grown anything other than a bit of whispy stubble. I use Megatek to strengthen the remaining hair and do everything I can to stop him rubbing the area, including using special anti itch shampoo, and an anti itch balm which seems to help. I try to be rational about it (it's only hair!!!) and get huge mane envy when I see other highlands with long, thick manes ...... <sigh> ....

 

[tda]

Try coconut oil, I think it's the rubbing action that helps, but won't do any harm.