Fell pony mane, tail and feather care

[PSD]

Hi all

First time fell owner here! I have recently bought a 2yo fell filly and I am looking for tips/advice on how to care for her mane, tail and feather. She has a substantial amount already however it’s very dry and I want to make sure I’m managing it correctly as I’ve never had a hairy pony! I have been told to have her in a fly rug to protect the mane and prevent sun (she’s a little bothered by the flies and itching a bit - but she does need a good bath!) and oil her mane weekly. I want to have a try at some county shows with her when the season returns and so want her to be show ring ready.

would love to hear your tips! Here is said pony, Charellbre Ebony (her tail is a lot thicker than it looks on these photos)

 

[ChiffChaff]

I don’t have any advice but she is stunning!!

 

[PSD]

I don’t have any advice but she is stunning!!

Thank you! She’s my first ever fell after dreaming of having one for a while. She’s a little love, for a pretty much “left alone” two year old she is so willing and friendly

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I never did anything special to my fells mane, tail or feathers and he always had lovely thick, black hair. It never sun bleached, he never wore a fly rug, it only ever got brushed out when he had a bath for a show.

He was one of the best ponies I have ever had.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Sun bleaching can occur if a horse is deficient in copper as well. Oil will cause the mane to be damaged by the sun by basic principal of being oil.

if it were me then id get a big bottle of really good mane and tail spray and a good human conditioner. Once you have washed and bathed leave the Human conditioner in the mane and tail and don’t rinse out. Works a treat for wiry manes and leaves them Silky smooth. Once or twice a week put in the spray horse conditioner.

By all means oil for a show but it will cause sun damage if done all the time

 

[Fiona]

A fly rug might rub out her mane???

I'd just concentrate on using a good fly repellent, and keeping her mane and tail clean and shiny with plenty of conditioner.

Fiona

 

[PSD]

Sun bleaching can occur if a horse is deficient in copper as well. Oil will cause the mane to be damaged by the sun by basic principal of being oil.

if it were me then id get a big bottle of really good mane and tail spray and a good human conditioner. Once you have washed and bathed leave the Human conditioner in the mane and tail and don’t rinse out. Works a treat for wiry manes and leaves them Silky smooth. Once or twice a week put in the spray horse conditioner.

By all means oil for a show but it will cause sun damage if done all the time

thank you! A friend of mine had a fell that she oiled and rugged but to me oil in the mane long term isn’t a good thing and rugs cause running too if they get too hot!

I don’t think she is lacking in hair for an2 year old however I just want to make sure it’s in good condition. Would it be a leave in conditioner or just a normal one?

 

[PSD]

A fly rug might rub out her mane???

I'd just concentrate on using a good fly repellent, and keeping her mane and tail clean and shiny with plenty of conditioner.

Fiona

well this was my response too, surely rugging doesn’t help long manes?! A lot of people say neglecting is the best way To get the hair to grow and stay thick, as in don’t brush, just leave it alone. She needs a good washing though as she’s full of scurf and grease which is what I think it’s making her itch

 

[gallopingby]

Benign neglect works best! Fells on the fells don’t have their manes conditioned. Wash and brush before a show otherwise leave alone. You don’t need a fly rug unless there’s a reason to have one! (that’s a vet reason not a fashion statement!) If you‘re worried about feather read the breed description it’s only a small part of the standard.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

She is very pretty!
have a 16 hh Fell alike with a full mane, tail and feather. I just detangle with my fingers and cut her tail enough to keep it off the ground.. Mine is brown so if she does bleach at all in the sun, it isn't noticeable. I find that tea-tree spray works well as a fly repellent but wouldn't use a fly rug unless she has sweet-itch

 

[PSD]

Benign neglect works best! Fells on the fells don’t have their manes conditioned. Wash and brush before a show otherwise leave alone. You don’t need a fly rug unless there’s a reason to have one! (that’s a vet reason not a fashion statement!) If you‘re worried about feather read the breed description it’s only a small part of the standard.

thank you!
Not worrying about feather I’m just looking for tips to keep everything as it should be

 

[PSD]

She is very pretty!
have a 16 hh Fell alike with a full mane, tail and feather. I just detangle with my fingers and cut her tail enough to keep it off the ground.. Mine is brown so if she does bleach at all in the sun, it isn't noticeable. I find that tea-tree spray works well as a fly repellent but wouldn't use a fly rug unless she has sweet-itch

thank you I’m really excited about her. He tail is on the floor almost now and I did wonder how people managed to keep them from being dramatically long without looking like they’ve chopped them. I’ll be giving her a bath in some tee tree stuff to try and get rid of any itchy bits so will pick up a spray too!

I think the rug advice can be safely cast aside then.

 

[wren123]

No advice on care, but she is gorgeous! We have a fell pony, now retired at my RDA and she is a sweetie. When she was ridden she was a star, forward but safe, a lovely ride.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

She is lovely. I think youre going to have lots of fun with her. My mare (Dales x) has a mane down to her shoulder. I do brush it most days just to keep the knots out. I have always used equine america detangler but its about £16, I recently tried my own and I have to say it has made her mane very soft and a lot less wiry (cheap apple conditioner, a very small squirt of baby oil, topped up with water and shook well), saves me a fortune as I have four long manes and tails to look after. Interestingly, I do find a combo rug doesnt take her mane out, her lightweight turnout with detachable neck has worn a small patch of hair a bit shorter. If you are worried, you could plait it before rugging (if you need to rug!), I find plaiting helps.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Mine, whose mane is almost down to her knees loathes wearing a neck rug. She inherited a couple from a previous horse who hated having her neck wet in winter but I have stopped using them as she makes it very clear that she doesn't like having her mane trapped inside the neck.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

I agree PAS, i find that my tinies who have very long manes, get very hot with their manes inside a neck cover (they only get rugged up when the weather is absolutely horrific).

 

[PSD]

I did think of the over heating aspect to long manes with full neck rugs. I’m used to a grey plaited so she was rugged as and when appropriate just to keep her remotely clean!

I’m hoping she’s going to be one of those cheap to feed types too. She certainly doesn’t need any weight on her for now but our grass is rubbish so I’m thinking of some kind of vitamin supplement going forward which will probably help too I imagine?

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

thank you! A friend of mine had a fell that she oiled and rugged but to me oil in the mane long term isn’t a good thing and rugs cause running too if they get too hot!

I don’t think she is lacking in hair for an2 year old however I just want to make sure it’s in good condition. Would it be a leave in conditioner or just a normal one?

I just Used a Normal one. I had a pony with a really wiry mane and I just slapped the conditioner in and left it. Not the forelock though as it could run into the eyes. You could use a leave in one but the mane and tail stuff would do the same

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Benign neglect works best! Fells on the fells don’t have their manes conditioned. Wash and brush before a show otherwise leave alone. You don’t need a fly rug unless there’s a reason to have one! (that’s a vet reason not a fashion statement!) If you‘re worried about feather read the breed description it’s only a small part of the standard.

Absolutely agree!

OP, I've had Fells since the early 80s, and still have one which I do everything with, from affiliatedshowing to bouncing round xc etc.
Definitely neglect to brush mane and tail. Tease out by hand the day before going out somewhere and spray with show sheen or mane and tail conditioner.
I've never long plaited mine either, not even for hunting with 2 reins in

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

All this talk of fells is making me want another one! One day I will get another one! Need a few more to disappear before warrenting another one!

 

[PSD]

I’m really hoping she’s as good as everyone says the breed is, they are so versatile and seem to be able to do anything!

 

[PSD]

here she is after a bath tonight, I think she scrubs up very well!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

All this talk of fells is making me want another one! One day I will get another one! Need a few more to disappear before warrenting another one!

Go on, you know you want to! ?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Go on, you know you want to! ?

One day I will when I need another riding pony. I have the Welsh Conb and GrayMo still just now along with a plethora of Shetlands. So no room at the inn!

 

[Nudibranch]

Leave mane and tail alone...that's the best advice I can give. I show my Dales and her mane is below her shoulder. I just leave it alone and wash and condition before a show. I do rough cut her tail as the vet made me slightly paranoid with tales of paralysed rectums caused by horses stepping on their own tails. So it is kept off the floor. I cut into the end vertically to create a more natural feathered effect.

I do feel sorry for horses rugged up just for cosmetic reasons (obvs sweet itch, etc, is different) or permanently plaited. But then "beach waves" on a horse are my pet hate. I just can't be doing with all the my little pony stuff!

 

[PSD]

Leave mane and tail alone...that's the best advice I can give. I show my Dales and her mane is below her shoulder. I just leave it alone and wash and condition before a show. I do rough cut her tail as the vet made me slightly paranoid with tales of paralysed rectums caused by horses stepping on their own tails. So it is kept off the floor. I cut into the end vertically to create a more natural feathered effect.

I do feel sorry for horses rugged up just for cosmetic reasons (obvs sweet itch, etc, is different) or permanently plaited. But then "beach waves" on a horse are my pet hate. I just can't be doing with all the my little pony stuff!

Thank you! I think leaving alone is the general consensus, I don’t want to rug if I don’t have to. Though she will be getting some feed in the next few days as there’s no grass so was thinking of either adding biotin or brewers yeast as they both do wonders for their hair!