How to get a really dirty mane clean without washing it?

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ever_hopeful

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*Sorry, have also posted in Stable Yard section*

I have a young horse which WILL NOT tolerate having its mane wetted. Full stop. He came home from stud with lice as a weanling and after the usual trials with powder the vet gave us something stronger in liquid form which must have stung during application. That's all I can think of that could have caused this horse to have such a permanent and violent adversion to having his mane wetted. If you even run a brush over his mane he stiffens with fear. Everything humanly possible has been tried, including Sedalin, but nothing prevents him completely freaking out.

I tried rinseless shampoo today but that was bad as well; him plunging and rearing around his stable as I gently foamed the liquid by hand into small sections of his mane. The stuff is supposed to be towel dried off but by that time the horse had had quite enough. Now his mane looks WORSE with the dried in shampoo making it greasy and CRISPY now. No, it's not funny!
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What on Earth can I do to get his EXTREMELY greasy mane clean enough for plaiting for the up coming Futurity? He's a dark bay so the grime really shows up between plaits. I'm desperate.
 
what about combing it through with a very fine comb, like a nit comb you get from boots. That should remove grease
 
Oh, he trusts me with a comb now. Still stiffens a bit but can be coaxed to tolerate it. It's taken months of me giving him nice scratches along his mane (which he enjoys) and short practice sessions of me doing a single plait with an elastic band. I think he'll be okay to plait up when the time comes and I intend doing him the night before so it's as stress free an experience, for both of us, as possible.

It's just the grime showing up between the plaits that's going to be horrid unless I can find a way to clean the grease and scurf out first
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If he had any other colour mane but black I'd try it. Just terrified I'll make it look worse if the powder sticks. Look what my 'rinseless shampoo' idea did today
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Not only does he STILL have a greasy scurfy mane, but now he has a greasy, scurfy mane which is fuzzy and sticks up like a bog brush. Deep sigh
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I am sooooo embarrassed of my horsey.
 
Yes, I've bought a lovely goat hair body brush just for the job of brushing through his mane and tail. Slow progress though. Feels like an up hill struggle with the months of grime built up. Just hope it's clean enough by Futurity time.
 
Comb the mane with a fine toothed comb then plait up. The following morning put baby oil on a small rag and wipe the plaits and the neck in between. This will remove a lot of dirt. Baby wipes are also very good. Perhaps you can get him to tolerate you wiping the mane with them.
 
Just to warn you (have had a couple that were violently sensitive about teir manes being touched!) you may have to plait with thread and avoid tieing back the next section of mane to keep it out the way- one of our mares would not tolerate bands at all.
 
you may have already been talking about the same product, but Boots sells this stuff that is shampoo in a spray can, it designed to clean human hair in between washes. it is great and may help.

Apart from that baby wipes are the future!
 
Thanks everyone. Really appreciate the ideas.

Bossanova: I am going to sew the plaits in for the Futurity so your idea of using thread for the practice runs might help. I know the snap of an elastic band does nothing for his nerves.

Josafiend: Know the stuff you mean. Actually used it when I was in hospital. Problem is, it hisses as it comes out of the can. ANOTHER of his current phobias unfortunately. I can just about spray a fetlock if I'm lucky. Wouldn't dare try it on his mane
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Magicgirl: Babywipes seem to be recommended a lot on here. Have got a bunch of the unscented ones so might try them later on. It'll probably take me a week to get him to tolerate a strange white thing being rubbed near his neck, so I'll start today! I'll get a louse comb too, and try that as well.

Again, thanks everyone.
 
Perhaps try getting a small towel or a duster, and a bucket of hot water with a drop or two of shampoo in it, just to cut grease (or you could try lemon juice instead). Dip the towel or duster in the bucket. wring out til dry as possible, but still steamy warm, and rub mane downwards with it, as you comb or brush it.
You could leave the bucket outside if he's worried about the water.
It will be slow progress, again, but I can't think of anything else.
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