How to stop rugs rubbing manes?

[BlairandAzria]

I got my new boy at the end of last February and he had a huge chunk of mane missing. He came with an old rug which promptly went right in the bin and I he got a new combo for the bad weather we had last feb, the rug rubs didn't get any worse and mane started to grow back.

This year since its been so mild he's only been in lightweight no neck rugs so I've not been worried.

However I've just bought a new m/w combo and am now really paranoid about his mane being rubbed out. The rug fits perfectly, but as obviously it's happened last year at I'm worried it will happen again.

So - I'm thinking about getting a headless snuggy hood, does anyone use them to protect manes? How do you find them?
- I've seen people slap on the mane and tail conditioner, does this actually work?

Anyone got the answer to this? Top tips? Sneaky secrets to keeping his mane intact throughout winter?

Many thanks

 

[ellie_e]

I use pig oil (everywhere on body etc to stop mud) but works well on the mane too as it stops it rubbing, only downside is that if you need something to hold on to while riding it is abit slippery. Have you bought a neck that clips on, or the type that is fixed? I find the clip on types rub the mane more as its where the joins are

 

[forestfantasy]

I think the only ones that actually work are ones that you attach a neck to seperately with clips etc ( like a masta). Fixed necks rub in my experience.
(3 horses in WB turnouts fixed necks, all missing mane!)

My mare loses a big chunk of mane every winter from her rug, i wont turn out in a hood so i just cope with it as i don't show her and she never gets sore from it so its just a cosmetic thing for me.

Although when i was younger (and wasn't aware of the hood-turning out-dangers) i used to turn the pony out in a hood and rug with neck, his mane still disappeared!

 

[BlairandAzria]

The hood is one of the headless ones- so would finish behind his ears. I'm not a fan of the ones with eye holes, I've heard too many horror stories! The headless ones are okay surely?

Yep the rugs have fixed necks, so can't just take them off, which is a pain.

Thanks for the replies! X

 

[domane]

Ooh... I remember reading that someone swore by spraying Show Shine onto the neck of the rug (not the horse) with great success. Stopped the neck part rubbing really well apparently.

Has to be Show Shine though, not mane and tail conditioner.

 

[Lwhite]

I have found that it is how the rugs are made that can cause problems. If the rug is standard construction with the neck cover sewn on the seam can causes a pressure point around the base of the neck/ wither area resulting in a bald patch.
I have changed all mine to ones that have no seams along the topline with the neck hood being a continuous part of the main body of the rug and make sure that they have a satiny lining. I have natives with long thick manes ( yes I do rug them ) and have no more problems with bald patches and the satiny lining polishes their coats as well.
I don't like the headless hood type things as have found them to slip down the neck and bunch up around their chests even the lycra ones.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Anyone got the answer to this? Top tips? Sneaky secrets to keeping his mane intact throughout winter?

In my experiance (I own horses that rub easily) the only way is to not use neck covers at all.

I like the Wug/half neck style rugs and normal/no neck cut rugs but I dont use combos or neck covers.

 

[GeorgieLee]

I find pig oil and regular washing of the mane and rug, not letting the grease build up, my welshie has a WB combo that at the moment he is in day and night and his mane is intact

 

[GeorgieLee]

Also my mum has used the hoods on two of ours and found the rubbing worse

 

[Baluga]

I spray show shine onto the neck cover (and on the part of mane that would normally go bald!)
I only started to do it once the mane had already been rubbed away - It works a treat! Mane is now growing back. I'll be doing it from the off next year.

 

[spottybotty]

Ooh... I remember reading that someone swore by spraying Show Shine onto the neck of the rug (not the horse) with great success. Stopped the neck part rubbing really well apparently.

Has to be Show Shine though, not mane and tail conditioner.

I have an appaloosa who has a very brittle mane.I only put a hood on when the weather is really bad and when I do I use the above method. I keep her mane very clean and soak it with Show Sheen. It does limit the amount of rubbing.

 

[ponypatter]

According to the Bossy Bibs website they have a maneguard version coming out soon! Might be worth a look? I've just ordered new bibs for each of the hairies and can see myself spending more money on upgraded versions (of bibs, not hairies!) soon.