Mane lost every winter

Green Bean

Green Bean

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I know I am not the only one out there, but I am at my wits end. Every year, my mare loses the first half of her mane due, I assume, to wearing the neck of a rug. This year it is even worse, having lost 2/3rds of her mane. I am at the point where I am considering hogging her mane at the start of the first cold spell this year / next winter to avoid my poor mare from having her mane pulled out by the roots by what I assume, is the neck of her rug. I can't not use a neck as she is clipped so it isn't fair on her. Does anyone have a miracle answer apart from leaving the neck of her rug off?
 
If you have to have a neck have a no fill-I presume it's to keep the mud off as it's been very mild this winter. The heat opens the pores of the crest -diff skin so it gets hotter - pores open = mane rubbed out- your horse's neck is probably too hot
 
Not what you want to hear but this has worked wonders for me... no neck rug as much as possible, clipped horse will be fine on the drier days so long as you keep the body warm. When you must use a neck rug have a detachable rather than combo and as above, only a no fill neck regardless of the rug weight being used. Turn back neck rugs as soon as the horse is brought in and do not use when stabled. Up the rug weight if needed rather than adding a neck.

Edited to add - also keep that no fill neck cover super clean on the inside.
 
I'm also having this issue. My cobs mane grows nicely by the end of autumn but coming into spring it once again has all broken off. He hasn't had a rug with a neck on though, so I think his is from him sticking his head through the fence to eat the grass on the outside, so getting his mane caught in the wire and it snapping off! I'm also at my wits end with it as I look back at the photos of when he had a lovely long thick mane and it makes me sad!!
 
I avoid neck rugs because I always find this. I often don't clip, but if I do, I only clip the underside of the neck and only use neck covers for turnout in wet weather and or high winds.
 
One of mine loses her mane but a standard neck is the worst culprit. It seems to dig in along her neck. A half neck is better and a full neck is ok but really I just accepted the bottom of her mane would never be fancy but she’s just a field ornament now so doesn’t matter too much what she looks like.

If it did matter I think I would try a Lycra hood. And mane conditioner.
 
EnduroRider said:
Not what you want to hear but this has worked wonders for me... no neck rug as much as possible, clipped horse will be fine on the drier days so long as you keep the body warm. When you must use a neck rug have a detachable rather than combo and as above, only a no fill neck regardless of the rug weight being used. Turn back neck rugs as soon as the horse is brought in and do not use when stabled. Up the rug weight if needed rather than adding a neck.

Edited to add - also keep that no fill neck cover super clean on the inside.
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Exactly this. Our grazing is on the side of a hill and very exposed - mine is fully clipped too so I put a neck on if wet and windy but as soon as its not raining I'll keep it off. I know he'll come in with neck covered in mud but definitely saves the mane!
 
No neck is, really the only answer. My Welsh D 4yr ol has been fully clipped since Dec and has been in a 200g standard neck or a no fill standard neck since. He currently has a neck rug on when turned out just now as it's - 6/7 here just now but it's turned back at night as his stable block is warm.
 
I try to minimise neck cover use and have rugs with detachable necks so that can use a lighter weight neck than rug. I regularly wash the neck covers and spray the mane.
 
I only used a neck when mine was out in the field and i always used a lighter one than the rest of her rug. When she is was in overnight and out of the elements no neck needed. If we get those sunny winter days i would leave the neck off as well as you will be surprised on how warm they get in the sunshine.
 
I have tried to avoid necks this winter for the same reason, but I have a grey who is a mud lover and rolls each and every day. I have been rubbing in coconut oil and that has also helped. I was told not to use silcone spray (mane and tail) as it causes breakages.
Snuggy turnout hood is another option, for those days when the weather is really bad or a show is on the horizon and he has to stay clean.
 
I've found what's made a huge difference is not pulling/ thinning the mane whilst they have a neck cover on. I use scissors to shorten it and then in the spring when they don't have a turnout on anymore I thin it properly so that it can be plaited and is a nicer thickness. I find for some reason that as soon as I took some thickness out the rest of the mane disappeared. I've done it for the last two winters now and luckily it seems to have worked.

I also wash/ scrub the inside of the neck covers so that they don't get a build up of grease on and occasionally apply some mane and tail spray to the inside of it and to the mane.
 
Most mane loss is due to the horse being too hot under the rug. Removing the neck, or using a half neck, often solves the issue. You can also use detachable necks and use a lighter weight neck on the rug if necessary (for example a 100g body and 50g/no fill neck). Or a turnout hood with a standard neck rug can also work, but it needs to be fitted really well.
 
We had this happen this year with ours, and yes he has a neck on all his rugs. I'm going to ditch the neck next winter, I've just bought a lightweight without a neck for spring...or he'll have no mane left at all by summer!

I agree it's for keeping clean than anything else and actually we've had to return so many rugs we tried due to the necks being too long...so I'm giving up on them! Like the other person said, they are a modern invention that we really do not need. Mine had heat rash the other week in his 200g! They definitely make them too hot x
 
It is totally to do with heat and the horse getting too hot people underestimate how a horse generates heat and how efficient they are at doing it.

I have 2 Arab's I have clipped them apart from there legs and not used neck rugs and they are not cold through most winters, but I have neck covers I think they need them or I use the snuggy hoods, and they have got very fine thin hair but I do often use coconut oil or a mtg to improve hair growth and it does help.
 
The only way to avoid it is to not use neck rugs, my boy was out without a neck last winter and he had a full mane, this year it’s gone even with his Lycra hood underneath. Once it has rubbed the hair is weaker so it will continue to happen if using neck rugs. It’s a pain but the only way to stop is to not use the neck.
 
My 4 (ranging from 12.2 fatty to 16.3 sports horse) are all clipped and have all managed this whole winter without necks, and that's on a windy hillside in Scotland. They have all been absolutely fine! Manes are looking so much better, I'm thinking I might actually sell all rugs I have with necks. They really don't need them.
 
Honestly, I remember the worry and guilt of leaving my horse with his neck all exposed to the elements when all his friends were covered up ear to tail! Now I don't even think twice; I haven't used a neck on a rug for years now, and my TB has a lovely full mane from poll to withers! I grow it a bit longer in winter to help keep his (clipped) neck warm and dry (after all that is what their mane is for), keep his body warm with appropriate rugs and I try to make sure he has plenty of forage to keep him warm from the inside. The only down side is the occasional 'muddy-dreadlocks' hairdo he comes in with but I'd rather that than the rubbed out mane situation (that can become permanent as the hair follicles get damaged year after year).
 
the very old style 3 trigger clip ones dont rub, and size up-my 13hh stallions wear XL to accommodate the crest

if you cannot get them use the older amigo style ones where velcro loops fit round metal rings on the rug and only fasten the top 2 near the withers so the neck cover isnt pulled down tight-again you need to size up and get the largest neck cover you can if possible to buy separate.

the covers that velcro in to a veclro flap on the rug are the absolute worse, avoid them.

keep the mane and neck clean-i wash manes every week and wipe neck covers down inside daily and spray both with coat shine.
 
I found that standard no-neck rugs typically sit really far (IMO) up the neck and cause a rubbed patch there - so I put a Shires chest expander in it. Now the rug sits back on his shoulders and doesn't shred his mane anymore.

That said - this year mine also has a hole in his mane where our YO slipped while clipping last spring...and it's still not grown back. And I can't blame the rugs! If anyone has a magic solution I would also be glad to hear it :-(
 
I find I can keep it pretty well until the middle of Jan and then have to be really careful.
My top tips - I don’t pull the mane from end of October. It gets cut with scissors. I don’t thin it at all.
I add a bit of baby oil to the mane every two weeks.
I under rug. I find if they get hot they lose mane. Mine has been in 100g most of the winter fully clipped. Currently in 250g but removed the neck.
Mine has the thinnest neck cover I can find until about now when they have none.
 
Another one who's had this issue & avoids neck covers as much as possible, my horse is always fully clipped seems fine without neck most of the time. She's grey so if I absolutely have to keep her clean or if weathers really bad I use a combo rug(masta rug with the neck that's supposed not to rub). I never use neck covers in the stable,she's well rugged with standard neck rugs & my stable is in a barn so well sheltered. The lower half of her mane was trashed by a neck cover about 4 years ago & although it's recovered its thinner than the rest & I know it wouldn't take much to wreck it again.
 
I use the Lemieux rugs for turnout, no rubs and they fit really nicely. The closest I could get to standard rugs with clip on necks (which I can’t get in the size/brand I like anymore).

I don’t use necks in the stable at all.
 
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