People with hairy horses - detangling and conditioning!

W

Walrus

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 January 2007
Messages
2,434
Visit site
My Fell's mane is ridiculously dry, brittle and generally in not very good condition. He is also very itchy. I am dealing with the itchy-ness but need some tips on keeping his mane in good condition. I'm getting lots of conflicting advice; to brush or not to brush, to use detangler or not, to leave it alone or deal groom it every day, and to use a gentle shampoo or dermoline (which I'm told can be quite harsh and drying).

Please could I have some more advice to consider before he is mistaken for some sort of pit-pony!!

:)
 
On my mums hairy cob, I use pig oil on the feathers and in the base of the tail. I only brush her tail etc when it has plenty of detangler in it otherwise you will pull it out. At the moment I am using Naf Silky .... mane and tail. The Canter Mane and Tail conditioner is good. I don't find the lynn russel one much good. I use the stuff by the litre! She is much hairer than a fell! :D
 
dominobrown said:
On my mums hairy cob, I use pig oil on the feathers and in the base of the tail. I only brush her tail etc when it has plenty of detangler in it otherwise you will pull it out. At the moment I am using Naf Silky .... mane and tail. The Canter Mane and Tail conditioner is good. I don't find the lynn russel one much good. I use the stuff by the litre! She is much hairer than a fell! :D
Click to expand...

Crkey! Hairier than a fell - how does it all fit on the pony!! He also seems to be having a mini-summer moulting session at the moment - I have been rubber curry combing it out!!! It's July!!!
 
Faye's mane is easy to keep we just use our fingers to get any knots out and brush it once a week, washing with normal shampoo when she's bathed.

Faye23June064.jpg


I suspect Winnies mane is more like your boys, we brush hers a couple to times a week as it just becomes too tangled, use a moisturing shampoo when she's bathed and detangler before a show.

Her natural state
winnie7.jpg


At a show
WRCR_9100-Class-17-1.jpg
 
Lovely ponies. :D I suspect Bobby's mane is a bit more like Winnie's (i.e. thicker and more like a bush - no offence Winnie!). He's not making it any easier as he's rubbing the base of it so it's all scrubby! Now why didn't I think a nice TB or even a show cob would be a good idea when I went pony shopping!! :D
 
Thanks :)

You could always use the Dermoline then a conditioner when you wash his mane?

Forgot to say I just use the standard Canter mane and tail detangler.
 
I have the same problem with my cob. What are you using for itchy-ness? I try not to wash/brush too often and never use detangler on his mane (no grip on reins!) but when I do wash I use a tea-tree shampoo and conditioner.... this seems to work ok but hes never going to have a lovely silky mane as hes just not that type of horse!

:)

Guinness.jpg


Not a brilliant photo, but you get the idea!
 
Last edited:
Just bought some new stuff that works wonders but cant think what its called...its in a massive silver bottle, and its for mane and tail and "show shine" for body. That works wonders.

We cope with the itching (particularly in the heat!) by me using my fingers through her mane and itching her for about 20mins a day!!!
 
My dales' mane is all off on both sides and i cant get it to stay on one side as well as it looking a bit like a toilet brush thanks to her lovely playful nature:p and attempting to pull the plaits out every time i put them in:eek:
? i usually put some de tangle stuff in to prevent me pulling out all the mane or tail.
I'm glad its not just me dealing with a major mid summer malting session!
 
Whoopeeeeeeee, hairy pony pics :D !!!!

I actually use pig oil and sulphur brushed thru the boy's mane and tail. Not only has it grown ridiculously long, but when you wash it off, it's white as white. When the oil's on, his mane is so easy to brush through.

The other stuff I use is a kids detangling spray (strawberry and milk flavour), which is totally fab, and cost me 99p. sm x
 
Tangly mane? tangly mane?

You don't know you're born! Have this!

18July10-005526copy.jpg


Once a year we wash her mane in conditioner, really get it in and then 4 of us, using our fingers, pull out the knots, and then wash it out and brush her! Her mane goes Kerrrrrpoooooof afterwards!
 
Hi

I always use a product called survivor detangler from www.tailgaitor.co.uk. All their products are really good and a little goes a long long way, use it on my own hair as well. I have converted a few others on my yard and they are really pleased with the results.
 
If we had a show then just lots of conditionor (supermaket cheap and cheerful type!), and comb before rinsing.
Normally left well alone during the week but if it got dry, tangled and brittle then I used Vitapointe Leave In Conditioner , you dont need a lot and put it on dry hair!
 
Oooh, that does look good!

We use the Mars Coat King - I had one for my Bernese Mountain dog (sadly deceased) which works wonders on winter foal fur that has not come out by late spring.
 
In all honesty, I don't use a huge array of things on Hairy.

I just wash mane/tail/feathers all through with shampoo [Generally Supreme High Shine Shampoo near shows....anytime else just any old shampoo bought from the shops apart fomr the real cheap stuff as that's fairly rough on them. He's a bit of Herbal essence at the moment lol!], leave it on for a couple of minutes and then thoroughly rinse out again. Wait for it to drip dry a little bit, then pretty much just load on the conditioning spray everywhere! [Usually have the green deep moisterising conditioner by Supreme they do. 5* rating!] I spray it on the skin/roots first and then all over and then just massage it all in and leave it on for ten mins.

Then just start combing through it really! Just give it a quick comb through to get the worst out and initial comb over. Then the next morning or whenever I'm down next, give it a quick spray over over again with the conditioner and then give it a good brushing through with a good [but non-damaging] hairbrush. And a REALLY good brush through too - ie, seperating it all through and brushing it all out completely knotless [feathers and all] and 'back brushing' the feathers up after too for extra 'poofyness'.

Then final spritz again and then I plait the mane into sections and keep it plaited up usually :) His tail, you can plait it to stop him pooping through it or catching it....and I will plait it up every now and then if he's going to be in an area where it can catch on thistles etc easy and break....but when he's in the normal flat field...I leave it natural for him as it's so heavy in a plait!

Loading them up in pig oil works wonders too and have done this with him till recently....however, it is rather nasty and messy to put on!

36842_446907966752_708806752_5618657_2817144_n.jpg
 
Tresemme do a leave in for 20minutes conditioner in a white pot, I try and avoid too much contact with skin, use spider clips to keep mane off the neck. but hose it off and it makes the main and tail beautiful. also l'oreal (sp) kids detangler is very good. leave in conditioner can be put on before the tangles are removed then comb through, stops lots being pulled out
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top