Preparing for winter, how to stop mane loss?

islandspirit

islandspirit

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Last year my boy lost his mane during the winter:( I don't want to repeat the mistake this year. Does the mane fall out from rug pressure or if they get too hot? Or combination of both? This year I'm going to clip to a minimum but I will still have to clip some neck. Is the only answer to leave necks off throughout winter?
 
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I try to leave the neck unrugged however if you have to use a neck rug I believe that by keeping the inside of the neck rug grease free can help, wash the neck bit regularly and use baby wipes daily to keep it clean in between washes. I think I have also heard that you can rub baby oil onto the inside but I suppose you would have to wash the mane regularly then as well. I have a traditional and am already worrying about winter rug rubs!!
 
the mane gets rubbed off by the necks. the first BE event of the season this march just gone i entertained myself by counting the number of horses who had rub marks and bald spots from hair rubbed away on each side of their necks and half their manes missing - at least 50% !
 
Keep the mane and inside the neck ruck scrupulously clean. It is the buildup of grease and dirt that catches the hair and breaks or pulls it out.

In addition check the fit of the rug as if too tight it will rub and if too big will slide around.
 
I've found rugs with detachable necks to be a bit more forgiving than fixed. Baby wb doesn't have much mane to start with but doesn't have any gaps come spring.
 
Loads of mane and tail conditioner sprayed through the mane (or wood polish) and sew in some silk along the inside of the neck. Works a treat! You can use fabricglue if you don't fancy sewing as well.
 
The weird thing is the mane fell out with the root attached! He literally went bald over a couple of days, it came away in my fingers. He was kept clean and the neck was washed regularly. I did Devon county in may with 3 false plaits! One fell of in the gallop and one fell off after the ride judge rode him. Cue casually bending down to retrieve it and slipping it in my pocket!
 
Flyer lost about 1/3 of his his mane the first time i used a neck cover. it came away from the root and to be honest 3 years on, its still not back to the way it was. Since then ive just used standard necks, he still has a hunter clip and goes out every day all day in winter in at night and its not done him any harm.
 
I don't believe that it is friction that causes the hair loss, but pressure. When my mare did have a neck cover, it would go very tight when she put her head down to graze on the area where the mane fell out. The mane also fell out at the roots, it wasn't being rubbed and broken off.
 
That's my theory too faracat, last year I bought the biggest necks I could find but when he was grazing you could see where it went tight. I supposed it must be akin to loosing tail hair when a bandage has been applied too tightly. The mane over the wither went frizzy and short from friction but the part under pressure literally just fell out. Looks like I'm going to spend an awful lot of time grooming this winter:) no neck it is, next question is why did I buy a grey??:) half horse, half hippo!
 
I think its lack of air and heat personally

I let my pony's mane 'breathe' for at least part of the time by using standard neck rugs in the stable or turning back the neck while he was fed/checked/had his hooves picked out

I also kept the mane clean and used oils in it to cut down on friction

His mane grew loads under the rug and previously rubbed parts (sweet itch) grew back beautifully

Most of the theories given though could be helped by finding a rug with enough room in the neck
 
WelshD said:
I think its lack of air and heat personally

I let my pony's mane 'breathe' for at least part of the time by using standard neck rugs in the stable or turning back the neck while he was fed/checked/had his hooves picked out

I also kept the mane clean and used oils in it to cut down on friction

His mane grew loads under the rug and previously rubbed parts (sweet itch) grew back beautifully

Most of the theories given though could be helped by finding a rug with enough room in the neck
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I'm not so sure, mine was only rugged for turnout with a neck which was the roomiest I could find, a premier equine and on milder days I used a snuggy hood turnout. No hood indoors. And the hair didn't rub out, just came out in handfuls when you brushed it, root included. Within a week it was bald, no hair at all for a five inch patch and perfect hair either side. Surely if it was heat, dirt or lack of air then it would have all fallen out?? The only variable within the hood would be pressure.
 
Kokopelli said:
Would a wimpy horse who is fully clipped be okay without a neck? I worry he's going to get cold.
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Neck rugs are a pretty new invention. Clipped horses were fine for donkeys years without neck covers before they were invented. As long as the big muscles over the back end are warm, they generally stay pretty warm, even with exposed necks. My horses lived out 24/7 with no neck rugs on years ago, fully clipped. They had slightly fluffy necks, but were toasty under their rugs
 
I avoid rugs with necks like the plague. My girl has the most gorgeous, wavy, blonde mane and I would cry if it fell out. The mane itself helps keep her neck warm, and I never clip the neck: just the throat.
 
K - maybe try a half neck/wug style rug. So far I've not had any mane problems with that style of rug. My gelding spent most of last winter in one and his mane was fine. :)
 
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