Favourite Mane/Tail Detanglers

[Edre]

COTHers, talk to me of your favourites! I’m especially interested in ones that you’ve had luck with for using to help extricate burrs out from forelocks or tails.

The young horse is living outside and I’m realizing that her pasture has a goodly number of burdock plants (to my dismay). Last night she was a gem for letting me pick away at her forelock with a comb but I’d love to hear if anyone has any detanglers that can help lubricate the hair and make it a little less of a yank-y ordeal.

(My favourite for just standard grooming is the eqyss detangler, but I’m out and have no idea if it helps with the current burr-situation I’m facing!)

[PrincessPonies]

Mine can find a burr brush after I’ve gone through the field five times pulling them out. And of course she a thick tail and mane. The other day her forelock was standing up like a little unicorn horn. I’ve used Cowboy Magic for years and it helps when getting the burrs out. I r tried other brands and they’ve just not worked as well (and smelled bad in some cases).

[puzzle]

Cowboy Magic - the original gel/lotion/liquid formula. Apply liberally and work into the burr and surrounding area, then brush or wide tooth comb from the bottom upwards. Works better than anything else!

[Scribbler]

Cowboy magic, fingers, wide tooth comb. Sometimes a knife used very sparingly can cut down through a bad mat and then the resulting bits untangle easily.

I send my mare out every year to a pasture with burrs, and also help out with horses that come in after living on pasture. Often the most horrible looking tangles can be fixed with very little loss of hair.

[see_u_at_x]

Leovet 5 Star Detangler is my current favorite. It detangles, helps with dandruff and itchy skin, and doesn’t contain silicone. Can’t say how it works with burrs, but overall, I like it better than any other product I’ve tried before and I work in a tack store, so I’ve tried a lot of products!

[Bluey]

Vetrolin detangler is what many show barns use for badly tangled hair.

[seabreeze]

Cowboy Magic is my favorite for a “situation”…lol. For everyday use, I like Healthy Hair Care moisturizer.

[Edre]

:lol: at “situation”. Pretty accurately describes my response (a :eek::eek::eek: moment if there ever were). Talk about an introduction to horses who actually have enough hair to collect stuff!

I used (and loved) eqyss detangler before but I’m out and had never used it for situations like this - glad to hear some first hand experience on this one!

Thanks, all.

[hunter51]

Another vote for Cowboy Magic detangler! Love that stuff.

[Libby2563]

Infusium 23 step 3 leave-in detangler (for humans). It feels a lot like Canter Silk but costs less.

[Training_Cupid]

We always used baby oil for burrs back in the day, but I have not used any of the new stuff to compare.

[cllane1]

I was afraid I was the only one struggling with burrs! My guys’ forelocks are sticking up like There’s Something About Mary and their tails are matted up.

I’ve been meaning to get some Cowboy Magic (the good, oily, silicon stuff), but yesterday as a stopgap I absolutely saturated their tails with Healthy Horse conditioner and started to get some burrs to slide out that way. I’ve heard WD-40 thrown around as a home remedy, but I was reluctant to go that route.

[NoSuchPerson]

I’ve had the best luck with Mane n’ Tail Detangler. You just spray it on dry hair and comb out the tangles and whatever might be stuck in there.

https://manentailequine.com/products/detangler/

[Edre]

@Training Cupid

We always used baby oil for burrs back in the day, but I have not used any of the new stuff to compare.

I can say that I’ve used it (and it works!!) but I’ve found that it seems to absorb dirt and generate gunk, especially if I can’t rinse or wash it out long term. In a pinch though, I think it’s a fabulous option.

[Foxglove]

If the pasture is yours to maintain, consider spraying for weeds in the spring --we were able to reclaim 2 acres (maybe more) from weeds, burrs, thistles, elderberry bushes, red clover, dandelions, etc. Figured that was equal to 80 bales of hay, or more. And the big bonus was no more pulling burrs out of horses. I use Trimec and Cor-on (grass booster) in one pass with a 35 gallon sprayer I pull with my tractor. Second bonus was we quit mowing. With no weeds and only grass, it was ideal horse pasture. Even now in November, horses are still grazing out there (they have hay in feeders but aren’t eating much of it yet.

[Bluey]

Some still use WD-40 as an occasional detangler.

Don’t know how good that may work.

[IPEsq]

Vetrolin Shine. Great at detangling and does not attract dirt.

[bugsynskeeter]

UltraCruz Detangler Gel or Spray. I’m happy to send a sample! Send me a PM.

[Dutchmare433]

I use cowboy magic…I like to slather forelock and tail with it before they go out into their pasture, as a prophylactic. Good luck.