The goal is for my horse to dip his toe into a couple of dressage shows this year with a professional in that discipline. He doesn’t have much mane to speak of on a good day, and it’s very fine, and basically no forelock (he will wear a bonnet), but I just need enough to fake it with some button braids. We have just grown the mane out from last spring/summer where several inches in the middle of the neck were it was rubbed to a nub.
The problem is that when the grass comes up, as it is starting to do now, he reaches through the fence in turnout and rubs the main on the metal pipe fence. The best grass is outside and will be like this until the owners decide to do some serious reconfiguration and rehabbing of the paddocks (ie not this spring). This part of the fence is not hot and not going to be made hot anytime soon. He’s in this turnout because it’s the only option where he can’t touch any other horses over the fence. While he could move to a paddock with hot fence, he could play over those (yes, will do so even if it’s smoking hot) and that is a far worse problem for this horse than this mane issue.
Blanket hood protects it well enough. Fly sheet hood with nylon lining does not. I have tried those slinky hoods for shoulder rubs in the past, and he grabs them at the chest and rips them off, but I’d be willing to try a similar thing if anyone has suggestions and if it comes in brontosaurus size.
I’ve tried using slippery conditioners galore–helps a little bit but hard to maintain to a level of slip that will prevent all breakage. I have heard that Vetrap is a good hair protector that’s not damaging and was thinking I could try some Vetrap dreadlocks to protect against breakage all but at the roots and see if that saves enough?
I’d prefer not to do a complete roach unless absolutely necessary.
To some extent, I suppose I could braid buttons with yarn and just need enough hair to tie them in? Hope it’s not too windy? :lol: !
