A horse's mane is one of its most important features, one that everyone will notice.
If it looks straggly, unkempt and dirty then it will detract from any good characteristics that the horse may have.
Conversely, if you follow a strict pet grooming regime on the mane, then your horse can always look at its most beautiful.
You should aim to brush the mane at least once a day and this way you won't need to put in much effort as it will always be at a reasonably high level of condition.
Start by hand picking out any grass, burrs or twigs and then run your fingers through the mane to find any tangles which hopefully you will manage to tease out.
Specialist mane combs have large, widely spaced teeth which will minimise any damage to the hair.
Start at the tips of the mane, gently combing out any tangles, and gradually move higher and higher to the base of the mane.
When all snags have been removed carefully brush down from the skin at the base of the mane all the way to the tips.
This brushing will help to remove any build up of dirt or oil and will help to produce a lovely shine.
The frequency of washing during pet grooming will depend a lot on the season and your horse itself.
If you leave too long between washes then the horse may become itchy and start to rub.
This will make the mane tangled, break the hairs and may even cause bald patches.
During warm weather try to do a good clean every 1 to 3 weeks with a shampoo free rinse after any workouts.
Washing helps to reduce any oil build-up and removes harmful bacteria from the skin.
If bacteria aren't removed then they can cause skin infections that require veterinary attention.
After shampooing and rinsing through add a conditioner which will help to make tangles easier to get out and will make the mane shiny and thicker looking.
Some horse conditioners need rinsing out after application while others can be left in.
When the weather becomes colder you will not want to make your horse wet but luckily there are a variety of dry shampoos on the market which can still kill the bacteria and remove oil.
These don't need to be rinsed out and so there is no risk of your horse getting a chill.
If it looks straggly, unkempt and dirty then it will detract from any good characteristics that the horse may have.
Conversely, if you follow a strict pet grooming regime on the mane, then your horse can always look at its most beautiful.
You should aim to brush the mane at least once a day and this way you won't need to put in much effort as it will always be at a reasonably high level of condition.
Start by hand picking out any grass, burrs or twigs and then run your fingers through the mane to find any tangles which hopefully you will manage to tease out.
Specialist mane combs have large, widely spaced teeth which will minimise any damage to the hair.
Start at the tips of the mane, gently combing out any tangles, and gradually move higher and higher to the base of the mane.
When all snags have been removed carefully brush down from the skin at the base of the mane all the way to the tips.
This brushing will help to remove any build up of dirt or oil and will help to produce a lovely shine.
The frequency of washing during pet grooming will depend a lot on the season and your horse itself.
If you leave too long between washes then the horse may become itchy and start to rub.
This will make the mane tangled, break the hairs and may even cause bald patches.
During warm weather try to do a good clean every 1 to 3 weeks with a shampoo free rinse after any workouts.
Washing helps to reduce any oil build-up and removes harmful bacteria from the skin.
If bacteria aren't removed then they can cause skin infections that require veterinary attention.
After shampooing and rinsing through add a conditioner which will help to make tangles easier to get out and will make the mane shiny and thicker looking.
Some horse conditioners need rinsing out after application while others can be left in.
When the weather becomes colder you will not want to make your horse wet but luckily there are a variety of dry shampoos on the market which can still kill the bacteria and remove oil.
These don't need to be rinsed out and so there is no risk of your horse getting a chill.
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