I get this question a lot, how do I grow a healthy and thicker mane, forelock  and tail on my horse? 

First off, horses like humans have good hair genes or not so good hair genes, but all horses can grow a better mane and tail that is healthier and prettier.  I want to share with you some of my secrets. 

1.)  Never brush or comb a tail that is not clean or is extremely tangled.  You will end up brushing those tangles out but also pulling, breaking and ripping hair out at the same time.

2.)  Wash about every 2 weeks and not more than  one week. (You don't want to wash out or strip the natural oils in the hair).  My favorite shampoo is actually one used on horses but also on livestock, it is called Orvus.  Don't be surprise it is a white solid when it is cold and then turns to a milky sticky liquid when warm and then a clear runny liquid when warm but seems to be the best soap I have found for really sud-sing up and getting your horse clean!  It can usually be bought in a one gallon containers  and because it works so well, a little goes a long way.

3.)  After washing your horses mane, tail and forelock then put your conditioner in.  I actually use a combination of Mane N Tail conditioner (by straight arrow) and Cowboy Magic detangler together and it really seems to help get all of the tangles out.  When brushing out those tangles, start at the bottom and be VERY patient and carefully work through the hair to ensure it is completely tangle free. 

4.)  Avoid using products like Show sheen which works great to get the tangles out but has  a lot of alcohol in it so if you use it to get tangles out before be sure to wash it out and apply the products I outlined above. 

(I learned this after MANY years of using show sheen on my show horses and just leaving the product in, after some time I began to notice my horses hair got very brittle and was easily broken and frayed.  So though I still use Show sheen, I am careful after using it to wash it out of the hair)

5.)  If your horse is really swishing his tail to combat flies then it is really a good idea to use some sort of tail bag.  I used to make my own out of old worn out jeans but have also found that electrical tape, panty hose and tube socks work wonders.  The modern day tail sock, though really stylish and pretty to look at are easily torn, ripped and don't protect the hair as well. 

6.)  If putting your horse in a bag or sock, you can also add strips of a tough material such as denim as a fly swatter.  The main reason to do this is still allow the horse to protect himself from flies but protect his tail from the beating it takes when being swatted.

7.)  Another really important thing is to make sure your horses tail is trimmed to no longer than his fetlock joint.  If you make a blunt cut you will allow the hair to thicken over time.  This will also minimize the horse backing up (either when riding or in the trailer) and stepping and pulling long sections of hair out.  A thick tail always looks better than a long wispy tail. 

8.) THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT!  Make sure  when placing your tail bag,or sock that you are at least a good inch below the tip of the tail bone.   If you wrap and tie that sock on any farther up, you run the risk of cutting off circulation to the tip of the tail bone.  That is a disaster!

9.)  To get those beautiful longer manes you will also have to do some maintenance.  For horses that have lots of hair like Friesians or some of my reining horses, I typically keep the mane braided in long braids using sections of about 2-3 inches working down the neck of the horse.  You will have to use small mane rubber bands and get them tight enough to hold the braid but not so tight they break the hair.  If you can keep the mane carefully tangle free on some of the shorter mane horses you may not need to braid.  I also have found that if you stop the braid on a thicker portion of the hair the rubber band doesn't tend to break the ends off as bad.  You will have to be sure to replace braids and remove tangles (gently) often and may be washing the mane more like once per week. 

10.)  A word of caution about the tail covers that have you braid the tail into 3 braids and then put into a sleeve and braid the 3 braided sections together.  These do stay on very well, but I have know a horse who while swatting caught his tail on something in his paddock and actually broke his tail so those may not be the best option.  At least a sock, or tail bag is likely going to rip before it breaks the tail bone.

If I am trying to grown my horses mane or tail I am careful to diligently keep the hair clean, conditioned and be very careful when brushing it out, keep it up especially during fly season or hot, dry weather and never use a metal comb or brush in fact I usually use a brush similar to a human bristle brush.  Those metal rakes just pull and rip the hair out and are disastrous to the hair. 

Remember if you find your horse is stepping on pulling his tail out, it is likely just a little too long.  If you are showing your horse and a super long tail is desirable be careful to keep it up when you are working it so it doesn't back up and step on the tail. 

Good luck growing those luscious locks! 

It seems appropriate with summer upon us to talk about trailering your horse safely for long distances.  First off I consider long distance as being any trip over about 3.5/4 hours.  A couple of things to keep in mind: 

1.)  It is a good idea to use shavings in your trailer to "cushion the blow" of the road for your horses legs and joints, however it is important to remember to wet those shavings down.  WHY?  Because if you do not wet the shavings down the dust/shaving particles blow around and your horse inhales them or possibly even gets them in their eyes.  I like to wet them so that the top couple of inches is fairly damp, but not soaked completely.

2.)  If you have a trailer that is mostly enclosed it is a good idea to make sure their is plenty of ventilation so it does not get too warm inside for your horse.

3.)  To wrap or not to wrap:  (Standing wraps only)  I have hauled both ways but find that unless you are superior at wrapping you can actually get into more trouble with wraps so these days even for super long hauls I do not wrap.  The only exception would be if I had a horse with some sort of injury that must be hauled for a distance.  I am sure to see that the wrap is on properly and properly secured.  In addition, if you have never wrapped your horse then don't try it for the first time in the trailer, I suggest practicing at home in the stall first until they are used to wearing wraps.

4.)  Horses tend to not drink, even if they are thirsty particularly if they are not accustomed to longer hauls or if they are worriers.  To help with this problem it is a good idea to carry some sort of water container from home  (with water from home that they are used to) because a lot of places you might stop to get water may have a very different taste and the horse won't drink it.  They can typically go for a couple of hours very easily without water, but usually every time I stop for fuel, potty break, or any other reason that would cause me to be stopped for a few minutes, I like to at least offer the water.

5.)  If you are hauling a distance for the first time you could always give a stress pak (electrolye paste) which I always carry with me in the trailer.  Give this however, before you go because if you try and give it at the first water break, they won't like the taste and therefore won't drink the water.  If  however, you give it before you go, then by the time you actually stop to water they will likely be thirsty.

6.)  If they had a chance to eat before trailering that is always preferable not always easily done, so you could offer hay in a safe feeding bag or manger but I would probably limit the amount of hay until you arrive at your destination and are sure your horse is drinking well.

7.)  Always carry a first aid kit in your trailer for just such an emergency.  I like to be sure that I have these items in my kit:

stress paks (oral electrolytes)
banamine (usually injectable) but I also carry paste and powder
bute (usually paste0 but I also carry tablets
vet wrap
gauze
furizone ointment or some sort of antibiotic ointment
cotton sheeting (thick) (diapers will also work for this)
elasticon ( can get from vet)
duct tape (can work for all sorts of functions)
staple kit (not everyone will have the skill for this, but I carry it)

There are of course other things you can carry with you, but this list gives you an idea of some basics.

8.)  Make sure to bring some of your hay from home, so the horse is not prone to colic if you are switching to a hay from a different area.

9.)  Make sure to bring your feed/supplements/grain from home as well and most importantly try to maintain your feeding schedule as close to the time the horse is fed at home.

10.)  When to stop and exercise?  Well,  I would say that about 12-13 hours in the trailer is definitely a long day but I have hauled horses that length of time before letting them out of the trailer many times and they seem to do just fine, this is of course making sure that they are fed on schedule and offered water at every stop.  So, if you are just driving 5/6/7 hours you probably do not necessarily have to stop and exercise them but you should always offer water.

11.)  If you are making an extremely long trip sometimes it is good to break the trip up with an extra day at an overnight horse accommodation.  This gives your horse a mental break but also a physical break from standing in the trailer.

12.)  Always use some sort of safety tie or safety knot to be able to release your horse in case of emergency.  Be very careful to not let a lot of extra lead rope hanging it can be a danger to your horse if they are wrapped up in it but also for those using a stock type trailer if it is too long it can be wound in the wheel axle and that would cause a real wreck.

13.)  Always, I mean always carry a pocket knife in your truck easily accessible and a flashlight is not a bad idea along with a few flares in case you are stuck on the side of the road.

14.) Be very cautious not to over blanket while in the trailer particularly in an enclosed trailer with several horses in there.  It does not take long before all of that horse flesh raises the temperature inside of the trailer.  In most cases I would rather not blanket and perhaps just close a few of the windows to insure that my horses don't get too hot.  This of course is not necessarily true for a more open stock type trailer.

15.)  Always carry a jack or a jiffy jack in case of flat tire, makes for a quick and easy tire change.  I have had many blow outs in my travels and can change my 6/7 horse trailer fully loaded in 15 minutes flat! 

16.)  Another good idea (which I have learned the hard way) is to carry a spare 5 gallon fuel can full of whatever type of fuel your truck takes and always fill up when you hit a 1/4 tank especially if you don't know when you will hit the next fuel station.  Sometimes they are closed and you don't want to run out, especially if you have a diesel motor!


17.) Another thing that most people have never heard of is to make sure you have a properly fitted halter.  This goes not only for trailering but actually all of the time.  If when your halter is on the buckles on each side of the halter hit you horse on the bone that protrudes a few inches under their eye then you can cause nerve damage, so be sure that the halter buckles are not hitting facial bones or are not too tight.  You can cause facial paralysis if the horse is wearing for a long time. 

18.)  Research ahead of time local horse accommodations or horse hotels in the areas you will be driving through, always a good idea unless of course you have a smart phone and can look it up as you are there, just in case.

19.)  It should go without saying, but be sure you trailer is safe to travel with, it should have the wheel bearings packed or in good order, brakes working properly and all lights in good working order.
I also travel with two spares just  in case I am a long distance from a tire store and have a blow out.  I have been know to have two almost in a row so that I have learned from experience too!   

20.)  When traveling with more than one horse in the trailer, give some thought to placement in that trailer.  ie.. can your horse haul comfortable in the front stall (if slant load) up against the wall, or do two horses not get along as well, is your horse large and may need the rear stall (in slant loads)  for more room.  In open trailers with no dividers do you have two mares that don't get along together?  If you are hauling with a stallion in the trailer, where would he travel best.  HINT:  carry Vicks vapo rub with you and rub into the nose of your stallion or any horse that might not be a good neighbor because it drastically diminishes their ability to smell the horse next door.  Caution, it can burn so use sparingly. 
Another very important thing to consider when hauling with a larger trailer is to space your horses based on size/weight out through out the trailer so not all of your heavy weight is at one end. 

There is always so much to talk about but this should give you a good guide to hauling safely, good luck and safe travels!