How to Get Knots Out of a Horse's Mane

With his outdoor lifestyle, love of rolling in warm dirt, and penchant for sticking his nose into everything that catches his curiosity, a horse is naturally prone to getting knots and tangles in his mane. But neigh, all is not lost. You can detangle and condition that mane, bringing it back to its former glory.

Things You'll Need

  • Halter
  • Leadrope
  • Hose
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Leave-in mane/tail conditioner such as Show Sheen
  • Wide-toothed metal comb
  • Narrow-toothed metal comb
  • Rubber band
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Instructions

  1. Clean His Mane

    • 1

      Put a halter on your horse and clip a lead rope to the halter under his chin.

    • 2

      Lead your horse outside and tie him to secure hitch or wash-rack (horse bathing area) near a hose.

    • 3

      Turn on the hose and wet your horse's mane.

    • 4

      Squirt a line of shampoo from the roots to the end of your horse's mane and work into a lather.

    • 5

      Use the hose to rinse out the shampoo.

    • 6

      Squirt a line of conditioner from the top of his mane to the bottom, and massage the conditioner throughout, especially focusing on the knots.

    • 7

      Pull apart as much of the knotted hair as possible by hand.

    • 8

      Take the wide-toothed comb, and with the conditioner still in your horse's hair, begin combing through the mane starting at the ends and working your way to the roots.

    • 9

      Rinse out the conditioner with the hose.

    Working Out the Little Knots

    • 10

      Spray Show Sheen, or a similar leave-in conditioner, throughout your horse's mane, starting at the bottom and working your way up.

    • 11

      Massage the Show Sheen into the knots.

    • 12

      Use the narrow-toothed comb to brush out the tail, starting at the ends and working your way up.

    • 13

      Use the teeth of the comb to pull out individual strands of the knots. Avoid tearing out stubborn knots and ripping the hair if at all possible.

    • 14

      Divide your horse's mane into chunks, and braid each chunk by dividing it into three sections and passing the sections across the middle like in the photo, and tie off each braid with a rubber band.

    • 15

      Check the braids every few days to make sure they are intact. Re-braid any that are starting fall out or become knotted.