How to Encourage a Mane and Tail to Grow

Owners love the sight of a horse with a luxurious, flowing mane and tail, though some breeds are more prone to thicker manes and tails than others. Research your breed of horse to find out just how thick and long its tail and mane should be. Though some brands of horse shampoos claim to encourage hair growth, there is little evidence as to the effectiveness of such products. What you can do to keep your horse's mane and tail thick and healthy as possible is to provide proper care and ensure there are not any outside factors contributing to your horse's hair loss.

Things You'll Need

  • Horse shampoo
  • Deworming product
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Instructions

    • 1

      Brush your horse's mane and tail infrequently. The hair you pull from your brush following a mane/tail brushing is most likely not excess hair but healthy hair that got torn from its roots. Refrain from brushing the mane and tail unless you're preparing for a special event, like a show or demonstration. For day-to-day maintenance, use your hands instead to pull out debris and keep manes and tails untangled.

    • 2

      Look for strands of horse hair on fences, stall walls and trees. Horses with excess dirt and grease buildup around their hair roots or those infected with worms will rub against these areas to alleviate itching, which results in a thinner mane and tail. Shampoo your horse's mane and tail roots with horse shampoo to get rid of excess grease and use deworming medication if needed. Scrub the roots of manes and tails with shampoo rather than scrubbing the lengths of the hair, which will result in much less breakage and damage.

    • 3

      Watch how much your horses groom each other. While mutual grooming is a fairly common practice, occasionally one horse will get into the habit of munching on another's mane and tail, resulting in rapid hair loss. Separate the horses if possible to discourage this behavior, or use mane and tail wraps until the problem subsides.