Things You'll Need
- Flaxseed supplement
- Corn oil
- Brushes
- Conditioners
Instructions
How to promote hair growth on horses
Feed your horse a good diet to promote healthy hair growth. A diet rich in natural oils and omega-fatty acids will result in lots of natural shine and a healthier hair cuticle, which leads to longer, stronger hair. Flaxseed and corn oil are excellent choices for this kind of diet enrichment.
Stop combing the mane and tail except to remove the worst tangles. Keep brushing to a minimum. Brushing and combing pulls hairs out. Try and allow the hair to be natural, and finger-comb if need be. Pulling a comb through it will pull hair out--the opposite of what you want.
Brush the hair coat on the body every day. By brushing the hair coat, you are distributing the natural oils that the feed supplement is helping the horse's body produce. This will give the coat a beautiful natural shine and make the hair healthier by distributing the oils from cuticle to the end of the hair shaft.
Apply leave-in conditioner to the mane and tail, and pay special attention to the ends. Keeping the ends soft and pliable will keep them from breaking, allowing the hair to grow longer. Human conditioner is fine, and there also is special horse mane and tail conditioner you can purchase from a horse supply store.
Avoid frequent bathing. Bathing and shampooing actually strips the hair of its natural oils, and can dry and dull the hair coat. Keep baths for when the horse is really dirty or very sweaty, and try to use plain water when you can to avoid the chemicals in shampoos and cleansers.