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Mane and Tail...

3K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  wetrain17 
#1 ·
Okay. So. I only bathe my gelding before a show. And, actually I haven't really given him a FULL bath yet this year, I will be giving him his first before our equitations show this weekend. My question/dilemma is...I use MTG as he rubs out the bottom of his mane EVERY summer. and it is getting an OKAY amount of growth back but is still super short. Plus he has started rubbing the rest of his mane out. What can I do to prevent mane rubbing??? I have tried the hood and he ripped it. And I have tried other things to no avail. He has also started rubbing the base of his tail. Any help at this point would be very much appreciated. What can I do to stop him from itching/rubbing???? Vegetable oil??? Tips/ideas? Anyone!!!
 
#2 ·
One thing that comes to mind with the tail rubbing is worms. Has he been wormed for pinworms? Also with the MTG, I think if you use a lot, it can be a little irritating. I use it for growth and use it only once a week. I put some along the mane on each side and rub it in. (wearing gloves bc I can not stand that smell.) The MTG treats several different skin conditions so I would think if his mane or tail did have something, the MTG would treat it.

I am interested in hearing what others think too.
 
#3 ·
Actually he has been wormed. The last time 3 weeks ago. I only MTG once a week as well, but does it cause build-up? Could that cause his itching? Because sometimes I will go to do it and he has like a build up, flaking..
 
#4 ·
One thing that comes to mind with the tail rubbing is worms. Has he been wormed for pinworms? What would I use for pin worms???

He is wormed every 8 weeks, and I rotate wormers so I am interested in if regular wormers treat pin worms as well?

Also with the MTG, I think if you use a lot, it can be a little irritating. I use it for growth and use it only once a week. I put some along the mane on each side and rub it in.

Maybe I am using too much MTG....never really thought of that, though I also put some on both sides of his mane and rub it in.
 
#5 ·
I believe it says on the directions of MTG, to wash it out after a week, and then once dry, re-apply for the next week doesn't it? If I'm thinking right, then I would believe it builds up an irritating residue.

I would try a shampoo for sensitive/itchy/dry skin, and keep the sweat off of him as much as possible. That can make him itchy.

Flies can be a big problem as well. If you notice, flies alot of the time, like to hang out underneath the belly towards the back legs. And if he has fly bites back there, then he'll be stratching his tail, because that's the closest he can get to it.
Not sure about the mane. But, that's something to think about for the tail.
 
#6 ·
Stop the rubbing

At our facility we use Simple Relief's detangle & shine. It's a completly natural product, the horses love the smell and the mane and tail rubbing stopped after the second application. It has some essential oils in it to get rid of mites and bothersome bugs. We use it a couple of times a week plus right before shows as it has some calming effect on them. Check it out, it might help.:idea:
 
#7 ·
Ivermectin, moxedectin, oxibendazole...etc. I think the majority of the name brands cover pinworms. If you've wormed regularly and with rotation, then worms shouldn't be the cause.

I would tend to think it is more the MTG causing the irritation. Try washing all the residue out, skip the MTG, and see if that stops the rubbing. Please post back if it helped or not too.
 
#8 ·
Will do thanks guys! And yes he has been regularly wormed with name brand wormers.
 
#9 ·
I tried MTG on 2 of my horses' lower legs to treat some flaky skin. While it seemed to work on my mare, after a little while they both became irritated to it, stomping their legs when there were no flies until I washed it off. I'm just not a huge fan of the stuff.

I have used Calm Coat spray in the past for my mare who was rubbing her tail because of a break out of hives. It worked well, but did need to be washed out fairly often to prevent a gooey buildup.

Also, this may sound gross, but cleaning out their butts with baby wipes REALLY helps better than anything for an itchy tail. I clean all of my horses daily, also being sure to clean the underside of the tailbone. If I stick to this schedule, no one rubs their tails- a few missed days and they start up again (and yes, I do deworm and the hightest fecal count I've ever had is 1, and that was a new horse).
 
#11 ·
Another cause of a horse rubbing their bum is that they need cleaning. Geldings that have smegma in their sheath and mares having it on their udders.
 
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