Beautiful manes and tails are the goal of almost every horse owner. Getting manes and tails to grow long and shiny is a problem. Getting them to stay that way is another entirely.

The longer and thicker a horse’s mane and tail become, the more work it takes to keep them neat and free of witch mats and knots. Witch knots are those pesky masses of knots that seem to reproduce wildly until there’s no telling where the knot begins and ends.

Hair care between grooming sessions

There are many options for horses that spend most of the day stalling. There are any number of tail bags, braiding options and tail systems on the market. But be careful; Just as there is no perfect mousetrap, there is also no perfect answer to queuing. If you invent one, you will be rich beyond measure. Good luck.

The manes and tails of horses that live in boxes or smooth tube pens are the easiest to maintain. Simply braid the mane and tail, securing the braid with an elastic hair band, and finger comb once a week. Be careful when making a pony with braided hair, as they are very creative at catching the braids on fences, trees, and door locks. Also recognize that braids are also tempting chew toys for other horses.

If you travel with your horse, check all out-of-home stables for mane and tail predators. It only takes one screw or wire to get a lot of hair out of a braided ponytail.

Regardless of the method you choose to protect your horse’s tail, make sure the tail is clean and conditioned before you braid it or put it in a tail wrap of any kind.

To reduce breakage, finger comb the mane and tail until almost free of tangles and knots. Brushes and combs are only used for a final touch up. For tails that tend to be more brittle, try finger-combing only until just before entering the display pen.

Wear athletic socks to put on tails

The easiest and least expensive method of protecting tails is to make a simple braid, then put a nylon tail bag or old sports sock on the braid. If you decide to try the sock, cut the top of the sock into four equal parts (cut from top to bottom, cuff to toe), leaving four labels about four inches long. Thread one of the pieces through the braid (once the tail is on the sock) and tie it with a square knot to the sock tag on the opposite side. Repeat with the remaining two lengths of socks.

Management of tangled manes and tails

Anyone with a lot of personal grooming experience knows the challenge of matted tails and witch knots in manes. Matted hair looks like a shine pad, a hard jumble of strands that is almost a solid object. Unless you just want to cut all your hair, you’ll have to make a compromise to get rid of knots and mats. However, it is possible and the time you spend with your horse can be delightfully therapeutic.

To choose mats and knots, try these products:

• Cowboy Magic Detangler
• Downy fabric softener and conditioner
• WD40

Making mats and knots

A list of hair care products does not usually include WD40, but it works. To work the mats, use one of these products liberally. Gently begin to separate the mat or knot. You will almost be massaging the knots, trying to encourage some loosening between the individual strands. You’re on the right track if the rug or knot slowly starts to get wider and taller. Don’t be a hero, work for a quarter inch at a time. When the hair dries out or the knot stops growing, add a little more product.

As you continue to gently massage and stretch the hair mass, few opportunities to remove strands and strands of hair will arise. Enjoy every victory. Really tough knots can take a few sessions to work out, but with patience and a light touch, you should be able to save most of the hair on the mane and tail.

Once the hair is loose, shampoo it to remove the product you used, especially if you chose WD40. Use a leave-in conditioner on manes and tails after washing. Wet hair breaks easily, so wait until it’s almost dry to finger-comb it. To promote long, shiny manes and tails, wash and style them only when absolutely necessary. Shampoo removes essential oils, so condition manes and tails after each wash. Keep tails trimmed to the fetlocks to prevent the horse from losing hair by stepping on its own tail.