[Goonhorse]

Are there any other options besides yard or rubber bands to fasten your horses mane braids (not for showing, but just to braid your horses mane to protect it)? Yarn takes forever to put in and take out, and it seems like rubber bands rips the hair out when you take them out. Is there anything else?

[sheplovr]

What I did with my Arabian gelding was braid his band them then tie them up so they did not get caught on anything. When I was ready to wash the mane and tail, I put a little baby oil at the tip about the band and it slide right off. His made was hanging below his neck and his tail laid on the ground. I tied the tail up also like this so he could be left out to play. I washed and rebraided every other day and it was not problem, I braided to the very end, then the oil left the band slip right off.

[Kissitgoodbye]

You can use thread lmao. I really don't know. Or maybe a heavy moose. Good luck on finding different options

[Goonhorse]

Originally Posted by Kissitgoodbye

You can use thread lmao. I really don't know. Or maybe a heavy moose. Good luck on finding different options

Haha. I could just imagine myself feverishly trying to find the thread in Breez's mane while she bounces off the walls with impatience. Then I wouldn't be able to get it out, and have to cut it meanwhile trying not to cut half her mane off!!!

[Kissitgoodbye]

ha lmao... It would stay.. I would suggest brown/black thread instead of bright blue or hot pink

[Trace]

Stick with the rubber bands but instead of pulling them out - just snip them and then they will come out without pulling the hair out.

[Goonhorse]

Thanks for the tips (Especially Kissitgoodbye's!!! ). In another thread LotsOfSavvy posted a link to a website for mane bags, and they suggested using electical tape...I might have to try that.

Here's the thread if anybody wants to look at it(you'll find the link there, too):
Things to do with a long mane...

[.Tuckit.]

Yep, was just going to suggest that! My mare has a mane ALMOST past her neck, and a nice long, thick, flowing tail. I put lots of work into it and tried different experiments with it. I tried rubber bands, but they seemed to make the hair SHORTER when I took them out. Maybe they pulled the hair out, or they cut off some sort of circulation and made the ends fall off, made them dry and brittle or something. What ever the cause, they didn't work. A friend of mine on another board suggested washing mane and tail, conditioning it, leaving in the conditioner, braiding it, and using electrical tape. Works like a charm! Her tail has finally recovered and is looking great again. Just wash it regularly, and leave in lots of conditioner to keep it from getting dry. Also, when you take the tape off, the hair will have sticky residue remaining, but that comes off with shampoo and water.

[.Tuckit.]

Oh, another thing that helps with braiding is to braid with your horses head down. Give them some hay to munch on the ground while you braid. They hold still which helps ALOT, and that way, the braids can't be pulled when the horses head is down. If you braid them tight with the head UP, when the horse puts it's head down, the braids are likely to get pulled, especially near the withers, and stretched resulting in breakage. If you braid loose at the roots with the head down, you can avoid the problem because the head is already down.

[Goonhorse]

Cool. Thanks .Tuckit.! I also found with rubber bands that after a day or two (maybe it was because they were cheap! ) they would get brittle and break off. I'm going to try electical tape--after I gently explain to Mom that it won't ruin her mane forever!