What is the best way to dye my horse's mane?

Question

I have a big show next weekend and I need to colour my yearling colt's mane. I have been advised the best method is to do it in sections and then wrap them in cling wrap so they don't drip and colour his neck or legs. Is this the best way? or do you know a better way? I'd only like to hear from horse people who have actually had experience with doing this before thanks...

Okay, for starters I asked for only genuine answers because I am sick of getting stupid, sarcastic replies.

Secondly, just to add detail, my horse is black, and I don't know about where you come from, but in Australia, and at least with miniature horses, it is common to colour the horse's mane back to it's original colour to even out the sections of sun-bleached hair. It doesn't look unnatural, it just makes the mane richer in colour and shinier.

Answer 1

Use thick dye and paint it on with a brush. Go in small sections and wrap each section either in tin foil or plastic wrap. Wrap it around so you have a long tube of hair first, and they gently roll it up from the bottom and secure it gently at the root with a hair clip of some sort. The tricky part is rinsing. Remove one section of wrap at a time and try to wipe off most of the dye with a wet towel. You might want to have a helper to hold the hair away from his neck while you work. You can also try smearing vaseline or bag balm all over his neck on the side his mane falls in case you drop a piece and it his his hair.

Make sure you saturate each section before wrapping or you'll have streaks. The paintbrush is useful for that.

I don't know what you're dyeing it for, but I don't suggest using human products- try food coloring or Kool-Aid.

Answer 2

I have never heard of this- Australia has some wierd customs. All I can say is that cling wrap or tinfoil is good for keeping in color and keeping it moisturized. If you drip a lot of the mix- you are putting too much in.
I don't know this from horse dying experience, but from common sense and coloring thick frizzy hair. Salons always do it that way.

Answer 3

Many years ago, I had a client insist I dye her horse's mane due to him sprouting a few grey hairs. She was insistent upon him remaining a bay. BLACK mane, thankyouverymuch.

Can't remember what product I used, something by L'Oreal, maybe, but it ended up giving him horrible dandruff and skin flaking and redness. I wouldn't recommend it.

There *are* nutritional supplements and shampoos you can use that are designed specifically for equine use. "Black as Night" is the supplement I'm thinking of.. You'll have to research the color enhancing shampoos, though.

Best of luck.

Answer 4

I don't know, but I have seen horses have serious problems (including one losing all the hair on his tail and sloughing the skin) from using human products. So be very careful, whatever you do. What are you showing him in that you would need or want to dye his mane????

Answer 5

why in the world are you dyeing his mane? if its for a show, the judges will beable to tell because it will be a uniform color instead of a multicolored pretty thing.

but, go with what you were told.

Answer 6

i Know my answer would be for miniature horses but the way you wrote is correct.

Answer 7

as a long term alternative, I'd give him "Black as Night", it's a supplement that you just put in his grain..

Answer 8

Take it to the horse salon.

Answer 9

there are shampoos that will make it black again and try using black as night

Answer 10

take her to the beauty salon