We recommend that you wash your horses mane about every 7 to 10 days so that the hair is easy to work, the work of washing the mane is manageable, and so that you can prevent the taped tips of the braided mane from breaking or damaging the hair you are working so hard to grow.
Unbraid the mane
When working with matted hair at the end of a braid, we like to a a dab of BioMane Detangler to the matted hair and then brush out the matted hair before unbraiding so unbraiding each braid is a quick and easy process.While unbraiding the mane, work out major knots by hand or with a brush. If there are not any major knots, we prefer to leave the mane unbrushed and let the BioMane Shampoo work its magic.
Get the Mane Wet
Once the mane is unbraided, wet down the mane. We like to leave some water in the mane so can help the BioMane Shampoo foam up as much as possible.
Apply BioMane Shampoo
Apply a bead of shampoo along the roots of the mane, and then apply a zig-zag bead of shampoo along the rest of the mane. Add a dab of BioMane Shampoo to your hands and do a quick spray of water over the mane. Starting at the roots of the mane, begin rubbing the shampoo into the mane. Rub the shampoo in well enough so that foam begins to build up, but not so hard that you damage the hair. Using the foam that you built up, run the foam through the rest of the mane. Next, start working the shampoo into the roots and hairline of the mane. Scrub vigorously enough to clean out the dirt and debris, but not so hard that you damage the hair. There should be a lot of foam created at this point, and that is a good thing. The more foam and suds you can create, the easier it will be for the shampoo to cling on to dirt and debris. After the roots have been throughly scrubbed, take the foam from the roots of the mane and gently rub the excess foam into the rest of the mane. Don’t press too hard, and make sure that there is foam worked into the entire mane.
Leave the Shampoo in for 5-10 Minutes
Leave the BioMane Shampoo in the hair for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until the foam starts to dissolve. The reason we like to do this is so that the shampoo can soak in and really clean the hair. Don’t leave it in so long that the shampoo dries out. If you are using BioMane Shampoo, you don’t have to worry about the shampoo damming the hair if left in too long because BioMane Shampoo does not have any ingredients or chemicals that damage or harm the hair.
Rinse the Mane
Starting at the roots of the mane, begin the wash the shampoo out of the mane. As you get closer to the horse’s face, turn down the pressure or wash out the shampoo gently depending on how your horse reacts to water near the face. Avoid getting water in the ears. To make sure that all the soap has been washed out, lift up sections of the mane and spray your hose through the hair and make sure that there isn’t any soap coming out of the mane. To prevent against your horse rubbing it’s mane out, make sure to get as much dirt and debris out of the roots of the hair as possible. We like to flip the mane to its opposite side after rinsing and spraying out the roots and skin underneath the mane one last time to prevent against irritation. Once washed out, bring the mane back to its natural side.
Apply Detangler to the Wet Mane
Once the shampoo is washed out, we like to apply BioMane Detangler to the wet mane so brushing is much easier once the mane is dry, and so that the mane is as moisturized as possible. Put a good amount of BioMane Detangler in your hand and rub it into the mane. BioMane Detangler is safe to leave in your horse’s mane because it is silicone-free.
Allow the Mane to Dry
Allow the hair to dry before brushing.
Brush the Mane
Using the BioMane Brush, brush out the entire mane. Start at the end of the mane and work your way up. Work out any knots with your hands and avoid pulling and tugging on the brush if you do hit a knot. Take your time and do it right so you don’t damage and break the hair.
Braid the Mane
Once the mane is brushed out, begin braiding your horse’s mane. Start at the end of the mane and work your way up towards your horse’s head. Braid the mane in 2 to 3 inch sections of hair. Avoid making the first braids too tight so that your horse has a full range of motion when moving its neck. Leave the first few braids loose enough so that there is no pull in the roots of the mane. At the end of each braid, use a strip of BioMane Braiding Tape to secure the braid. BioMane Braiding Tape won’t leave residue or damage the hair.
Add BioMane Conditioner to the Braids of the Mane
Once the mane is braided, put BioMane Conditioner in your hands and run conditioner through each of the braids in the mane. This will leave the hair with weight and body, and prevent the hair from getting dry and brittle.