It's Winter, it's cold right? You're wearing extra layers and therefore you feel your horse should too. However, remember they are designed to be outside in the weather, unlike us, and they don't feel the cold to the extent that we do.
Why? It's fairly obvious, which of course you know - they have hair all over them, which they use to help regulate their body temperature.
If you want to avoid mane loss, there's no more critical place not to over-rug, than over the top of the neck. Hence, when we designed our Earlwood Fleece Hoods, we did so with a key point of difference. We developed the hood to protect the mane, yet keep the neck warm at the same time. We achieved this in part, by using the same 95% stretch cotton fabric that's in our standard Earlwood hoods, over the face and the top of the mane. This way we can maintain that perfect Earlwood fit and superior breathability. Along the neck panels, we have the warmth of 340gsm fleece to keep your horse cosy. The combination of these two fabrics in our fleece hoods is a big part of why they work so well.
When we rug a horse, this limits its ability for natural thermoregulation, so we need to be mindful we don't make them too hot, as overheating can actually lead to hair loss. This is commonly seen as a very upsetting loss of mane, which of course always seems to coincide with show season, (agh!!!) when you want beautiful luscious locks, not patchy, missing chunks.
Horses are naturally very well adapted to deal with cold conditions. In fact, it is easier for them to warm themselves up than to cool themselves down, and therefore if you want to rug your horse, you need to rug accordingly. We believe the safest way to do this is with breathable fabrics, which still allow the horse to regulate its body temperature as best it can.
Yes people will say that you don't need to rug your horse, or cover the neck etc. However the reality is, people choose to rug their horses for various reasons, and often because they need to, for example if they have clipped their horse. Hence, with that knowledge, we made the decision to help people rug their horses in the most safe and effective way possible.
Extra tips for maintaining manes not just in winter, but all through the year:
- Use a hood that fits - one that doesn't move and create friction.
- Make sure your hood has satin or silk lining in the mane section.
- Wash and/or change your rugs and hoods regularly! A build up of dirt and grease creates friction, which can end up pulling on the hair follicles.
- Don't over-rug. Use natural fibres where you can, and don't overheat.
- Use a conditioner in the mane.
Watch our Fleece Hoods in action HERE