How To Use Toadstool Farm ManeBags

ManeBags are relatively simple to use, and the more you use them, the better you'll get and the more you'll be able to gauge how best to use them in your own horse's mane.

1)Wash your horses mane, and apply a good leave in conditioner. Gently work out any knots or tangles, then allow the mane to dry before braiding. Braiding a soaking wet mane can lead to a moldy mane in the center. Slightly damp is okay though.

2)Braid your horse's mane in 6-7 regular straight braids. Starting at the poll, take sections of mane about 4-5 inches wide, and braid nice and tight to the neck. Try not to 'pull' the hair into the braid, or it may snap after a while. As you get closer to the withers, braid smaller sections; about 3 inches wide. This is because when your horse puts his head down to graze, it stretches that section of the neck more than at the poll. You want to avoid any stress on the hair.

3)Once you have all of your braids done, take a ManeBag and place the open end underneath a braid right next to the crest of your horse's neck. Take the top strings and thread one up through the small gap between the left section of the braid and the middle section. Thread the other string up through the right hand section and the middle section. Be sure that the strings come from underneath the braid and once threaded lie down over the top of the braid. Pull the strings all the way until the opening of the bag is right under the very top of the braid.

Now, twist the braid up into a ball and push into the top of the mane bag. Pull the strings up tight again, then wrap them underneath the bag, cross in the back and bring around front again.

Tie in a very tight bow.

4)The next step is to take the bottom strings, which should be hanging straight down, and pull them up in front of the bagged braid, essentially folding the bag in half. Gently make a small space with your fingers in the center of the middle section of your braid and carefully push the two bottom strings through, from the top through to the underside.

Pull the strings through until the very top of the bag slides through the center section of the braid also. You should now have a little baggie shape with two loose strings hanging down underneath the bag.

5)Bring the strings around the front of the bag, criss cross them over, wrap around behind the bag and back to the front one more time.

Tie in a bow. Now double tie the bow! Make sure that you have pulled the strings real tight!

6)Give your horse a cookie for being so patient, and go have fun with him!

Some more tips and information for your ManeBags
Your ManeBags can be washed in cold water and tumble dried on low.

ManeBags should be removed every 2-3 weeks, so you can unbraid, wash and comb your horses hair and rebraid.

Remember that hair breaks and sheds whether it is in a braid or not. Do not be alarmed if you see lots of loose hair when you remove the bags. This is most likely just the hair that would have fallen out anyway and had no where to go since it was trapped in the Bag. If you see large clumps of hair, as though a big chunk had broken off all at the same time and in the same place, that may be a sign that you are a) braiding too large sections at a time, b) your horse is rubbing the braids and they are irritating him, in which case you may have to braid looser braids, or c) your horses mane is not strong enough to hold up to anything being tied in it for very long and will not take well to braids or bags. Do not give up right away though, as sometimes, even with the best of hair, and the best of braids, little bits of mane just break. Try again for a few months. If the breakage is consistent, ManeBags may not be right for your horse.

If your horse has a long forelock, french braid it back into the rest of the mane to right behind where a halter would sit, then braid it straight down.

Please use common sense when using ManeBags. If your horse is pastured way out in a 250 acre field without daily supervision, where the bags can get caught on something and possibly hurt your horse, this may be a circumstance where you might want to just let your horse's mane be. Also know that if your horse is pastured with lots of other horses, well, horses like to grab at one another and a ManeBag is a nice big soft thing they can really get their teeth around. You might come in one morning and find your ManeBag and the braid inside it decorating the ground. Toadstool Farm is not liable in any way for "Acts of Horse".

ManeBags are not recommended for foals or yearlings.

If your horse has a short forelock, you can try the above if you want to try getting it to grow longer, or you can simply not braid or bag it.

Use black electrical tape instead of rubber bands to hold your braids. It is cheap, easy to get, and does not harm the hair like rubber bands can. Simply tear off a 2-3 inch piece of tape (depending on the thickness of your horse's mane), and wrap it around the end of the braid. Comes off with a little tug. You can find other colors too, such as red and white, but black is the most readily available that we have found. Try tearing off your piece of tape before you start the braid, and sticking it on your chin to keep it handy while you braid. No fumbling to keep a braid from unraveling and trying to tear off tape all at the same time. There is nothing more amusing than watching someone hop around holding the tips of a braid in their teeth, trying to calm down a jittery horse who is wondering just what the heck you are doing with it's hair in your mouth, and trying to rip off a small piece of tape while keeping it from getting stuck to itself at the same time.( We speak from personal experience here.) Also, if your horse has a light mane and the black tape leaves a little residue on his mane when you remove it, simply work a bit of conditioner into the residue coated areas to release the adhesive, then wipe off with a towel.

Last but not least...ManeBags cannot guarantee that your horse's mane will reach the ground. Genetics plays a large part in it. However, using Toadstool Farm ManeBags can help protect the mane your horse has, and will keep it safe while it does grow.