Bleached mane and tail

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I have a grey stallion that lived outside as a yearling and his mane and tail got bleached out by the sun. Is there anything I can do to cover the bleached hair and make it look natural he is getting more white hairs daily and will eventually be a flea bitten grey like his mom most likely. but of course his mane and tail arent changing near as fast and I am going to show him this year and am concerned at how he will look with "yellow" mane and tail against a mostly white body. Will it make him look like he has stains in his hair? I am afraid to try to dye it since it is multiple colors anyways but I dont know what else to do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks in advance.

This is how dark bob was as a baby:

And this is what he looked like this last summer:

I know he is going to be a lot lighter once I clip him again too because he is getting a lot more white hair around his muzzle and eyes.

 

[Genie]

Maybe this is a no no, but I put black hair dye from the dollar store on my black tails and manes prior to taking to the local fairs.

It washes out after a few baths, and makes them nice and black for the show.

 

[Jessica_06]

Maybe this is a no no, but I put black hair dye from the dollar store on my black tails and manes prior to taking to the local fairs.
It washes out after a few baths, and makes them nice and black for the show.

I do the same thing and it is legal by the rule book.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Maybe this is a no no, but I put black hair dye from the dollar store on my black tails and manes prior to taking to the local fairs.
It washes out after a few baths, and makes them nice and black for the show.

Would this work well for him though since he doesnt have a black mane it is more of a grey and white mix? Thanks for the response!

 

[Genie]

Whew!!!!!!!I am glad it's legal to do. . . . l.o.l.

Anyway, I think he would look great with a black mane and tail.

My little black mare has the odd white hair in her tail too, and they are GONE when she goes to the fair.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I will have to try it before I go to a show and is there a trick to not letting it rub off on the body since he is going to be white?

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I haven't actually tried it but the trick that I've heard that sounded the best was to take a large garbage bag (plastic) and cut the end out so you can slip it over the horses head. Then cut a slit in it to pull the mane thro. This keeps the colourant off of the horses body and is easily disposed of afterwards.

 

[icspots]

You are allowed to enhance color not alter it, so I see your dilemma Maple Hollow. But it looks like it is still mostly black? If so, I found that if you do the dye job prior to clipping, it doesn't bleed, then you just clip off the stuff on the body, would probably have to get more elaborate and go with the garbage bag if you waited until after clipping.

 

[Jessica_06]

The best thing to do is dye it before you clip him. Dying the hair is only legal if the hair is naturally that color etc... you can't dye a white tail black or red etc.. only if it's the natural color that you are highlighting.

 

[The Simple Life Farm]

I also dye before clipping. But I put a clear shampoo all over the neck and butt area first, then if any dye gets on it, it doesn't dye the body hair. I also wrap foil around the sections that are dyed while it is "setting".

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Is there a type of shampoo that is specially designed for grey horses like there are for blacks and whites? And his tail isnt really black the bleached parts are all the same type of grey that his body is just maybe a shade darker but much lighter than black but the whole underneath part of his tail has turned a gorgeous silver color. I wish he would just hurry up and finish his transition from black to silver so I can have his whole tail that color!

 

[muffntuf]

I use Hair color for men. I take old towels (no noise) and lay it across the butt or neck. Then I clip it into place. I apply the hair color and wait the 5 minutes and then rinse out really well.

 

[Naira3284]

I am too lazy to color

so all I do is this:

The day before the show I bathe the horse. When done, and mostly dry, I put a mane-tamer on the horse.

But I flip the hair to the opposite direction that it usually lies. The underneath hair is the "right" color, and sun-bleach free.

By the time we get to the show, the mane is happy on that side, add some gel or baby oil, and ta da!

When you get home, and wash all the goop off of the horse, flip it to the usual side, and your good till the next show.

No dyeing, or keeping the horse out of the sun.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I am too lazy to color

so all I do is this:The day before the show I bathe the horse. When done, and mostly dry, I put a mane-tamer on the horse.

But I flip the hair to the opposite direction that it usually lies. The underneath hair is the "right" color, and sun-bleach free.

By the time we get to the show, the mane is happy on that side, add some gel or baby oil, and ta da!

When you get home, and wash all the goop off of the horse, flip it to the usual side, and your good till the next show.

No dyeing, or keeping the horse out of the sun.

That is my kind of dying

but then my mane will be on the same side as me

I hate getting goopy lol! O well I guess that is the price to pay for laziness. Thanks

 

[Riverdance]

Word of warning for dying black manes and tails with white in them, the white turns purple not black.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Word of warning for dying black manes and tails with white in them, the white turns purple not black.

That is definitely good to know!

 

[muffntuf]

Have you tried - Cowboy Magic® "Shine In-Yellow Out", seems to work well on whites and blacks.

Also how hard is your water? And have you actually looked at the ends of your baby's hair - is it damaged beyond repair and maybe some needs to be trimmed?

 

[ruffian]

Word of warning for dying black manes and tails with white in them, the white turns purple not black.

If you choose to dye the mane/tail, I would recommend using a permanent hair color. make sure it is one that is black black, not blue black. That will leave the purple and blue hairs. I use Nice N Easy True Black. My "B" colt takes 2 boxes because his tail is so long, but he's gorgous afterwards!

I use an AI glove when dying the tail. I have an old nylon blanket that I put on him (He's a bay), and pull the tail through a slit cut in a garbage bag, which I slide right up to the base of the tail. Then I use duct tape to tape the bag to the blanket. Put the solution on the tail, and put the tail in the AI glove. Then I use electric tape at the top (base of the tail) to hold it. Then I massage the goop through the tail thoroughly and let set for recommended time. Then to rinse, I cut a small slit in the glove, and wet the tail down, and then pull the whole glove off and rinse well.

For the mane, I use plastic hair clips. I also put shampoo on the neck to protect it, then work the stuff in and wrap it up in clips. Same for the forelock.

It's a a mess, but it really pays off in the ring! The permanent color leaves the hair bright and shiny, and soft.

 

[Riverdance]

Permanant black hair dye, like black as black, leaves the black manes just beautiful, but it will still make white mane hair purple, not black.

I have dyed black pintos before and if I let any white hairs get into the dye, they have always turned purple and I always use permanant dye.

Another reason why I am not fond of pintos.

 

[icspots]

Another reason why I am not fond of pintos.

That's OK Riverdance, some of us have gotten very proficient at dying manes and tails on pintos and we like them just fine!