Look what Harvey's done !!!

[harveydales]

I must still be in shock because I'm not devastated as every one says I should be.

Yesterday I left Harvey tied to the trailer, as normal, while I went into Tanya's house to check on her little dog which Harvey had inadvertently stood on. Luckily the dog was fine but when I went back out I was greeted by sight of Harvey with his mane nearly all pulled out, right from the roots!

Harvey used to have a spectacular 3ft plus mane although in recent years he has rubbed out the lower half due to mild sweet itch. I do his mane in a long, loose running plait to keep it manageable for riding and I think he must have tried to itch his face and somehow got his mane hooked on the trailer rear handle....... He now has very little mane left and I'm not sure whether I should simply remove the remaining bits or not. Harvey never liked his mane, he found it irritating so I suppose he is happy about it. I also plait his forelock because he gets cross with it if it's hanging loose. He never did want to be a hairy native pony - he thinks he's an eventer and went for a brilliant gallop with a couple of Tanya's eventers after this incident, mostly leading the way.

All that remains of Harvey's mane:



Some of the removed mane:


Tanya wearing Harvey's mane:


I should add that the dressage team we are in - Black Hairies Plus One has qualified for the Northern Regionals, coming 4th out of 56 teams! The final will be held at Port Royal, Yorkshire but my phone insisted it was Port Royal, Jamaica. I think Harvey found out and was so disappointed he won't be going to the Caribbean he decided he no longer wants to be a black hairy and be on the team.

[zeldalithgow]

Oh Harvey I'd trim the remaining mane so it is shorter then it will look more meant.

Trev has mild sweet itch too and has lost a lot of his lovely mane but hey ho I don't show so i just have to cope with it

[Tynedale]

Oh my goodness, I would cry.

[dalesnfellfan]

What a long mane he had, he still looks very handsome and at least it is a bit more manageable, I think I'd trim it up a bit to make it a bit more even, it will grow again eventually.

[carolinec]

Wow! I'm amazed how much mane Harvey managed to lose in such a short time. I'd just cut it short to make it look more even or I suppose you could (whispers) even hog his mane during the winter. He's still a handsome boy though. Pips flowing mane is sadly depleted now as he rubs on his stable door and his field mates nibble it too.

[charliefar]

I feel your pain, Alfie did exactly that in March, I cried for a full day but then I got over it eventually. I was so relieved he didnt hurt himself...will try and upload a pic

[Fi]

Well, if Harvey's happy! I'd trim to neaten it a bit too.

Congrats on the team dressage result!

[harveydales]

Sept 9, 2015 15:15:45 GMT -1 charliefar said:

I feel your pain, Alfie did exactly that in March, I cried for a full day but then I got over it eventually. I was so relieved he didnt hurt himself...will try and upload a pic

Yes, I know what you mean. I was relieved he hadn't hurt himself. Hair will grow again and even if it doesn't, he is fit and well. Could have been so much worse, say if he'd caught his head collar on the trailer. I would be interested in seeing your photos if you can find them. Did it take long to grow back?

[nedales]

Ah poor Harvey--and what a shock! I wonder if this wouldn't be a natural hazard to ponies living rough with very long manes? GL had a similar trailer tie hazard last year but he managed to pull the whole trailer door off and save his mane! We have a Dales carriage pony at our farm who came to us "nekkid" with roached mane, shorn fetlocks, and trimmed face. In six weeks un-shaven he is already looking quite hairy! We always keep a bottle of Shapleys Original M-T-G hair growth remedy for emergencies like Harvey's. Sounds ridiculous and smells worse ( like bacon) (!) but does seem to work...

[Debbie]

Oh my goodness! I'm so glad Harvey wasn't harmed. It's shocking just how much damage a pony can do in the space of a sneeze.

I'd be tempted to hog it and let it all grow back the same length, but if you're meant to be on a hairy dressage team, perhaps leave it and try to weave the mane back into the bits that remain so you can match the rest of the team for the competition? I'm not sure how important that is for your competition, or how feasible it would be to try and braid the lost mane together.

[harveydales]

Sept 11, 2015 20:42:50 GMT -1 Debbie said:

Oh my goodness! I'm so glad Harvey wasn't harmed. It's shocking just how much damage a pony can do in the space of a sneeze.

I'd be tempted to hog it and let it all grow back the same length, but if you're meant to be on a hairy dressage team, perhaps leave it and try to weave the mane back into the bits that remain so you can match the rest of the team for the competition? I'm not sure how important that is for your competition, or how feasible it would be to try and braid the lost mane together.

Yes, I was at the hairdressers the other day and they suggested the same. I will try and blend the old hair back in for the competition and then even everything up to the shortest bits and start again. Apparently I need some toupee glue!

[mikea]

I'm glad Harvey's fine. I'm sure that by the spring you'll have a 1/2 decent mane again. As you know - Bertie came hogged back in May. I reckon he's got a good 4 inches of mane already.

[knight1]

Oh no Harvey, I can't t believe you really did that! Well, yes I can as Knight's always scratching his mane. And now he's left poor Pam looking for toupee glue. Maybe you can make him a hairpiece braid to use for competition until it grows out. Thank goodness he didn't injure himself.

[Debbie]

"Apparently I need some toupee glue!" I immediately imagined Harvey doing his best Ministry of Silly Walks with his toupee'd mane flapping around and got the giggles the things we won't try to do for our ponies.

You should make a video of the attempts to stick it back together. It might be one of those things that goes viral

[tinkerdorisalison]

OMG Harvey............!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope he wasn't sore after that scalping