Alternative to pulling a mane

[You Wont Forget Me]

My horse will not stand to get his mane pulled and i dont just mean he wont stand, he throws his head around, bites, kicks does anything to stop it, it is not something im doing as had a few other people try but he wont have none of it. However his mane is needing something done with it, he has a really thick section right in the middle of his neck (the rest is fine) and i dont know what to do with it, i tried a thinning knife but i made an awful mess when his mane was platted, anything else i can try?

 

[EimerR]

have you tried a twitch? I personally don't like using them but i know people who have had alot of sucess with them when it comes to pulling manes. Just a sugestion

 

[ihatework]

I've kept a variety of horses manes looking good by careful use of a tail rake and scissors.

The tail rake to thin it out - always do from the underside and never to the very base (it leaves some wispy straggles so you want these long enough to plait in)

Shorten the mane using normal scissors. Cut up into the mane at 90 oC in short sharp snips, you can also feather slightly (as hairdressers do!).

I can plait pretty much to perfection like this and with extra effort by plaiting down/laying the mane on a day to day basis it looks smart loose too.

 

[POLLDARK]

A horse I had was the same. I used to push his mane over to the other side (left) & run the clippers up along the bottom.(right hand side of the neck) a run of a quarter to half an inch in depth. Removing the mane where the mane was too thick. On him the was for about 12 inches up the neck about half way up. Then flip the mane back over. It always looked very neat.

 

[You Wont Forget Me]

A horse I had was the same. I used to push his mane over to the other side (left) & run the clippers up along the bottom.(right hand side of the neck) a run of a quarter to half an inch in depth. Removing the mane where the mane was too thick. On him the was for about 12 inches up the neck about half way up. Then flip the mane back over. It always looked very neat.

I've heard a few people do this, how does it look when plated up tho?

 

[Cuppatea]

twitch. Literally just for the time it takes for him to realise it doesnt hurt that much and isnt worth the effort of making a fuss.

 

[Sticker]

Solocomb! As long as you do fairly small bits at a time, it looks nice & neat & not 'choppy'. Think mine was £15 odd from eBay, saves sooo many arguments with our mare

 

[Gracie21]

Get a mane rake. They're great.

Use the rack underneath to thin it out, then cut it with sharp scissors. He won't feel a thing. Keep brushing it down and straightening it up If his mane is thick then snip upwards to get rid of the thickness. It works a treat. See if someone will stand with a bucket or some hay for him to eat whilst you do it, then he'll learn that it won't hurt

 

[KSR]

I use a rake every time

 

[dollymix]

I rake mine then use a solo comb... Looks very tidy. Like others have said though, only use the rake from underneath, or pull all the mane onto the wrong side, rake it on top and the flip back over the correct side

 

[Littlelegs]

Use the pulling comb to backcomb same as you would to pull, but use scissors to cut it instead, both for length & thinning. But just make sure the thinned cuts are from underneath.

 

[Sparkly Snowdrop]

Mane rake and solo comb for me. I never pull manes or tails.

 

[POLLDARK]

I've heard a few people do this, how does it look when plated up tho?

It looks fine, you wouldn't notice. Nobody ever did in my showing classes. Just keep it short & it will look like the neck. Easy Peasy.

 

[You Wont Forget Me]

Okay thannks guys think i'll give the rake a try atleast

 

[treacle_beastie]

I use a thinning knife and just feather the ends off.