Alternatives to mane pulling

[donkeyindisguise]

Evening all

Just thought I'd pick your brains about mane pulling/tidying etc, I was trying to tidy my mare's mane up this evening and I got to thinking there must be a better way.
She's a Welshie with quite a thick mane and I try to keep her tidy looking, however she (understandably) doesn't like her mane being pulled, and I hate using a solo comb.
I'm about ready to give up with the comb, it falls apart every other cut, and IMHO it takes 5x as long and the results aren't as tidy as pulling
So basically what I'm asking is, has anyone found any decent alternatives? I can't bring myself to take scissors to it!
Thanks in advance

 

[Colouredwelsh]

I use a rake on my section A. Run it from the root to tip on the underside of the mane running your hand on the top at the same time. It will thin it from the base. Hope that makes sense.

 

[SatsumaGirl]

My little oldie hates his mane being pulled but I too detest solo combs. I now swear by pulling knives (the ones that look like pocket knives but with ridges). It takes no time at all and with a the correct knack, it gives a nice natural finish.

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

i use scissors

 

[Fools Motto]

I use a razor blade. You can 'back comb' it while removing effectively the same amount as pulling does. However, it doesn't really thin it! I think it looks good, but it did take a while to perfect it - as it can have parts of being cut straight if you're not concentrating!!
Also, be aware that the blades are sharp, so mind the horse and your fingers!!

 

[EquiEquestrian556]

Yes, I have. I never pull our horses' manes any more, they don't like it, and neither do I!
I now use a Smart Tails mane/ tail puller - amazing little thing, doesn't hurt the horse, in fact, they enjoy it!
It leaves really smart looking manes & tails, and it also thins it wonderfully (if you want it to).

I shorten it by holding onto the section on mane I want to shorten (as though you're going to pull it) and then 'rub' the pulling tool over the section I want to shorten (to create friction), and it should just cut through, leaving a neat and natural pulled look, if that makes sense.

This is the one I use:
http://www.******.co.uk/Smart_Groom..._find=150751&gclid=CNyQ-aXKvMMCFUrpwgodkEgAZA

I use a fine one by the way, but you may want a coarser one if you're wanting to thin a think mane.

 

[kassieg]

Can you twitch her then pull it ?

It is the 1 thing my mare hates & she is so bloody big she just rams me into things and frankly I don't like being squished & half killed. If I twitch her I can do her mane & tail in 15 mins. I do her tail whilst she is falling asleep & then do her mane & it is so much less stress for both of us.

Also if you keep on top of it its much easier

 

[twiggy2]

I gave up and hogged we are both much happier

 

[donkeyindisguise]

Ooh the rakes sound really good, I wouldn't trust myself with razor blades!
Half her mane is really thick and the rest is fairly average if there is such a thing, so the ability to chose between just shortening and shortening and thinning is appealing!
Twitching isn't really an option as I'm at the yard alone most the time, and it's usually just when it's quiet and I have a few minutes to myself I decide to do it.
She's not terrible with it being pulled to be fair, just shakes her head every time I back comb as soon as she realises that's what I'm doing - ends up taking forever.

 

[be positive]

A rake works really well, most horses are more than happy for you to use one, it will thin as much as you want then if you are left with a few long bits it is easy to just trim them with scissors.

 

[JillA]

I use one of those combs with a blade in it - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Main-comb...Horse_Wear_Equipment&var=&hash=item4631c0727a. Use it from underneath and it is really easy to thin it and have it look like it was pulled. Takes standard craft knife blades and you can fit them either way to use in either hand.
You should be able to do a nice job on a cob with one this isn't a a really thick mane but as a WB xTB not as fine as a TB.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Evening all

Just thought I'd pick your brains about mane pulling/tidying etc, I was trying to tidy my mare's mane up this evening and I got to thinking there must be a better way.
She's a Welshie with quite a thick mane and I try to keep her tidy looking, however she (understandably) doesn't like her mane being pulled, and I hate using a solo comb.
I'm about ready to give up with the comb, it falls apart every other cut, and IMHO it takes 5x as long and the results aren't as tidy as pulling
So basically what I'm asking is, has anyone found any decent alternatives? I can't bring myself to take scissors to it!
Thanks in advance

I don't touch it I leave it o' naturel

 

[QueenDee_]

Sorry to hijack OP- but has anyone had any luck shortening it with a blade, and then pulling it to thin it? My 2yo has a horrendously thick, long mane which I'm hoping to tidy up come spring, I pulled it once last year to a tidy length all be it with a lot of fidgeting on her part, as it has got so unmanageable I feel it's be unfair to pull it from the length it is (and don't want her to make bad associations with the process) so looking for alternatives however I often find using blades leaves it quite thick.

 

[Nudibranch]

I use scissors if very long then a Smart rake. Gives a natural look or a pulled look, very versatile. Mine has done Shetlands to TBs to warmbloods!

 

[be positive]

I use scissors if very long then a Smart rake. Gives a natural look or a pulled look, very versatile. Mine has done Shetlands to TBs to warmbloods!

I do the same, especially if they are not going anywhere and just need a tidy up, there is no reason to pull it just chop off the long ends and rake through to thin.

 

[Suechoccy]

I use scissors.

 

[SallyBatty]

I use a rake and scissors on my mare's very thick mane.

 

[GinaGeo]

Just don't use the rakes if you ever want to plait again!

I ended up clipping the underside of my horses mane off. He's a Welsh D x TB. Who's very much TB apart from his mane! When plaited you can't tell. I'm trying to get him used to it being pulled, pull a couple of strands each time after he's been ridden. It's a very long, slow process!

 

[PonyIAmNotFood]

My youngster has a bowl cut, just taken scissors to his mane. My loan horse gets hers back combed, then the long parts trimmed and chopped into. Not majorly natural looking but she's happier having it done this way!

 

[Spotsrock]

Solo combs leave a right mess I use a proper thinning comb. Looks like a pulling comb with a long thin handle but the comb pat has a razor blade in it, much neater job and no pulling

 

[conniegirl]

Rakes are awful if you want to plait afterwards as the short chopped bits end up sticking out and you end up with spiky fuzzy plaits no matter how good you are at plating.

 

[GinaGeo]

Yes don't use a rake if you ever want to plait a mane again!

 

[Penny Less]

I have a very thick maned horse, I cut the bottom off and then use hairdressers thinning scissors on it. FInd solo comb always seems to be blunt and it would take me hours to do it pulling it. Don't go to any shows though so don't know if it would pass muster anywhere other than hacking !

 

[Auslander]

I rake from the underneath, then use a comb with a blade to tidy up the straggles. I avoid raking the first 2 inches, so don't have spiky bits. Alf has a massive, thick double mane - I attacked it this morning, and removed enough with the rake to stuff a small cushion - but there is still a fair bit to come off!

 

[EquiEquestrian556]

Rakes are awful if you want to plait afterwards as the short chopped bits end up sticking out and you end up with spiky fuzzy plaits no matter how good you are at plating.

I don't agree. I use a rake to pull my mare mane, and I plait almost every week as we hunt/ compete, and her plaits never have spiky bits sticking out.

 

[SpringArising]

I just cut upwards

 

[ArabianGem78]

I have never understand why you'd want to pull a mane. Yanking hair out by the root is pretty painful and not something I'd ever want to inflict on my horse. I leave my pure bred arab au naturel, and take a pair of scissors to my part-bred when it gets too long. I've never shown so not needed to plait traditionally. If I've wanted to plait (for endurance or on the rare occasion we venture into the dressage arena), I just pop in a running plait, high up on the crest.

 

[Llee94]

I use a rake on all of mine for their manes and tails and then tidy it up using thinning scissors. Takes me about 5-10mins to do a mane. I plait mine for eventing and don't have any trouble. Occasionally get a spikey bit but nobody will see that unless they stick their face in my horses mane!

 

[FinkleyAlex]

Scissors - been doing it for years for my PBA who rears if you try to pull his mane - worked perfectly as he had such a pathetic mane in the first place. I now use them for my Welsh D x TB who has lots of mane - the key is to do it in stages and when you're nearly at the length you want start cutting at an angle with the scissors parallel to you so that the inner part of the mane is being cut slightly shorter. This stops it from looking really obvious.

 

[Auslander]

I have never understand why you'd want to pull a mane. Yanking hair out by the root is pretty painful and not something I'd ever want to inflict on my horse. I leave my pure bred arab au naturel, and take a pair of scissors to my part-bred when it gets too long. I've never shown so not needed to plait traditionally. If I've wanted to plait (for endurance or on the rare occasion we venture into the dressage arena), I just pop in a running plait, high up on the crest.

This thread is about alternatives to pulling, to be fair!