Best way to tidy a very thick, unruly mane

[MyBoyChe]

Im looking after a 16 month old welshie through the winter, he keeps my boy company in at night, and his owner has asked me to see if I can tidy his mane. It is very long, very thick, falls both sides and is very tangled. What is the best way to go about it, it needs thinning and trimming. Im tempted to take the scissors to it in the first instance to at least give me a manageable amount to deal with. Jack has the attention span of a gnat so I will only be able to do a little bit at once which is fine but I keep looking at it and really dont know where to start. Im used to my TB with his nice neat and tidy little hairdo!!

 

[be positive]

Get a rake to use to thin it, use scissors to reduce the length and plait it over until it lies flat, you should then be able to finish it off as required. If you do this over a few weeks it should soon be under control.

 

[Ibblebibble]

Hog it!!

 

[forestfantasy]

Definitely don't hog a Welsh!

Get some detangling spray on first, plenty of it and comb/brush through, i agree with a rake, i have an Oster one, use that to get all the dead hair out then use a solo comb to tidy the length or pull it if he'll allow.

 

[Lolo]

Get it wet, then rake underneath it, then pull. If it's still unruly, split it into lots of little sections and plait it over onto one side.

If it's short, you might just have to give it up as a bad job- my horse had an afro/ pit pony mane til the day he died. It looked good in plaits, but otherwise was horrendous- especially when it was a bit damp, poor boy. Almost got him some frizz-ease!

 

[Rose Folly]

Before you do anything rash (and more people have fallen out over what other people have done to their horse's mane than I've had hot dinners!) first give the unruly mane a good does of Johnson's Baby Oil, over two or three days. Don't worry about making it perfect at once. Just gently brush the oil over the surface and let it sink in. Then after 3-4 days comb it gently through, have a good look, and see what you really need to do - and it might be nothing more. A native is a native, after all!

 

[highlandponygirl]

Hog it!!

Someone i know did this to her horse (wasnt a welshy though) being a similar case to OP and what a difference when it started growing back in. I think if the owner wouldn't mind then it is something to consider. Was so much easier being able to start again. (though it does take a good while for it to grow to a reasonable length).

 

[MyBoyChe]

Thanks guys, Im seeing her tomorrow so Ill double check she means business, then Ill nip to Tescos for baby oil and detangler and get ready to attack it Think it will be a work in progress for a few weeks though!!

 

[Ibblebibble]

i wouldn't hog it really lol, but it is tempting sometimes I've just taken on a little cobby thing and his mane although not thick would have made any Rasta proud with the dreadlocks he had as the were so long i did cut them off about half length to get rid of the real matted bits, once those were gone the rest untangled quite easily

 

[Gilbey]

Agree with baby oil and then plait it over for a few days. Please don't hog a Welshie My Welshie has a lovely long curly mane and I am in a yard of poncy dressage horses with pulled manes, but they all love it!