Chop or not??

[Identityincrisis]

Help me decide please!

I have an Arab (96%) and very typey, doesn't look anything but Arab. He's my first one and the long mane is driving my mane obsession mad! My previous horses I've kept manes short and neat and love that look. Would it be against everything Araby to take it short?! It is really quite long so it is in a running plait all the time anyway. But the last 1/3 is so thin and fragile a chunk has fallen out tonight

 

[Chinchilla]

High % arabs look lovely with long manes.........!!

Piccies would help though

 

[SpotsandBays]

Help me decide please!

I have an Arab (96%) and very typey, doesn't look anything but Arab. He's my first one and the long mane is driving my mane obsession mad! My previous horses I've kept manes short and neat and love that look. Would it be against everything Araby to take it short?! It is really quite long so it is in a running plait all the time anyway. But the last 1/3 is so thin and fragile a chunk has fallen out tonight

Deffo a picture would help. But I’m with you, I love short manes!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Your horse, your choice.
If you aren't showing then please yourself

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I gave my PRE's mane the chop a month or so ago. He had such a nice, long, thick mane. I hated it short at first, but it'll grow back and it's been nice for the summer. Cooler, no braiding, etc. It's your horse, so if you want to, do it.

 

[HashRouge]

I had my purebred's mane fairly short at one point and she looked really nice. I'll see if I can find a pic!

 

[J&S]

My father had an very pure Arab in Palestine before the war (I have his pedigree on the wall signed by the Arab sheiks who bred him) and he hogged him!!!!

 

[Circe2]

Personally, I think a short mane looks really lovely on an Arab - maybe a little bit longer than the length you would normally pull it to, as the hair is finer and you wouldn’t want it bouncing/sticking out.

Obviously only my (hopefully not too controversial) opinion, but I find the long, traditional manes can make them look a bit doll-like. Fine in traditional/show/western/trekking garb, but slightly odd otherwise!

 

[Steerpike]

I have long manes on a couple of my Arabs which I tend to plait when out and about and a couple of my other Arabs have short manes as they suit them, I even had one Arab hogged when he was in work.

 

[Identityincrisis]

Interesting, i thought it would be a flat out no. I also think a short mane can improve a neck, whereas a long mane can sometimes make an ok neck look weak.

Here is a pic of tge beautiful boy with his wind swept mane. The bottom 1/3 is my problem and has got worse since this picture

 

[Chinchilla]

HOWEVER having now seen a pic.....he'd look lovely either way ..... <3

 

[paddy555]

very much a flat out no for an arab. Beautiful mane on a lovely horse. The mane is part of the essence of being an arab. Your mane looks exactly as it should.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I like a long mane but he's your horse and hair does grow back if you change your mind.

 

[Wishfilly]

I have to say I'd be very tempted to pull/trim (in a natural way) to get those longer, straggly bits off- I think then if you did let it grow longer again, it would grow in a nicer/fuller way.

I do know someone who had a full arab who's mane she pulled, and it actually really suited him- she wasn't a very traditional arab owner though!

Long, traditional manes are obviously required for showing, but otherwise I don't think people will judge you for pulling his mane!

 

[HashRouge]

I can't seem to upload my photo but having looked at it again (it's from about 10 years ago) I think it looks really lovely on her. They are so fine, they won't look bad with a short mane. What I would do though is take it shorter gradually so you can see what length looks best. I think super short might not look as good as having it a couple of inches longer.

 

[TwyfordM]

My friend hogs her beefcake of an endurance Arab ? he however is an absolute chunk and almost 16hh, so he's fairly special. The other three get tidied and kept manageable though still in the traditional Arab length.
Most of the higher level endurance arabs are hogged and pull it off ok

 

[windand rain]

huge fan of full manes but I think in your case I would pull the straggly bits and let it grow thicker wouldnt pull it like a show pony though

 

[splashgirl45]

he is a pretty boy, personally i dont like long manes so i would pull it to a manageable length if you are not intending to show him. if it doesnt look right to you it will grow back but you may as well try , you wont lose anything...

 

[Identityincrisis]

Thanks everyone for your opinions.

I did give it a tidy up a few months ago, so think I'll do that again and maybe take it a bit shorter and see how I feel. As a few said, it will grow back!

 

[Myloubylou]

Like many of us he could do with a couple of inches off the bottom of his mane to tidy it up. Think would make it look fuller without losing too much length. I use scissors to get the rough length & then a mane and tail thinning comb to razor ends make finish less blunt.

 

[Leandy]

What do you do with him? Unless you are showing him as a pure bred, you can do what you want.

 

[IrishMilo]

I wouldn't pull it - it's thin enough as it is. I'd cut it in half if he were mine!

 

[milliepops]

I wouldn't pull it - it's thin enough as it is. I'd cut it in half if he were mine!

me too

 

[PapaverFollis]

Yup. I'd scissor that short. It grows back quickly anyway. My anglo arab was constantly changing hairstyle. I think she generally looked better with it short.

 

[NinjaPony]

I'd take off a couple of inches with thinning scissors to neaten it up a bit.

 

[HashRouge]

I wouldn't pull it - it's thin enough as it is. I'd cut it in half if he were mine!

Same.

I hate pulling!