Crazy idea or genius? Dealing with a thick mane.

NiamhB

NiamhB

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So, i have a mare who is an ID who is not quite chunky enough to look good with a hogged mane, but has enough mane to do two maybe three horses, it is VERY thick.
I do dressage and a little showing so she needs to have a plaited mane and with the current thickness it does not look good plaited.
If i leave it long enough to plait easily the plaits are either so many there is no space between them or far too big.
If i cut it the usual hand width and a bit we have almost the exact same issue.
I've tried pulling it but it looks good for 2 weeks and then the regrowth makes the base far too thick
ive tried one of those thinning rakes but it leaves the mane kind of shredded looking and not all the gel in the world can keep the flyaways down.
SO
My crazy idea is too basically half hog her, split the mane in half or even 2/3 with 1/3 down on the side you would plait and just shave it off to the root.
when plaited the plaits would cover the shaved bit and when it grows out a little i can just do it again.
I do have a smaller clippers i use for her legs.

So is there any downsides im not thinking of?
Any one done this before ?
 
I tried it twenty years ago on one of mine. Disaster. It was never right whatever I did. I thought it was such a good idea!
 
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I have tried this - I could never get it right. But maybe I just wasn't deft enough with the clippers / tidy enough plaiting / on top of the up keep enough.
 
I’ve got a horse with a similar mane and did exactly what you describe.

It’s fine, I’d run the trimmers over it weekly and lay the mane regularly.

You can tell close up but from a distance you wouldn’t know.

He’s moved to a very traditional competition livery, and I think they nearly fainted in horror. So they have left it to grow out and have pulled to within an inch of its life ... seeing as they are now responsible for getting plaits in I figure it’s their call 😂
 
Hopefully this link will work. It's a continuous running plait that looks like traditional plaits. Best thing for a thick/long mane unless you do 2 running plaits either side of the neck.
I have the same dilemma though and decided as we don't compete and she won't let me pull. I dithered about hogging the underside but ended up cutting it with scissors. (Avoided the bowl cut look by cutting up into the hair rather than along.)
If anyone has photos of the half hog look I'd be interested to see them.

https://m.facebook.com/cassysclinic...138009409780993/?type=3&source=48&__tn__=EH-R
 
I would split the mane and do running plaits on both sides. Or the running ball plaits which look really good.

I'm so glad The Beast was hoggable, her mane was as you describe your horse's but she also went nuts if we tried pulling it and didn't even like it being brushed or messed with much! Nightmare. Buzzzzz.
 
Thanks everyone for responses!!
how long do you need for a running plait I've always been under the impression you needed like quite a bit of long mane for that
and currently we have about 5 inch length so i do not think that's gonna work for us.
Also for the bit of showing we do, she really needs to have regular rosette plaits.
maybe ill just take the plunge and report back how we get on !!
 
McFluff said:
I’d do a running plait too. You may need it a bit longer. Looks very smart and takes less time than traditional ones.
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id only love too have a running plait!! but our show season is april - september so i dont think we could grow enough mane in time :(
 
NiamhB said:
id only love too have a running plait!! but our show season is april - september so i dont think we could grow enough mane in time :(
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Ahh. I think it took about 3 months to go from traditional plaiting length to long enough to hold a running plait. Maybe a project for next winter. I couldn’t get my golf balls to look as cute as MP manages, so running plait was the way to go.
 
I'd back comb as if you were going to pull it but instead of pulling, cut it. This will stop the problem with the regrowth.
 
If she's happy to be pulled (my mare used to enjoy it), I would just get disciplined about pulling little and often. Honestly, all the other options are likely to be frustrating in the long run. If you run up and down the mane once or twice a week as part of grooming, you might to keep on top of it and it won't take long once the mane is in order!
 
Why is everyone recommending a running plait ... if its anything like my mares mane we are talking THICK AS F....and impossible ...... honestly really thick manes are a nightmare! I've been saying for two years i will get on top of it but its just got a mind of its own!!
 
Fwiw I have a welsh with a very wirey, thick mane.
I found it made a massive difference if it was pulled regularly and short and the plaits got gradually smaller and more normal looking.
I currently back comb and cut as he is dossing, it would be completely unplaitable!
None of these options for longer manes would really have worked for him (for the same reasons as Ant mentions!)

Historically his mane was long and I would running plait him but they are difficult to get to look good for any extended period.
 
The running traditional plaits (as opposed to normal running plait usually seen on iberians) worked for mine - her mane is a good inch thick and like a bog brush. It was long though, not sure I'd attempt it now I've chopped it :o
 
I used to split the mane on another horse and do a running plait on each side. That wasn't too bad, I used to finish about a foot above withers and then do another one which allowed the neck some freedom to stretch down but agree not suitable for showing., and yes you do need it to be reasonably long, Kira's is about long enough to stay put.

Kira just can't tolerate having her mane pulled, no matter how gently or gradually, or how hot she is etc etc it really upsets her so I just don't bother. That's the reason I plait her for dressage as I don't have to within rules, but I can't train the hedge to stay on one side of her neck so it gets bundled up in plaits in order to look vaguely tidy ;)
 
I have plaiting envy. I can not do decent plaits for toffee. They look like mushrooms not golf balls and sewing them wasn’t much better.
PS I thought the original question was gong to be something like “ can I hog mane and glue on plaits “!
milliepops said:
Embrace the golfball plaits ! Same mane 2 days apart ;)
Best if you sew them in :)View attachment 30187
Click to expand...
 
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