Do you pull your horses mane or cut it with scissors?

Jennie951

Jennie951

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I've always been taught to pull manes with a comb (usually after exercise), but I've started seeing more and more manes being cut with scissors. I'm curious to know what your preference is and why we choose to do either.
 
Pulling takes out some thicknes. If it's already thin you don't want to do that

But frankly I think it's a lot to do with people not knowing how to pull or not being bothered
 
I don't pull manes as it causes discomfort to the horse....

No fluffy bunny here but as I can cut the mane to be able to then plait it I really don't see the point in pulling.
 
I'm trying to grow Laika's mane nice and long but it got a bit uneven last summer so I evened it out the length by using my solocomb. I did try pulling her mane but she absolutely HATED it, so I went for a solocomb instead and she doesn't even notice it's being done now :)
 
AlexHyde said:
I don't pull manes as it causes discomfort to the horse....

No fluffy bunny here but as I can cut the mane to be able to then plait it I really don't see the point in pulling.
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same. Kira's mane is a hedge at the top but i can convince it into plaits so it doesn't matter.
 
Although I was sceptical at first I have actually become really good with a solo comb - takes a bit of practice but I can now achieve a pulled mane look without any of the discomfort to the horse. Plaits really nice too with a little bit of hair gel too.
 
kinnygirl1 said:
Although I was sceptical at first I have actually become really good with a solo comb - takes a bit of practice but I can now achieve a pulled mane look without any of the discomfort to the horse. Plaits really nice too with a little bit of hair gel too.
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I did wonder what the solo combs were like. I've decided to treat myself to the Smart Tail mane and tail thinner as my mare has a thick mane, but I'm not too sure if it's also able to do anything for the length.
 
I cut it, but I pull it a little first to thin it. My pony hates me coming anywhere near her with the pulling comb but will tolerate scissors. My instructor showed me how to do it properly. It doesn't look as nice but looks exactly the same when it's plaited.
 
I use scissors, but with a comb - the same way you'd use a Solo Comb. I back-comb the to layers and snip off the longest hairs from underneath, working my way up. I don't just hack at it!!!
 
I do both - I trim the thinner top and bottom bits with scissors and pull the thicker middle section (and maybe tidy the middle with scissors to get the ends level). We do dressage so I like to keep it fairly long for big chunky plaits! Trimming with scissors to level up the ends makes plaiting easier as you don't end up with wispy bits at the bottom of each plait.
 
Antw23uk said:
Solo comb works well. people who cut their horses manes with scissors should be shot! ;)
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This exactly, although I would add that to get a really good job from a solo comb takes time and patience. Some people I have seen use them to hack off large chunks like scissors! I really dislike pulling and always have although I used to be forced to do it in the past.
 
Antw23uk said:
people who cut their horses manes with scissors should be shot! ;)
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Shoot me then! It's perfectly possible to get a really good effect using scissors, if you take a bit of time over it. I back comb, and cut into the mane with the scissors at an angle. Mane doesn't look cut at all.
 
AlexHyde said:
I don't pull manes as it causes discomfort to the horse....

No fluffy bunny here but as I can cut the mane to be able to then plait it I really don't see the point in pulling.
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I agree - why put her through it when scissors do a good enough job for plaiting. I will also admit to cutting in to the bottom of the hair to make it look more natural :)
 
Both. Pull to thin a bit (my horse falls asleep, hair comes out very easily) and then I cut it to keep it sharp and thick for nice plaits.

Skye's mane is in rehab at the minute as she's lost half of it and they butchered it when she was on sales livery, so I'm not going to have a nice mane till next year :(
 
I'm trying to keep Skylla's lovely and even as the other two are rubbish :(, Doodle has a permanently thin bottom half and Topaz keeps itching her s out :(. Skylla is my last hope :D,
 
I thin with a solo comb and may snip a few ends if absolutely necessary. I *hate* the scissor cut look, I think it looks awful!

ETA - I then wussed out altogether by getting a Welsh and a Shetland - all that's needed is a bit of thinning to stop their necks overheating. No more messing around with plaits!
 
Solo comb and scissors here. With my horses mane I can pretty much achieve a pulled look without pulling.

It was when I mentioned to my hairdresser about pulling and his reaction that I had a rethink. Seems crazy to work on trying to get your horse soft through their neck etc, then do something that in some horses really makes them tense up. I appreciate that some horses do seem to enjoy it being pulled.
 
I've been in the scissors/solo comb camp for many years as it can't be nice for most horses having the mane or tail pulled. However, my young mare would figet and be a real pain whilst I was doing it and then one day, just loose in the field I decided to try a bit of traditional pulling with a mane comb. She loved it! Just stood with no head collar and let me do a bit each day (Her mane is exceptionally thick so I did about a third of her mane in each session). She's a very itchy horse and enjoys really rough grooming. Obviously faffing about with scissors or a solo comb just tickled and irritated her! Anyway, they're all different. Do what's best for the horse. I would always use scissors or a solo comb as my go-to method, but occasionally, if the horse prefers, I will do the traditional pulling.
 
Shoot me now! Mine can barely cope with the scissors and any attempt at pulling leads to complete meltdown. His mane is about as thick as four average manes, if not thicker, and yes it is hacked at with scissors for as long as he can stand it. I do have a thinning knife and use that occasionally for the five minutes he can cope but, generally, it is pretty much a mess.

The only viable option would be to sedate and then hog but really I am not prepared to do that, and to do it repeatedly, for the sake of a "pretty" appearance. So he's a scruffy oik but he's my scruffy oik!

ETA - I can pull manes nicely but, honestly, we'd rather be hacking out!
 
I Solo Comb then rake mine and tidy up with scissors if necessary. I let it grow in the winter to keep her neck warm - she doesn't like neck rugs. As soon as she starts dropping her coat I take her mane down to summer length (about 6").
 
My old mare LOVED her mane being pulled. I don't do it on my new horse.
My mum decided to cut our shetlands forelock with scissors last week, I caught her when it was too late and now it looks a little silly.
 
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