How do you THIN (not shorten) a very thick mane?

[Ashleigh_]

Hi you lot!
I've posted about Ron's notorious mane before back in winter and managed to get it to lie on one side with the help of your useful advice and the attachable neck bit to his rug. Well now it's summer and he's naked i'm afraid to say its all gone t*ts up and we are pretty much back where we started

I think its got more to do with the thickness of his mane which means it won't lie on one side because there just isn't room!
Has anyone got any advice about how to THIN his mane (i don't want to shorten it because as you can see from the bog brush tail and semi-fluffy feet we are coming from show cob to traditional )

Thanks guyssss - penguins biscuits for all!

It looks so nice when it lays flat on one side! Would wetting it and putting it in a long running plait down his neck and leaving it help? (excuse odd looking leg hahaha)
(

 

[martlin]

Thinning without shortening can be easily achieved with a thinning rake (the clue is in the name), just remember to brush it onto the ''wrong'' side before thinning.

 

[Ashleigh_]

Thinning without shortening can be easily achieved with a thinning rake (the clue is in the name), just remember to brush it onto the ''wrong'' side before thinning.

Thankyou Martlin

I knew someone would come along and know of some grooming implement that my already over flowing box of tricks is missing! I'm a blonde, the association with Ron's thick mane and a 'thinning rake' just couldn't have been more unobvious!

 

[martlin]

There you go:
http://www.saddlery.biz/products.asp?partno=OST21

just to make your life a tiny bit easier

 

[Ashleigh_]

There you go:
http://www.saddlery.biz/products.asp?partno=OST21

just to make your life a tiny bit easier

Shhhh you are putting my ability to google to shame!
Bloody hell that's expensive for a measly mane and tail rake, if Ron's mane manages to creep back into center parting 90's madness i think i might cry!

pssst thankyou!

 

[martlin]

I seem to think I paid not much over a tenner for one, so you just need to do a bit of searching

 

[WishfulThinker]

Also, limit how much youuse it as it doesnt pull mane out - it cuts it! So you can get a bog brush effect if it all goes wrong!

 

[Kat]

If you are planning to show him as a traditional I wouldn't thin it. When it gets longer the weight will probably make it lie better. To encourage it all onto the right side put it in plaits or bunches as much as possible and dampen it down.

If you comb it with a mane comb after exercise (when he's a bit warm) too this will result in some hairs being pulled out at random each time which will help thin it without necessarily shortening it.

 

[Ashleigh_]

Thanks everyone for your advice x

 

[BigRed]

As others have said, I personally wouldn't thin it. Just brush it over and damp it down. Hairy people seem to grow their manes at a tremendous rate. before you know it, it will be by his knees. My mare's mare was a bit mad, so I put it into bunchies or loose plaits and it would lie for a while. If you want it to lie really well for a show or something, buy a stretchy hood/neck cover, they work wonders.