How does a mane "hang" naturally???

[bex1984]

A random question:

Naturally, do manes hang to one side, or do they sort of part in the middle to hang down both sides? Or does it depend on the breed of horse? And if they hang down one side, why that side in particular?

They usually seem to be on one side, but if they're there to get rid of flies that doesn't really makse sense because flies don't just hang around one side of a horse

 

[_OC_]

If you have a hairy like me then you end up with a split in the middle and hair on both sides...they say should hang to the right.....mine falls more to the left..... Confession I am training my cob's mane to the right, just don't tell a certain forum member! LOL

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Depends on the horse........bit like your own hair, I tried for years to 'train' mine into a centre parting, but naturally it parts in the middle (have now admitted defeat).

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Too late.

Good luck training it over, lots of plaiting practise for you then.

Mind you it's not so bad if it splits in the middle, it's when it all naturally hangs to the left, that IMO you are fighting a lost cause to try any train it to the right.

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

Hs lies generally the middle, will only stay over one side with gel, no wind, no riding and NO head shaking !!! lol

 

[bex1984]

hmmm. my pony's name just seems to basically go wherever it wants, hence my question...don't know whether to argue with the mane or not, because frankly it's enormous and I'm inclined to let it do what it wants!

 

[druid]

You'll find it lies to the opposite side to which the horse favours when ridden, due to muscling unless it has been trained otherwise

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

i leave H's to it to be honest, suits him. especially when slightly longer and unkept look !!!

 

[bex1984]

Druid - having lunged this evening and had problems on one rein, that does make some sense as the majority of the unruly mane is currently hanging down one side, and when that side was facing me (if that makes sense) then lungeing was almost possible (pony is unruly as well as mane!)

 

[Enfys]

[ QUOTE ]
They usually seem to be on one side, but if they're there to get rid of flies that doesn't really make sense because flies don't just hang around one side of a horse

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting. I've never thought of that before, although during our freezing winter I did wonder if the side with mane grew a less dense coat than the exposed side.
I wonder if it has anything to do with the natural left or right handedness of the individual. I know for a fact that my arab, and the paint both go better on the rein that the mane falls on if that makes any sense. The gelding has a curly, fuzzy Haflinger mane that does it's own thing in every direction but I will work him tomorrow and see if he has a favoured side or not.

I seem to remember reading something about whorls on crests having something to do with manes, but I can't recall where I read that, most unhelpful

 

[bex1984]

My pony does have a less dense coat under his mane on the side the majority of it hangs on.

 

[Mid]

Jayjay's is flopped on the left side, as is Solo's. We're trying to train Solo's, but Jayjay's is too big to do anything about!

I'm lucky, Oscar's just stands straight up

 

[JessPickle]

Pickles is on both sides, think it doesnt have enough room if it all goes on one side