Is Pulling Manes Cruel ?

[RobinHood]

Do you think its cruel? No
Do you think it actually hurts the poor animal? Depends on the hotse. Some don't seem to notice and others can't stand it. My last horse went absolutely beserk rearing and head flinging if you even pulled one hair at a time, and his withers quivered so much you could barely get hold of the hair anyway.

Do you do it because its the thing to do? Yes it does look better properly pulled. With the horse mentioned above I used to thin it and shorten it with a big serrated knife.

Would you use a solo comb etc instead? Wouldn't use a solo comb or rake again as they make a mess when it starts to grow out.

 

[cobface]

I did my big tbs mares the other day, i just do really small sections at a time and shes fine, sometimes she does the head toss thing but i just take a smaller piece. She looks so much tidier with a nicely pulled mane

she has a really wispy forelock so the past two times i have left it to grow a bit.......
Coblet on the other hand has a really long thick mane.......but i will be leaving that natural

 

[legaldancer]

I do feel a bit mean when I do it, & wouldn't pull it 'traditionally' again.
I had a mare who had to be twitched to pull it, so it must have hurt. I use a Solo comb now, but it's not easy to thin out. however, I do think that it gives a reasonable appearance. I don't like long manes on Tb's etc, & I have to plait my boy's for hunting, but in the summer I give him a break from it & let his hair down!

 

[the watcher]

I think for horses that shed their hair easily it is not cruel, some seem to be more deeply rooted than others. Onyx will need to be pulled and plaited if I intend to show him and he hate having his mane even combed, always has done.

He was I/V sedated a couple of weeks ago for freezemarking (because he can be very feisty) and didn't notice any of that procedure at all, but even half asleep was still objecting as soon as i touched his mane.

I am going to have to get clever with scissors I think if we go to a show, otherwise i would be happy for him to retain his full and luxuriant mane for ever

 

[_Rach_]

[ QUOTE ]
Questions:-
Do you think its cruel? <font color="red"> No, alothough I wouldnt want mine pulling out. </font>
Do you think it actually hurts the poor animal? <font color="red"> I dont think it hurts Twizzy as she goes to sleep when you are doing it

</font>
Do you do it because its the thing to do? <font color="red"> If I didnt pull Twizzys I wouldnt be able to get it plaited and it grows so quick, I oulled it to about 2.5 inches and within a week it was at least 5inch long again!! </font>
Would you use a solo comb etc instead?

[/ QUOTE ] <font color="red"> No its looks chopped, and its quicker to pull IMHO</font>

 

[_HP_]

My sweet itch cobs loves having his mane pulled. He is tough as old boots and obviously feels no discomfort at all. I think he think's it like a big scratch

I do believe it hurts some horses and I would therefore not do it on them...

 

[somethingorother]

It depends on the horse. Some don't seem to mind and some get very upset. I am lucky in that i deal with arabs mostly and they don't need theirs pulling, obviously. But i wouldn't pull a mane anyway, i like a nice long mane. I looked after a very araby Anglo for a long time at a riding school, and they didn't like long manes or 'uneven' ones, so asked me to pull it to one length. He really did get very upset and in the end wouldn't let me near him, so the next time i used scissors. It took forever but it did look ok in the end (it was still very long). Until someone decided it wasn't short enough and hacked it all off and then he looked ridiculous.

As far as i'm concerned i don't really compete so there's no point in it, a mane has a purpose and i think it looks nice anyway.

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

I hog my old shire x, and I pull my TB's mane after exercise and I twitch him. He stands perfectly still with the twitch on (which he does not do without) and I do just 2 minutes, every two weeks.

I take the twitch off, give him a vigorous pat, and a polo mint and he's absolutely fine, and he doesn't hold it against me!

I'm sure it's no worse than being waxed!

 

[Enfys]

[ QUOTE ]
Questions:-
Do you think its cruel? <font color="red">There are worse things </font>
Do you think it actually hurts the poor animal? <font color="red"> Depends on the horse </font>
Do you do it because its the thing to do? <font color="red"> I don't pull. I don't compete or show, it would be a waste of time.</font>
Would you use a solo comb etc instead?

[/ QUOTE ] <font color="red">Scissors and oster rakes are my friends

</font>

 

[fatpiggy]

Doing it a little at a time, and preferably on warm days or after exercise I think is fine. It does hurt, there is no doubt about that, but by minimizing the amount done each time, I think it is bearable. My mare is usually just about ok about me doing her mane, but loves having her tail done and falls asleep as soon as I start. However, I once saw an AI do a horse's mane in an hour flat and it went from 8 inches long and thick to thinned and 3 inches tops. By the time she'd finished the horse was bleeding and had to be twitched. I don't know how the owner could have stood by and watched such an act of cruelty. Needless to say, the horse always had to be twitched after that.

I did it in order to plait the mane and keep her ultra thick tail nice and tidy for the showing season. I don't find solo-combs very good as the hair cannot be taken down short enough at the crest and when it regrows in a couple of weeks time it sticks up and through, can't be plaited in and looks a horrible mess. Ok if you aren't plaiting though I suppose.

 

[amandaco2]

Do you think its cruel?no, but some horses are more sensitive than others

Do you think it actually hurts the poor animal? again soem dont seem to mind- ive started to pull my 4 year olds mane-only a few hairs each day and she hardly notices. my 20year old cant stand it- she had a very lovely pulled mane when i got her- but she would start to head toss and try to run off as soon as the mane is even back combed!

Do you do it because its the thing to do?i keep their manes trimmed- rake,solo or scissors. easier to care for and plait.

Would you use a solo comb etc instead? yep.