Mane pulling difficulties

M

MissMincePie&Brandy

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 November 2009
Messages
2,254
Location
England
Visit site
My new boy really objects to having his mane pulled. Does anyone have any tips for making this an easier task please :)
Even pulling 3 strands of hair out sends him loopy! I'm sure he's anticipating it hurting more than it actually is. Twitching him is not ideal, as he still thrashes about, and I fear this will only make the whole situtuation worse. He's not a foody horse, so shoving a bucket of tasty treats underneath his nose doesn't distract him enough either.

Just to add: I need to be able to produce neat plaits regularly, so I am trying to avoid using a solo comb, or thinning scissors.

I'm considering giving a few units of sedalin beforehand. Do you think this would be ok - I usually like to spend 5 minutes pulling their manes every couple of weeks to keep on top of it, so it's never a big job. All the other horses I've had have been fine to pull. I've never considered doping a horse to pull his mane before.

Any other ideas please. Cheers.
 
Personally I would solo comb it, it is perfectly possible to get a neat mane that you can plait easily by solo combing, it just requires a bit of skill and patience. I am not a fan of mane pulling but I have read that if you rub oil of cloves into the horses crest this will numb the area so horse won't feel pain when you oull it's mane out. Obviously make sure you are wearing gloves to apply! Have never actually tried this method though so how well it works I don't know.
 
I am afraid i use a twitch as mine doesn't like it being done well actually i say that but OH can do it without !! i think its because he is tall and my horse is 17.2h and so he has a little more respect!! i have a really long twitch which i put between my knees and i am on a ladder so it makes it easier as i am mostly on my own i know this isn't ideal but needs must and it means i can do it quickly and get it over and done with s. Solo combs are ok but i know what you mean about the plaiting but they are good if you have a thin mane which you don't want to become any thinner by pulling it .. failing that HOG IT!!!
 
Ditto with PaintitLucky!! It hurts my fingers to pull manes and the poor horse!!! Solo comb everytime; I would rather horse looks like a beatles haircut for a few weeks than subjecting to the pain of mane pulling. I don't agree with dog coat pulling either.
 
I use a thinning rake then a cheap solo comb thing on my mares mane and plait it up v tidily (if I say so myself!) every bloomin weekend!
I use the rake little and often raking over the mane underneath from the wrong side. Then with the solo comb thing I put it back on the right side and 'pull' with it, but just chop little thinned sections as I go along. It def doesn't look like I've done anything other than pull it and plaits up neatly - if it looked cut then I would be pulling it!
These are the bits I use:
http://www.derbyhouse.co.uk/Equestr...s/Roma+Mane+Comb++Thinning+Blade_425-0152.htm
you can get replacement blades for this for about £1 for 10 as they are the same as stanly knife blades.
http://www.saddlery.biz/stable-equi...immers/oster-main-and-tail-thinning-rake.html
 
sorry just read the bit about the twitch derr i really must learn to read properly!! how about one of those hand licks ?? do you start in the middle of the mane? this sometimes helps as some horses dont like the top or the bottom being done so you can just ease them into it also how tight do you have the twitch ? he shouldn't mess about if its on tight enough they usually throw their head around because its quite loose and they feel they can get it off? and the humane twitches are pointless .you could try the sedalin and make a note of how much you give then gradually make it less and less each time you do it so he is kind of used to it . i did that with one of mine as she was a cow to have her teeweth done and gradually over 4 years i had the vet give her less and less and now as she is done regularly she doesn't need any!! x
 
Last edited:
I use a solo comb on my boy who has a very thick mane. I have recently used the rake as well and have got good results. I was scared of using the rake as his mane lies all over the place and I didnt want to make it worse but it has thinned it out great.
I always pulled manes before I got my current horse but he just will not tolerate it but when he had been sedated a few years back, we pulled his mane and it looked great at first but then the top half decided to fall on the other side :( and has done since :confused::confused: So its the solo comb and rake for me.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Oil of cloves is something I've not tried, so I'll definitely give that a go. I would use a solo comb if I didn't need to be able to produce sharp plaits.

I use a solo comb on my retired TB to keep him tidy, but my tricky new boy has a scrubby, thick mane.
I have a rake which I use for giving the effect of a pulled tail, which they are excellent for.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top