Mane Pulling - help please!!

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Nikademus

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My 4 year old TB will not let me pull or solocomb his mane! It's bizarre because he's fine with absolutley everything else, shoeing/ clipping/ trimming his whiskers,ears even eyelashes (for showing!) but when I start combing his mane,the second I hold a small clump of hair, in the stable he will turn on me to kick me or if he's tried up, try to bite or squish me very agressively. Once he's done this there is no touching the mane area at all even though usually he is a delight to own, loves cuddles and kisses and is very well behaved in all other respects.

It once took me an hour to do one platt in his mane before! I hadn't pulled it or combed it, just used a plastic curry comb to get knots out but he was convinced I was going to pull it and wouldn't stop rearing up. Once I managed to do one platt and he realised I was platting not pulling he stood perfectly still and I was done in 20mins!

How can I overcome this disproportionate reaction. He won't let me solocomb it or thin it with a thinning blade!! Help, it's getting so long now I'm not going to be able to platt it!
 
If he hates it that much why do you want to do it? I'd suggest using scissors; once he realises that you're not going to pull it, the reaction will stop. TBs can be very sensitive - mine hates having his mane pulled, so I don't do it. Get nice big fat plaits, too :)
 
Have tried scissors too but as I can't hold a small bunch of hair with one hand whilst snipping with the other, it makes no difference. I would happily cut it/ solo comb it if he would let me but if I let it grow forever they will be tennis ball sized platts! (not very good for showing!)

I obviously don't want to hurt / distress him but as solocombing/ cutting shouldn't hurt at all, I would rather he learn his reaction is somewhat OTT than never tidy his mane up again.....
 
This will probably go down like a lead balloon but I would twitch in this situation. Assuming you are trying to pull his mane when he is nice and warm and you haven't ever over done it giving him a reason to be like this I would say this is a fairly OTT reaction. If he were mine I would twitch to subdue the reaction so that instead of getting in a state he would realise it is actually no big deal.

Obviously only do a small amount in any one go, twitch with a good twitch, and leave it on a little as possible etc but that would be my way of dealing with it.

*runs to find cover*
 
If he has such a reaction and is so terrified I think I would use a bit of Sedalin from the Vets just to calm him down and make the whole thing as stress free as possible - some horses this paste doesn't have a huge difference, others it knocks them out sideways depends on the horse - take advice from your vet for doseage etc. - worth a try !
 
Presumably at some point he has experienced pain associated with his mane.

Rather than forcing him to accept mane pulling / cutting etc, maybe try and gradually show him that he is not going to be subjected to this again.

Work slowly day by day just getting him to accept you touch his mane - every time he allows you to do it without negative reactions reward him by moving away from the area, rub his face etc.

Use a main conditioner when you groom so you aren't pulling him mane to get the knots out.

This area is clearly extremely sensitive for him and you must accept that very gentle handling is required for the time being.

I'm not against twitching when needed but just my opinion that this may not be the best route initially.

Ultimately, your horse and you must do what you think is best.
 
I had the same problems with mine but he would rear and paddle at my head excellent like yours you can do anything with except that hes been sedated hobbled and twitched all together a one time no way was he letting me lucky for me hes a cob so hogged it but its strange he would let me yank on his mane to get mud out with plastic curry comb and i can pull his tail and he likes it cant use solo comb either soon as i back comb up he go and he never rears normally but if thats is only problem guess im lucky
 
abina said:
Jess Tickle if it makes any difference - yes I twitch when needed ! - have you cover for two ???
Click to expand...

of course.


And I only assume he hasn't had pain from his mane before. If he has I might try and work through it.

I have an unhandled 2yo like this though and she hadn't ever had her mane pulled in her life before me. Not all silly reactions are down to a memory of something unpleasant. Some times horses are just silly so and sos!
 
LaurenM said:
I would just aim to do a little at a time. If you run your hand along his neck does he indicate that it is sensitive?
Click to expand...

No, he's happy to let me brush big mud clods out with a plastic curry comb but a soon as you hold that strand of hair...!

I've only had him since April and his mane was short when he came so have just been letting my platts get bigger and bigger until now.... don't know if he's had a bad experience in the past but expect he had it done all the time when he was racing?!?
 
Thanks for all the advice everyone.

Will talk to my vet first and find out the cost implications of using some form of sedative. If too expensive or doesn't make any difference, will try a twitch for a few minutes and see if it makes him any more amenable (will just try to cut it quickly if I need to use a twich I think!).

Thanks again for all the positive feedback
 
get him used to dragging the plastic curry comb through, then progess to a comb. try combing his mane whilst riding (be careful if he goes up) have someone handfeed him tasty bits whilst you comb. put a full neck rug on it will soon thin out. mid to thin manes snip off quite well. sedalin will cost you approx 15 for a tube he will req about a half tube 1 hour before you start. though sedalin can be overcome esp if he is sensitive. oil of cloves has a slightly numbing effect. if every he is fully sedated IV for something do the mane then. twitching should do the trick if you are confident and quick. otherwise get someone in to do it at least he wont hate you for ever.
 
autumn is very much as you describe. I literally cant pull two hairs without her going mental :-( shes a coloured ISH so has very thick and unruly mane!

We got the vet out last year to sedate her so that day I literally scalped the poor thing and she didnt flinch. Then the time after someone suggested I brush it to the wrong side and thin it with a rake. This thinned it well but when I plaited it looked awful with bits sticking out everywhere.

I think next time I might try twitching (even tho I'm not particularly keen on it). I cant afford and dont want to dope her up to the eyeballs every time I want to pull her mane.

If you come across a good solution I'd be very interested to know!
 
Sounds like he/she's had her mane pulled in the past and doesn't like it. Can't say I blame them - i think I would kick up a stink if someone was pulling my hair out.

Why not try a thinning rake - I think Lister do them?. All you have to do is brush the mane over onto the wrong side and comb through the underside. If your horse is fine with the plastic curry comb they should be fine with this.

This however will only thin the mane but to shorten it you could use scissors (normal or thinning scissors) by cutting upwards into the mane for a natural look. That way you don't need to hold onto small sections of hair.

This is how I do my cob who like yours won't let me use a solo comb because I guess it still feels like I'm going to pull it.

Hope that helps:)
 
I have never tried this myself, but I have been told that if you take clippers and then clip the ends of the hair you get a very similar if not same result to pulling.

It's difficult to describe, but you know how a hair dresser sometimes "scissors" hair?? The clippers need to be at that angle so coming up to the bottom of the strands of hair, i.e. not perpendicular to the hair.

If yours is good with clippers then it might be worth a try on a small section to see if it gives decent results?
 
Provided there isn't an underlying problem i.e injury... I'd twitch him or sedate him. Have someone experienced to assist you for either option, which will make it easier and safer. Some horses tolerate it, others don't.
 
He might not have had an bad experiance....I bred my youngster, shes NEVER had anything nasty happen to her. She will throw an almighty tantrum if you try to pull her mane.

I'm afraid its twitch, pulling, thinning comb and scissors to attack it with a bloody good handler. You have to be careful about not cutting too much or using a thinning comb too much or you will end up with horrid spikey plaits in the showring. Oh, and ALWAYS thin from the underneath - it will be marginally less spikey if you have to use a rake/thinning comb.
 
I am a great fan of the thining comb blades they use for dogs.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dog-grooming-...Horse_Wear_Equipment&var=&hash=item7216776e4b
They also sell them for horses but they cost twice as much
http://www.clippersharp.com/equine/...d_coat_thinners/smart_manes_medium_slash_fine
I have two who are phobic and a couple that would rather you didn't. I never pull or use a Solo comb now I just wiz along with one of those, over in 10 mins and must feel like it a curry comb because unless you start fiddling with sections they just think your giving them a brush.
I have got carried away through, as it comes off so easily my old pony ended up with a very short mane. I would never use anything else now, pulling a mane used to be such a chore and if they didn't like it a battle as well and it looks very natural.
 
It's somwhat reassuring to hear of other people's mane-pulling-phobic horses. My mare (knabstrupper) is that same. Its really sad because she's so easy in all others ways but she's phobic about being clipped and pulled, my guess is something has happened in her past. It's taken me months to get to the point where she will just about let me solo comb, but I really have to be so carefull with that "tweaking out a few hairs and back combing" bit. For what its worth, a friend of mine is an event groom and has pulled more manes than I could in several lifetimes - she clipped my mare under sedation and tried to do her mane at the end. She didn't succedd coz the sedative was wearing off but she did say her mane was particularly hard to pull - apparently some come out quite easily and some are really bedded in, which makes it more painful I guess. So I agree with others who say to minimize the trauma of it all and try doping - a horse that is truly terrified can be dangerous to deal with - I was shocked to see my sweetheart go up on her back legs and try to bolt the first time anyone tried to pull her. Real fear and terror. ..and someone has obviously made a bodge job of trying to twitch her too. She came from abroad and apparently arrived like this (I'm in contact with the lovely lady who imported her as a 3 year old) so god knows what happened to induce such an extreme fear of clipping, pulling and twitching in an otherwise almost bombproof and sensible girl. Heartbreaking - so I'm committed to trying to keep trauma out of her life and build up trust and reassurance - its going to be a long journey.
 
Right - definately going to try the sedalin first. The lady in the stable next door has got some and being as he's so fine, I don't think he will need that much.

Will post some before and after pictures (if I make any progress!)

Thanks again for all your wonderful comments, especially the TB ones. They can be such nutters but the positives and their personalities always out weighs the negatives for me ... :D
 
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