mane pulling nightmare - should I clip it all off?

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Mel1

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my mare is a absolute nightmare when I try to pull her mane, I normally do it over 3 or 4 days with lots of treat and lots of break.
she is normally very well behaved with everything but she is very sensitive so i dont think its a naughty thing, it is just hurting her. any tips?
maybe I should clip it all off! all my friend say she would look horrible, but I'm not sure... and I am getting seriously fed up
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does anybody have pictures of their horse with clipped mane?
 
My boy absolutely hates it too and against all my better judgement (old school) I used a solo comb rather than twitch him......I don't think it looks quite as good as a pulled mane but defo better than stressing him out.......
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I use a razor comb which you should be able to pick up from most saddlers/tack shops mine cost £2.99 and it uses razor blades which are about 60p from the chemists, whips it all off but doesnt look cut ie straight actually gives a nice pulled look.
 
What breed is she? I wouldnt hog her unless she's a coby type, they say it takes 2 years for a hoged mane to grown back fully. I would cut as much off as poss then pull the rest a bit at a time to make it look neat, have you tried a twich? Try rubbing some oil of cloves into the roots first to numb it (wear gloves or your finger will go numb too!) Also try getting someone to hold one of her legs up while you pull a bit at a time. When you get hold of the piece your going to pull do it as quickly as you can without been rough.

It depends how much it bothers you but I would rather have the vet out to sedate mine than hog it all off but I'm fussy like that
 
Nooooo! Don't clip it all off unless she is a cob or a polo pony!! The razor cutters do work very well and solo combs are okay. You may not get the classic pulled mane look but it will be pretty close and your horse will be much happier!
 
oil of cloves! that could be the answer! where do you get it from?
she is TB type (irish sport horse) so probably not the right look for her
Thank you
 
I have a similar problem, my horse is chestnut and i've heard that they have pretty sensitive skin. He's 4 now so i don't mind him having a long mane at the moment but by the summer i hope to be out jumping him and i don't really want to take him out looking a mess! When i try to pull it he shakes his head and neck and jumps about while giving me dirty looks. I don't want to keep doing it if he's uncomfortable but definitely don't want to use scissors. With these combs, are they fairly easy to use and do a decent job with? Any technique advice? Thanks!
 
Use a smart comb (not solo). My TB mare always hated having her mane pulled (a trait she passed on to her first two foals
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) but with the smart comb I get a great pulled looking result, & they don't even know it's being done !!
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depends what type of horse - i hogged mine for same reason - solo comb just ruins it for plaiting or with thick manes makes them look like dougal from magic roundabout!!!!!!!!
i hogged mine and although i thought i had been pulling out tiny bits at a time when it was hogged there were bald spots i felt so guilty
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heres her just after a bath in 2009
 
Long manes were very 'in' at Olympia this year - I vote for keeping it 'au naturelle' and avoiding all the bother (it is dark so won't need washing too often either!)
 
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