Pulling and thinning manes

[bellaboo]

My yearling mane has a 'dragged through a hedge backwards' apperance. Am hoping to show her in the next couple of weeks so it needs to be sorted so it can be plaited. Have tried pulling it which she really dislikes, so has anyone got any other 'painless' methods of shorten and thinning manes? anyone tried the mane and tail rakes etc.?

 

[Christmas_Kate]

Try a solo comb. You do have to be careful as it's easy to get 'chop happy' and take off too much, but do a bit, stand back and look, then come back and do another bit.

 

[ClaireT]

Have used the oster rake - great on tails but you have to be mega careful with it on mane, otherwise it grows back in like a bog brush!
For anything that won't stand to be pulled, i whizz along with the solocomb then use the rake to thin out, so it doesn't look bushy or blunt

 

[bellaboo]

Do you think i should try again with pulling it? Would she get used to it being pulled? Or is it a case of, if a horse doesnt like it you will never be able to pull it without upsetting them?

Sorry that was a bit of a waffle

 

[CentrestageSHS]

They do get used to it being pulled, just do a tiny bit every day, I know its not possible with yours as she is only a yearling but one of my horses hates it and won't stand when you pull it, I find that if i tie him up with his roller and side reins onto his headcollar, he doens't move at all and you can see how the mane will lie when he is on the bit! Depending on how thick your horse's mane is I have trimmed manes with thinning scissors before on horses that really hate it or have thin manes already. It stops the scissor look and can look quite tidy.

 

[malibu211211]

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!
Don't make the black and white one look all smart and pretty, it will make my boy look like a right scruffy thug

 

[bellaboo]

I have always pulled manes before so have never used a thinning comb/scissors

may sound daft but how do you use one of these, what do you do?

 

[bellaboo]

What you mean your native T.B

 

[malibu211211]

Yes it's a new breed

Do you think it'll catch on?

 

[virtual]

You can try rubbing oil of cloves in to the base of the mane before pulling - this numbs it (wear latex type gloves so you don't get numb fingers!)

Most do get used to it, but some never do. I find a good way of keeping it thin is to brush it really vigorously every day, then you can just shorten it with thinning scissors. Really thick manes are tricky to do with a thinning device though.