Riding a horse with a long mane - dangerous??!!

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canteron

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So crazy lady who used to help me with my horse always insisted on braiding the mane so it didn't get caught in the reins. But then crazy lady was scared of everything .... her risk assessments were just amazing.

Is this just another thing to worry about, or has it actually happened to anyone.

I love the long mane on my horse, and somehow it is easy to keep looking good, and if I hogged her it would be really really expensive (husband would definitely divorce me, it was touch and go when I shortened the mane).
 
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Okay, I've actually experienced this years ago, whilst riding a friends arab around a field. His long mane tangled into my reins and hands as we cantered, meaning I was unable to pull him up as we headed towards the hill, leading to my first (slightly out of control) downhill cantering experience.

However, I have never had a problem since despite having hairy traditionals, and have saved my backside more than once by grabbing a handful. I do however, find that the hair by the withers can disappear under the saddle and pull, so I do put in a couple long plaits down there to keep the hair out.
 
Having had natives for many years with a good smattering of other types too, I've never pulled, braided nor plaited any manes.
Out of the 3 with me at present, 1 isnt ridden as teeny but has shaggy mane.
The other 2, one has mane to shoulder, the other almost to knees. Both fine to ride, no rein tangling etc, I suppose it's what I'm used to.
Have previously hunted with full mane too without issues.
 
canteron said:
So crazy lady who used to help me with my horse always insisted on braiding the mane so it didn't get caught in the reins. But then crazy lady was scared of everything .... her risk assessments were just amazing.

Is this just another thing to worry about, or has it actually happened to anyone.

I love the long mane on my horse, and somehow it is easy to keep looking good, and if I hogged her it would be really really expensive (husband would definitely divorce me, it was touch and go went I shortened the mane).
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I don't think it's so crazy . It's much easier to slip the reins over a drop or big hedge and regain them if they aren't tangled in the mane. You neednt get rid of the mane, just put it in a running plait. I also dislocated a finger once when I dismounted a 17hh horse and my ring was tangled in the mane.
 
I have a pure arab with the longest and thickest mane I have ever seen on an Arab, I don't think its the length rather the thickness that I find the problem I have lost the reins in there before now so always just do plaits if I'm going on faster endurance rides.
 
My cobs unruly mane does sometimes get a little tangled in the reins but not so much that it would be in any way dangerous. I prefer my cob hogged but all that free flowing mane actually makes for a great "oh sh*t strap" so technically its safer in my case ?
 
I've ridden many Spanish horses with long manes and not had an issue.

However... I did once gallop a stunning Barb stallion with gorgeous flowing locks down a beach when on a riding holiday in Morocco. His mane became completely entangled in my watch so I couldn't move my hand*! I had to keep going until I could untangle it, then pull up - thankfully there was a lot of beach to gallop along ;)

*before anyone says I should have been using my seat or body-weight, this was very much not how the horses had been trained unfortunately!

Rowreach - I suspect s/he means that the husband likes the long mane and the resulting divorce from hogging it would be expensive!
 
Yes long mane can get tangled with reins, but not something I worry about unless doing more challenging riding - decent size jumping etc.
My old geldings mane used to occasionally whip me in the face when galloping if it was windy. It was generally left loose.
 
We hogged The Beast because she had temper tantrums if her mane got caught in the reins (FFS almost wrote main and reigns! It's catching! ). She was never very bad, just some head tossing, but theoretically there could be a risk there on certain horses.

But generally I don't think there's a big risk!
 
I used to ride a mare with a super long, thick mane. Occasionally had issues when I had to quickly shorten reins and ended up with a handful of mane instead, but nothing serious. Our biggest problem was how hot and sweaty she got, so I'd put braids in if we were having a lesson or doing a proper schooling session. I often wished my hair was as soft and thick as hers haha.
 
I used to have to band my cob's mane but for some reason my PRE isn't an issue, though her many is similar. In think it might be because she likes me to carry my hands higher.
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stormox said:
I don't think it's so crazy . It's much easier to slip the reins over a drop or big hedge and regain them if they aren't tangled in the mane. You neednt get rid of the mane, just put it in a running plait. I also dislocated a finger once when I dismounted a 17hh horse and my ring was tangled in the mane.
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I don't wear rings, after someone I knew de-gloved their finger jumping out of the jockey door of the box and the ring got stuck.

Manes I haven't had a problem with, and Rigsby has a fair one!
 
Red-1 said:
I don't wear rings, after someone I knew de-gloved their finger jumping out of the jockey door of the box and the ring got stuck.

Manes I haven't had a problem with, and Rigsby has a fair one!
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Ditto, but person removed a finger by getting ring caught while trying to open a gate while mounted.
 
My little finger on one hand bends out at a weird angle. I caught it in a horse’s mane show jumping nearly 30 years ago. Wasn’t a particular long mane either. Remember I went into work next day - office job - hand was swollen so they suggested I see doctor who then sent me to hospital and ended up with a week off as hand had to be strapped up.
 
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