Spanish mane...a sin to pull it?!

B

BBP

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 July 2008
Messages
6,587
Visit site
My little pony is 3/4 andalusian and 1/4 welsh b. He is utterly gorgeous (to me!) but instead of a stunning long thick spanish mane, his is scraggly and ratty, and seems to be getting worse. This weekend he managed to pull a big chunk out of it grooming with his mate (annoyingly the chunk I was putting megatek on!). I am contemplating pulling it (and then perhaps letting it regrown in the hope it would be healthier) but am worried i'll regret it! I don't show or anything like that, so that doesn't matter.

Thoughts please on if you think I should or shouldn't pull. Have any of you pulled and had the mane grow back better?

Mane now (pony not looking very prepossessing):
IMAG0077.jpg

IMAG0078.jpg

And to show his type
2011-09-2815-00-05-IMG_8443_resize.jpg

2011-10-0111-52-11-IMG_9199.jpg


Thanks!
 
Well, mine's only half Luso, but has a short pulled/neatened with scissors mane - a good eventing/sj type mane really.

He did have a long forelock when I first got him, that had to go! :D

Do it, hair will always grow back :)
 
instead of pulling it could you give it a good condition :p ?

Then trim the scraggy ends up with scissors (not showjumper cut! but just a neaten up so it looks a bit more slick and smooth) I used pantene on my old pony and worked fab.

Pulling will just thin it and make it even more scraggy imo,

BTW the pony is gorgeous!!! I want!
 
Sorry, when I said pull I meant shorten, so get rid of the scraggly ends and see if it grows back healthier. I've got some megatek, but only put it on the bottom, which it the bit that is getting scraggier. I've been trying to resist brushing it but must admit to doing it occasionally.
 
Personally i would give it a really good brush and get rid of all the crap and dammaged hair then give it a pull. Just pull all the scraggy ends and then leave it to grow and see how it goes.
I think he could get away with a nice short mane as he looks elegant enough for it, the long mane will look good on him as well once its a bit thicker. He is rather smart either way :)
 
Maybe i'll try a strategic trim, a good condition and go from there. I find it odd that his mane is so rubbish when the rest of his coat is always so glossy.
 
It's pretty as it is.

Do you NEED to do anything with it? what do you do for competeing? It's not full enough to left natural but too long to plait at the moment

Unless you need to do something with it, I'd leave it as it is.
 
As he's part bred I thought that a pulled mane would be technically correct. With natives if they're purebred they go au natural, if they're part bred it's pull and plait imo. Have no experience with spanish breeds but kind of assumed the same.
 
My p/b Luso has a long mane, I keep it trimmed as otherwise it starts to go straggly but I leave the forelock - it is his crowning glory!! :D :D
 
It's true kallibear, I don't need to do anything, I don't show and I running plait for dressage, but it just looks abit tatty on such an otherwise smart pony! I'm still undecided!
 
Don't pull it - my Clydies mane has never been the same since I pulled it and then let it grow again.

Give it a good wash and condition regularly and comb dry with a fine toothed comb. Pull little bits to keep it level.

This is my Clydies after trying to get it to grow properly for four years.
RibbonsHorseoftheYear2012036.jpg


For the show I wash with Head and Shoulders and then condition with Fructis SLeek and Shine, on the day comb it well with a fine toothed comb and then use hairspray on it to stop it rat tailing and flying over the otherside of her neck
 
A) your boy is lovely!
b) don't pull it! trim it if you want to tidy it up and then just wash it with loads of conditioner and I like tea tree shampoo. It might take a few washes to look better.
I just use the cheapest conditioner in the supermarket and Beaus mane looks good.
 
I have been having the same dilemma and the decision has been made to pull and/or trim it.

He's had 4 years to grow it and it's shorter than mine but much thicker. If it was long and lovely I would keep it and spanish plait it, but it's not so it has to go.

It's all coming off today.
 
Can you post a before and after picture for me please?!
Thanks for the hairspray tip, maybe i'll give it a little trim and then condition away.
 
My Luso's mane looked so awful after a winter of neck covers that I hogged it :o! It's great though as he's got a good neck to pull it off and best of all no plaiting!
 
Before, during and after mane pulling pictures as requested. There are no pictures of it plaited as more practice is needed, 'cos it was rubbish, so no pics until I know what I'm doing.

Baileybeforepull.jpg


During

Baileypullduring.jpg


After

Baileypulledmane.jpg
 
He's a part bred so it would be correct to shorten/pull/trim his mane and plait rather than having it long. So not a sin at all.

Although an iberian, arab, or native should have a full mane a part bred of any of those should be plaited and trimmed traditionally.
 
My lads a Reg IV and his is au natural , you have enough there for a running plait so I see no reason to pull it?
If you're showing him ridden it should be in a running plait anyway.
 
Thanks for the photos, he looks much smarter! So far rather than take drastic action I have just skipped upwards into it to take off the ragged ends. It already looks thicker and tidier. I'm going to try plaiting it out of the way of my reins when I ride as I wonder if the friction there is catching and damaging the ends.

I realise as a part bred he 'should' be trimmed to be correct for showing, but Im not interested in showing, and the little girl in me always dreamt of a black Spanish horse with long mane and tail! I do think he'd look great pulled, but it might take me doing it bit by bit!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top