Tips for plaiting a horribly thick mane?!

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ecrozier

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Pulling is not an option unless you have a small army available to hold him down in order to give an iv sedative! Sedalin doesn't touch the sides... Solo comb gets same reaction.
I can keep it looking pretty tidy, unplaited, using scissors. But when I went to plait on Saturday it just looked an absolute mess!! The base of his mane (ie width of crest of neck) is easily 1.5 inches wide and the hair is THICK! I can plait him, with someone helping by scratching his neck the other side with a hairbrush, but have one hour max..... Then he gets bored and starts flicking his head, and rapidly descends into full on tantrum mode.
I think part of my problem this week was rubbish plaiting bands - any suggestions on good places to buy decent strength ones?! The ones I have seem to have very little strength to them so once stretched once, they then didn't tighten up again if that makes any sense? Otherwise any other suggestions? I can plait reasonably well on a very thin tidy mane but this is beyond me!!
 
I would be very interested to see what other people say too, as I have the same problem. The only thing that I can do to attempt to make it a bit more manageable is by using an Oster thinning comb/rake. Helps, but still not great :(
 
Millsandboon - he won't stand for the plaiting bit, it's a case of get plait and band in as quick as possible!
Three bands at same time prob a good idea with these rubbish bands!
 
A tail rake will thin it out, but does leave wispy bits. I used to use this on an old horse fairly effectively.

Is it just general impatience with him or is it more the sensation? If the latter try doing the plaits loose at top so it doesn't tug as much.
 
Mane rake?

I used one on half my broodie's mane, I started pulling in (in stocks) then gave up as it hurt my fingers too much, raked the rest of it, and got reasonable plaits - even by my exacting standards
 
I was going to say, sew them from the ears down and then even if he does head toss you only have to deal with the jiffling and spinning rather than the head tossing. And I'd also potentially let the mane grow out a bit and then if it's thick you can fight it into longer plaits which stay in better. It'll look too long unplaited, but plaited it'd look okay...
 
Hog him. :cool:
Or, we have fed ours chaff out of a bucket when she's bored. Also have taught her to put her head down when you put your hands round her head (because she's going to be tall and i want to be able to put the bridle on), but you do need someone else to hold her head while you plait.
 
Ihatework/crazymare, yes, I do have a tail rake and have used it, def helps, but do get the wispy bits. Think maybe better to be a bit more extreme with the rake tho and to have wispy bits and reasonably manageable plaits than porcupine-like gild balls that we had yesterday!!
It's the sensation. Impatience only kicks in after about an hour, which is ok as that should give me enough time! I was having to leave them loose as its so thick it won't tighten properly, but that just meant it was a complete mess throughout I think! he's fine as long as I have a helper to distract by scratching other side of neck, almost like he can't process two seperate feelings at once well enough to object!
Lolo - do generally start about 2/3 of way up, go up to ears then back down again as takes him 10 mins to decide its ok, then can get up by ears whilst least bothered, then work down. He will chuck head up, then pull bck and break string though. Idiotic horse!
Yes, think maybe longer/more mane raking might be plan...
 
Digger66 - I have been very tempted before now, believe me! No problem with getting bridle on he lowers his head fine for that...
 
My girls mane was pretty thick, and I did lots of little plaits - and did them quick! I actually found her mane being a bit longer made it easier to plait, but that might just have been me and my weirdness!!

It did make her rather long neck look longer, but I got best turned out several times at dressage comps! :)
 
Most will tolerate a mane rake, I use it little and often to help prevent whispy regrowth all at once, just use it on the underside while brushing the top and they usually do not realise what is happening .
Plaiting, could you do all the plaits down in one go with bands, then leave him for a while to get settled again, then quickly roll them up and finish, it will take longer overall but you may find he is less impatient , there are always other jobs you could do in the break.
 
Reggie is the world's most annoying horse to plait. He manages about 15 minutes before he starts twirling, and within 5 minutes he'll be on full blown dance of the 7 veils which quickly segues into a full on nervous breakdown. As soon as I'm done, he goes back to dope-on-a-rope mode... I start at the very top and put in bands loosely all the way down so I have everything ready, and then plait like I'm on speed. It's such a nuisance- my old horse stood like a rock, preening and his plaits always looked immaculate and like they were just stuck on his neck. Reg tends to look like the naughty schoolboy he is!
 
Yes he's fine with the mane rake luckily! He's pretty much ok with the plaiting itself, it's more that I'm not happy with the results as looked a mess!
Probably a good idea abbeygale - we ended up with about 15 yesterday plus forelock so could add in a couple more.
 
Lolo - that's exactly it! As soon as I take my hands off his mane he stands still again. My Arab would stand like a rock for a week if I needed him to - do running plaits on him tho so only need 5 mins - typically.
 
L has lots of little plaits. She also won't let me pull it, so it's cut, and she has had upto 19 before.... also plait quickly! I can do her mane in about 25minutes. I also leave her main relatively long, although actually find it easier short when doing lots of plaits... :D
 
Lol maybe it's another family trait! Is hers very thick too?
Ok so more taking, slightly longer mane and more plaits seems to be the way forward!
 
Mine has a very thick mane but only until about 1/2 way down!!! I rake it but do it from the underneath and to be honest I haven't noticed any wispy bits...........

ETS I usually rake it before shortening
 
Monty's is really thick and wiry. He wont tolerate having it pulled so have had to resort to a mane rake. Little and often so not too many wiry bits at once and learn to plait quicker! I can do a row of 11 and a forelock in 20mins as long as he's got a haynet to keep him relatively still. They do look a bit like golfballs but as long as I use quick braid or similar the spiky bits stay in and they dont look too bad.
 
I have the same problem, I think it helps being an ex hairdresser so I can plait very quickly!

How about two people plaiting after you have sectioned the hair, one start from the top and one from the bottom?! He may freak out about this but just a thought.
 
double plait its what I do!! literally a row of plaits each side of the mane suitable for all disciplines except showing and looks very smart. it always amuses me that very few people ever notice as well ;)

edit to add it takes me 40 mins in total to do both sides
 
Santa_Claus said:
double plait its what I do!! literally a row of plaits each side of the mane suitable for all disciplines except showing and looks very smart. it always amuses me that very few people ever notice as well ;)

edit to add it takes me 40 mins in total to do both sides
Click to expand...

I've never thought of doing that! Do you have any pictures?
 
My horse has a horrid thick wavy mane and is a pain to pull, I use a rake on the wrong side (so that when it is plaited to the right, the rubbishy wispy bits are hidden underneath). This works fine, takes 25 mins to plait neatly.
 
from above

IMG_3398.jpg


from one side proving that you can't see the other side!
IMG_3746.jpg
 
Lol thanks all, I'm too slow at the moment to do double plaits I reckon - would take me hours! But will rake and keep practicing and may work up to that as its a great idea!
 
I like to do bigger plaits as I find small ones look all squashed together and then look messy and it takes to long and then he becomes a pain. I dont know if you can see it very well in my sig but I get my natives mane to look respectable plaited with big chunky plaits. Have you tried damping the top and bottom of the bit your plaiting with a dandy brush before as I find this helps keep it neat and gets all the whispy bit in.
 
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