To pull or not to pull...

[Casey76]

I'm in two minds of what to do about my youngster. Occasionally I'll lop three ins off his tail when it hits the ground, and I've barely touched his mane.

Now I'm doing more with him I'm wondering if I should pull his mane or just leave it as it is... then if I do pull it, how short should I cut his tail?

Sorry for the mud - he was straight out of the field:

And a better body shot from a couple of weeks ago:

 

[AmyMay]

He would look so smart trimmed up - although I must admit I can't bear long manes or tails.

if he were mine his mane would be pulled short, with his forlock left more or less alone until the flies have gone.

His tail would be chopped, again a little longer at this time of year because of the flies - say an inch or so below his chestnut.

 

[hihosilver]

He looks lovely natural tbh I would leave mane but cut his tail a bit shorter!

 

[lelly]

I would trim him up too. I've just done my two year olds mane and she looks fantastic. I don't like really short tails so cut hers about four inches above her fetlock.

 

[Casey76]

Thanks all. I'm really leaning towards trimmed up. It'll be strange, I've never had a horse with a short back and sides

 

[PorkChop]

Pulled mane and tail, trimmed legs and tail chopped to about 4 inches below the hock - would look very smart

 

[Casey76]

Well I decided it's coming off

Sorry the photos are so bad, it is really difficult to photograph black unless the light is perfect :/

After a bit of a brush, and the very ends taken off...

After I finished for today (I didn't want to do it all at once since it was the first time)

And t'other side

 

[TheEngineer]

A good bit of kit is available from S M A R T G R O O M I N G under the name of smart tails,superb for manes and tails,leaves a good finish..

 

[AmandaMT]

It does look much better now under control OP well done.

 

[PolarSkye]

He looks lovely trimmed up a little. I'm afraid I'm a member of the "bang tidy" brigade and my horse has his mane pulled regularly, any errant hairs removed from his fetlocks (he doesn't really have feather) and whiskers removed. I just like horses to be smart and tidy . . . but I don't have a native or a native type and when we had the Nell and Kate (two beautiful cobs) we left them hairy but made sure they were clean and shiny.

I don't, however, pull his tail.

P

 

[Casey76]

A good bit of kit is available from S M A R T G R O O M I N G under the name of smart tails,superb for manes and tails,leaves a good finish..

Oooh no... I don't do pulled tails at all

Blitz is really easy to pull in the "traditional" sense, so I won't be using mane rakes to thin it either

 

[Casey76]

He looks lovely trimmed up a little. I'm afraid I'm a member of the "bang tidy" brigade and my horse has his mane pulled regularly, any errant hairs removed from his fetlocks (he doesn't really have feather) and whiskers removed. I just like horses to be smart and tidy . . . but I don't have a native or a native type and when we had the Nell and Kate (two beautiful cobs) we left them hairy but made sure they were clean and shiny.

I don't, however, pull his tail.

P

I could never take his whiskers off, but his beard will be coming off in winter

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I'm in two minds of what to do about my youngster. Occasionally I'll lop three ins off his tail when it hits the ground, and I've barely touched his mane.

Now I'm doing more with him I'm wondering if I should pull his mane or just leave it as it is... then if I do pull it, how short should I cut his tail?

Sorry for the mud - he was straight out of the field:

And a better body shot from a couple of weeks ago:

I don't go for pulled tails or mane, sorry I preferred it before.

 

[Casey76]

The show is nearly upon us, and I've just about finished shortening Blitzs mane (did one practice plait this evening to check length.

We've gone from:

to:

It looks really short in the photo, but is still about 5,5ins long.

 

[be positive]

A great improvement, he looks like a proper horse now instead of a feral pony!

 

[AmyMay]

Yes, huge improvement.

He's got a lovely neck. Really nice to show it off.

 

[lelly]

Much better. I wouldn't go any shorter than that.

 

[Casey76]

Thanks all For some reason I think having a short mane makes him look more grown up

 

[Casey76]

And the finished article...

 

[LeannePip]

Brilliant transformation! Love PS's 'Bang Tidy' Brigade!

I would still chop another few inches off the tail just think it 'balances' the picture more - but i cut to hocks in winter to avoid mud so its not really the done thing!

 

[Honey08]

Yes, huge improvement.

He's got a lovely neck. Really nice to show it off.

I agree, it makes his neck look lots better.

 

[Capriole]

Massive massive improvement, looks much smarter now.

 

[AmyMay]

And the finished article...

Bloomin brilliant!!