What to do with his mane?!

[Boodle]

WB gelding I ride/look after has been out of work for almost a year and is only just coming back into it.

Basically I let him become a big scruff over Autumn/Winter with as much hair as possible so he could just be left to his own devices.

Now I want to tidy him up abit...

BUT what shall I do with this mane..

He hasnt rubbed it, its just half on one side and half on the other after a mini rear tossed it about

The problem is... he's a bit head shy and tends to head shake, and so pulling his mane, in my opinion will make him worse and be quite difficult without him getting wound up.

Can anyone advice on what I should do with it?

Any experience of Solo Combs to thin and shorten it?

Someone suggested to me just "chopping it' but im not keen on that idea!

What do you all think?

 

[ladylisa]

Ive just shortened my mares mane today with a thinning comb as she can be funny with things near her head.
She has lives out 24/7 and been roughed off so was about aslong as pally's.
It looks good and you do it in the same way as pulling but it has a blade as no upsetting the horse, a solo comb works in the same way.

 

[Tierra]

All the manes of the horses on our yard are cut with the scissors and then some are solo combed at the end. We dont pull at all any more. If he doesnt like it being messed with, that's what I'd be inclined to do here.

Using scissors doesnt have to be too bad providing you cut up and into the mane slightly after levelling it off (which gives it a more feathered "pulled" look at the end).

But if you really hate scissoring, which is fair enough, then i'd be inclined to hack some of it off with the scissors then get to it with a solo comb.

Either way, the best thing is to take it as slowly as possible to ensure you're getting the "look" you want. It's when you tend to try and rush through them quickly that you tend to end up with a mess.

 

[Boodle]

Thanks for the advice.

I'm used to my hairy natives whose manes I generally detangle with some Mane and Tail Conditioner and leave to grow into a bush

So a warmblood is abit of a difference.

I think im only against the scissors idea is because my RI used to drill it into me that thats not how you do your horses mane She was an absolute perfectionist and used to spend hours pulling.

I have a thinning comb tho I feel Joey Shettie may i have trodden on it and squished it to smitherines.

 

[Boodle]

By the way, I now have visions of Pally (the horse in question) sitting cross legged on a Barbers chair, reading a paper and me tentatively snipping the smallest lengths of his hair off
Weird.

 

[Rambo]

Best tools i've found are the Oster Mane and Tail Thinner...available from Clippersharp. Thin first by raking through the mane on the wrong side, then shorten to roughly the desired length with scissors, then finish off with another dose of thinning from the wrong side. Finally, trim very carefully any scrappy / uneven ends with scissors...but being careful not to give the mane a chopped look.

Even works on the one who hates having his mane pulled

ETS: These are the things :-

http://www.clippersharp.com/ProductList.aspx?page=0&category=70_88

OR

http://www.clippersharp.com/Product.aspx?category=&product=726

 

[Loopy_laura]

i cut mine with scissors and then tweek the end sto make it look pulled.

 

[Boodle]

That looks a handy tool Rambo. Will have to see if I can find the funds for one. Bit short at this time of year because of the horses Infact, im always short... im 16.. what can you expect.

Thanks.

 

[_Jazz_]

Yes, that looks very handy * Caz leaves forum to find purse*

 

[PennyJ]

Scissor it and then cut up into like described above. I have a NF pony who SIMPLY WILL NOT TOLERATE either pulling (funnily he will let me pull his forelock) and he was not prepared to cooperate with a solo comb either. In desperation I took the scissors to it, and then my yard friend who is good at hair cutting cut up into it and it looks great. I'm an anal turnout queen so believe me it was a last resort and I'm hypercritical as well. I am very pleased with the result.

 

[cornwallexracers]

I do my Ex-racers manes with an ordinary hairdressers razor comb, if I pulled them they'd be bald as their manes are so fine! The razor combs are a couple of quid and you can get them from places like superdrug or boots.

 

[AmyMay]

Just pull it??

 

[spotty_pony]

I don't think you s hould hog him because he isn't really the right breed/build to be hogged. If he isn't keen on having his mane pulled then try a solo comb - we use one on our Thoroughbred because he is very sensitive. It thickens the mane up a bit and gives a natural effect.

 

[Boodle]

Lol AmyMay... you have some VERY strong horse sedatives
At almost 17hh when he kicks up a fuss, with me at 9 stone, im not enough to hold him still

Thanks guys, I wouldnt hog his mane, just want to tidy it up. Had some very good advice.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Lol AmyMay... you have some VERY strong horse sedatives
At almost 17hh when he kicks up a fuss, with me at 9 stone, im not enough to hold him still

[/ QUOTE ]
Ah a bit naughty is he? Tie him up and just do a little bit at a time - may take a week or so. And always do it after exercising when he's warm.

 

[Boodle]

You know, I might just try it tomorrow.
Well after our ride, ill settle him down with some hay and see what i can get done.

If he goes off on one, then ill just solo comb it i think.

 

[Kelly1982]

Scissors every time!! Its so much quicker and the horse doesn't get time to kick up a fuss.

If you cut up into it then you wont get the choppy look.