pulling the REALLY long mane

[ecileh]

Let me just start by saying that I know some people love a natural mane and that it can offer protection against files and the like. I prefer a shorter mane (longer than braiding length is fine with me unless I am going to be braiding) and I live in a place where biting insects are only a problem a few months a year (and stock up on fly spray accordingly).

That said. How does one start the process of turning a REALLY long mane (like 18 inches or so) into something that is a little more controlled?

I don’t actually pull my horses’ manes anymore. My big mares hates it and we are no longer showing, so I figure why torture us both? Rather, I use a combination of thinning shears, a solo comb, and then a clipper blade to shorten. So I am wondering…do I just use that methodology to take 18 inches down to 6 or so? How horrible would it be to use scissors to cut off most of the excess length and then use the above to thin/shorten to the desired length?

Hedge clippers? Weed whacker?

Horse in question is a potential purchase my husband is considering, so it’s not actually an issue yet. I have just been pondering this since we went to look at her and I saw that mass of hair.

[mmeqcenter]

I just use scissors ::shrug:: So I don’t see any reason you can’t hack it off with scissors then use your shears and stuff.

[BAC]

I would go for the scissors, that is just too much hair to pull, trim, thin, etc. Going forward, you can go back to using your thinning shears, solo comb and clipper blade to keep it at a respectable length.

[SuzieQNutter]

If you are going to cut with scissors. Flick it over to the other side then cut. It then looks more natural when you flick it back.

Pulling I have read is going to become illegal. I hope that comes in sooner rather than later, but to do so, do it when the horse is warm, not all at once, just a bit after each time you ride.

I would prefer you to leave the mane. Comb before riding which will pull a few hairs out each time you ride and a running plait only takes a few minutes.

Before you do anything, honestly ask your husband if he likes the mane. Do not cut if if he prefers it long.

When we took Sim to my instructor for a lesson. I have known him for over a decade and how he keeps his horses. I warned hubby the mane would be mentioned and the answer is we do not cut.

Within 5 minutes of us being there it was mentioned!

[beowulf]

@SuzieQNutter

If you are going to cut with scissors. Flick it over to the other side then cut. It then looks more natural when you flick it back.

Do this :encouragement:

Resist the temptation to wet it down first, though. That will make the mane too “layered”. Slick mane over onto the wrong side and brush out. Cut to about 2 inches longer than you want. Flip back around, and with the scissors angled up the neck towards the ears, take small little snips of any long strand from base of wither to the ears. Brush out, and repeat the other way (angle towards the withers instead).

This will give you a fairly neat trim. You may need a time or two to practice which is why I always cut 2 inches longer than I want, and trim accordingly.

[SinMiedo]

I use one blade of a pair of scissors to thin it from the underside and shorten everything until I have the length I want. The finished look closely resembles a traditionally pulled mane without the shredded fingers and cranky pony that that usually results in. It’s not the greatest method for braiding because it leaves some spiky pieces at times, but since I don’t braid it works perfectly

[Xanthoria]

I can get a long thick mane into short and sporty and thinned in 5 minutes: first cut to the right length with scissors. Then take a dog coat dematting / stripping rake (Mars Coat King style or this cheaper equivalent) and rake through to desired thinness. Scissors alone wont thin like this.

[goodhors]

Cut the mane slightly longer than you want to end up with. Then as SusieQ and Beowolf say, trim it into shape. I never pull manes anymore. Scissors are your friend! No one can tell it was not pulled, cutting saves me a lot of time and an unhappy horse.

[4horses]

It seems a shame to shorten it. I love a long mane. For my horse it really isn’t that much extra work to keep her mane long. I might put 2 maintenance braids at the base of her neck.

[Goforward]

I don’t mind long manes but some people hate them tangled in the reins etc so I get it.
I also quit pulling manes long ago. Somehow we were all convinced that it was a crime to touch a name with scissors but you don’t see any of us humans getting hair pulled out by the roots!
I’m with everyone else. Flip it to the other side, hack it off, flip it back and pretty it up.

[pony_baloney]

My pony has a really long mane and it just takes 2-3 minutes to do a running braid down the neck. Or, I tried doing it up his neck the other day, then wove the long end in and out of the braid to keep it out of the way. Worked great! It’s unusual to see a long, well-kept mane nowadays. But I board at a barn with several Lusitanos and Fresians (most of which are unkempt)

[2DogsFarm]

DH’s horse had a mane that reached way past his shoulder when we got him.
And he had a thick, coarse mane.

Being of the H/J frame of mind at the time, I scissored off the length to about 6", then used a clipper blade to thin the last couple inches off to what could have been braidable length.
Result looked pulled.

For my mini of the Trolldoll mane, I just put in a quick running g braid for shows.
Dollar store setting gel keeps any wisps in place.

@pony baloney Ooh!
Gonna try that up-the-neck 'do :encouragement:

[Hunter_Mom]

I could not live without these. DD’s short stirrup mare had a super thick, coarse mane. My horse has a thinner, but quick growing mane. I love these. Just go from the bottom.

https://www.amazon.com/Intrepid-International-Thinning-Knife-Folding/dp/B0011UABBQ

[ecileh]

By way of explanation on why I feel it needs to be shortened, she will be his field hunter and is not of a breed that is supposed to have a long mane/running braid in the field. So leaving it long is not really an option unless we want to hear about it every single time the hounds are about to move off. Simpler to just keep it short and not have to worry about having annoyed masters every Sunday.

Thanks for all the advice about flipping it over to scissor it. Never would have thought to do that!

[Gamma]

@Goforward

Somehow we were all convinced that it was a crime to touch a name with scissors but you don’t see any of us humans getting hair pulled out by the roots!

I think that was from people giving their horses really blunt cuts… And tbh I don’t like the look of that much myself, sometimes looks like the horse would like to talk to your manager, if you know what I mean! Softening it up with scissors is definitely a skill.

If you’re drastic like me you can just roach it right down to the skin and let it grow out. Even if your initial roach is very messy it will be fine in a few weeks and by the time it’s hunter length it will look amazing. And it’s idiot proof, important for me.

[She_s_Pure_Gold]

I bought this for my horse and it works great! Same look as pulling without the actual pulling. I’ve seen reviews where some people say it doesn’t work- but you need to just make sure you are teasing back the hair so you are still just doing very small sections- just as if you were pulling. It won’t thin out a mane, but it does shorten it very quickly without any pain. My horse hates his mane pulled starting about halfway up his neck where it starts getting thick, but he has no problem with me using this tool. Love it! Super simple.
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/solocomb-1626?utm_source=cpc&utm_medium=google&utm_content=shopping&utm_campaign=nb_shopping_catch_all&utm_term=Shopping%20-%20Catch-All&gclid=CjwKCAjwzIH7BRAbEiwAoDxxTjY1AV7wFtV3CHRE9e4n1q37zWm6qJNQKVOl20kFsnkWCNs3f4JujBoCcVUQAvD_BwE

[Heinz_57]

@Gamma

I think that was from people giving their horses really blunt cuts… And tbh I don’t like the look of that much myself, sometimes looks like the horse would like to talk to your manager, if you know what I mean! Softening it up with scissors is definitely a skill.

I cry a little every time I see that ad with the pretty grey whose forelock has been cut straight across above the eyes. It’s wrong, so very wrong.

I have had fine luck making nice looking ‘pulled’ manes by following the standard pulling procedure, but instead of ripping the hair out after you’ve back combed, just cut it around the length you want. Takes a little longer but looks nicer to my eye than manes that have been angle-cut, because the cuts are varied in length. Of course if it’s THICK, expect a mohawk when you’re done :lol:

[beowulf]

@Heinz 57

I cry a little every time I see that ad with the pretty grey whose forelock has been cut straight across above the eyes. It’s wrong, so very wrong.

I have had fine luck making nice looking ‘pulled’ manes by following the standard pulling procedure, but instead of ripping the hair out after you’ve back combed, just cut it around the length you want. Takes a little longer but looks nicer to my eye than manes that have been angle-cut, because the cuts are varied in length. Of course if it’s THICK, expect a mohawk when you’re done :lol:

I am offended by the number of times I have been tagged in that ad by barnmates and family. I am guilty of giving the “Moe cut” to certain parties that are difficult or headshy!

[islgrl]

I blunt cut my horse’s VERY thick mane with scissors. I tried pulling, he nearly killed me, and it mostly broke instead of pulled, I tried blading it, it didn’t grow out well, I tried the rake to thin it which was great except it cause all these short spiky hairs to stick up when I braided. So now I cut it. It take two passes on different days to get it right, it is a total blunt cut, I don’t cut up into it to make it look more natural and I have to say I really like the way it looks on him. And I can braid it. Its not easy but it can be done…

[Pally]

Lots of good advice on here about methods to cut, and to fake a pulled look.

I’m just going to throw in a piece of advice in that directly answers the title of the post, just in case someone is looking for the answer to this question and wants to truly pull the mane. That advice is cut it down near the length you want first (don’t need to be perfectly straight or styled) and then go through and pull to finish. If you pull too long of a mane down to length, it will get too thin! So, in that regard, the mane thickness dictates exactly how long to cut first…leave a bit longer for thick manes or get quite close to finished length for thinner ones.

FWIW I am not firmly attached to pulling and offended by cut manes. It depends. On the horse’s job, mane, and most importantly, whether they actually care or not (Believe it or not, some really don’t. But then I’m speaking as a human who does regularly rip out swaths of my hair by the roots.) I am, however, offended by cut forelocks Moe. :lol: