Roached Manes- How do we feel about them in the show ring?

[Can_tFindMyWhip]

I saw a roached mane that looked fantastic at a recognized show this weekend. It was tidy, and contoured nicely, and it made his neck look great. It wasn’t terribly thick, but it must have stuck up 3" at the highest part. It really defied all laws of physics that I am familiar with and now I am intrigued. I don’t know the breeding of the horse, but he definitely was a nice warmblood type- not your typical candidate for roaching.

So what do you think of the idea? Have any of you done this with your horses?

[J-Lu]

I showed my Trak mare second through fourth level with a roached mane. LOVED it, as she had a nice neck. The more I roached, the more it would stand up (my experience with other horses, including warmbloods). That said, I never kept it more than 2" high for schooling (when I was lazy) and no more than up to 1" when showing. i didn’t shave down to the crest because I wanted to keep bugs out of the crest - I used scissors for a “close cut”. Some people, especially on ponies such as Fjords, can keep a good 3" roached mane without having it flop over.

I mainly did this because I found that I learned alot from looking at both sides of her neck when she was working, and she had a nice enough neck to support a buzz cut. SURE saved time with braiding and looked clean!! I’d condider this with my current gelding, especially since he’s rubbing out his mane this summer…

[beowulf]

I showed one of my TBs in from the time I was in high school thru college thru elementary-Training level eventing (he showed for about ~7 yrs) with a roached mane. He looked great in it. He was a small (15.2 w/ pads and shoes) spunky TB with a short/low set neck that was not the best conformation and the roach was a very good look for him. When I braided it made his neck look short and downhill because well, it was – the roach added ‘substance’.

I got nothing but compliments and I believe it added to his ‘cute’ appeal. I had quite a few comments on dressage tests that were positive: re: very cute pony, etc. It gave him a ponyesque appearance and he acted every bit the part.
https://scontent.fbos1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/464088_10150869033762643_727591046_o.jpg
https://scontent.fbos1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/472099_10150869037957643_1864200124_o.jpg
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[Dbliron]

I did it for years with my KWPN gelding. He had a horrible mane, really thick and strong, and almost impossible to pull. I too learned a lot from seeing both sides of his neck/jaw when schooling, and he always looked really clean and well-groomed. Most people assumed the braids were on the “other” side, and many never did realize he was roached. It does work best if the horse has a really lovely and well-developed neck; I’m not sure I’d do it on just any neck.

[Larbear]

I show my ottb (eventing) with a roached mane and I love it too. Like J-Lu, I don’t shave it down to the crest but let it stand up a bit. For me, it’s just easier and such a time saver.

In the past I’d keep the braids in for dressage and then rip 'em out for the x-country and stadium.

[outerbanks77]

I’ve never shown my gelding, but he’s 12 and I’ve been roaching his mane since he was three. At first, I did it to get a fresh start because his main split and went over both sides of his neck. But it’s very thick, well over an inch wide, and he detested pulling, so I just kept roaching it, and never looked back. When he was younger, his neck looked scrawny when freshly roached, but once he hit age six or so, and grew a neck, the roached look has been really attractive, and I wouldn’t have hesitated to show him with it, had things played out differently. He’s a 17H bay QH (Appendix type). He can grow a solid 2+" of mane without it starting to bend over to the side.

My new mare’s mane is not so thick, and I don’t think roached would suit her feminine side so well, and it’s taking some adjustment to go back to mane management.

[Mukluk]

I think a roach can look nice and tidy… BUT I can’t get on my 16.2 girl from the ground without having some mane to hold on to. How do you get on with no mane and no mounting block?

[outerbanks77]

[QUOTE=Mukluk;8830358]
I think a roach can look nice and tidy… BUT I can’t get on my 16.2 girl from the ground without having some mane to hold on to. How do you get on with no mane and no mounting block?[/QUOTE]

It’s usual to leave several inches al natural at the withers, so you have a handle.

[Halt_Near_X]

[QUOTE=Mukluk;8830358]
How do you get on with no mane and no mounting block?[/QUOTE]

I have a cheap stepstool that I bring to shows. If it disappears while I’m riding, no big deal to replace it. Much better than mounting from the ground, mane or no mane.

[MojitoMare]

One of my barn mates shows her large Dutch mare in a roached mane. It looks fabulous on her, she gets tons of compliments. I maintain it for her since I used to have a Fjord and have lots of experience shaping the mane and keeping it tidy.

[Highflyer]

I think it looks great as long as the horse has a nice neck. It doesn’t do as much for a skinny one.

[RedHorses]

My younger horse has a wild, thick mane and I have been keeping it roached since his four year old summer. He had a lot of trouble keeping his body temperature down in the heat and I body clipped and roached his mane to help him stay cooler. I liked the look on him, so it’s been roached ever since.

I like it about an inch long in the middle, and curve it down at his poll and withers. I find it starts to look bushy at about 2" long. I do let it grow longer in the winter to help him stay warmer and he wears a neck rug as well.

I did maintain it at braiding length and thickness one year, but it was a pain and would have had to be kept up year round. And it looked awful when not braided.

[Can_tFindMyWhip]

I think I’m gonna try it on my gelding. His mane is very thick, and the top third of his mane splits. I was disappointed with how he looked with braids when we showed earlier in the summer. So there is no way that roaching it will make it look worse.

[MysticOakRanch]

I’ve been showing with a roached mane for years! Started with a horse who had a very thick and unruly mane that I French braided for a while, but it was one of those manes where it would just unravel easily. So I pulled it, and we did NOT enjoy that process, so after a year of that, I just took it off - very liberating! This was back in the 80s, and we did a bit of jumping, a bit of everything, but I DID show at rated shows like that. I did it to my 2nd horse too, because he also had a thick, unruly mane. He had a magnificent neck, and I actually got a lot of comments on how “cool” his roached mane was - several people called him the “Chess Piece” or the “Roman War Horse”. He won a lot of dressage classes, so I don’t think the judges minded.

Then my next horse had a LONG mane, and when I bought him, the seller actually requested I not roach it - since it was an easy French braid (and STAYED braided quite well), he kept his hair.

My mare I ride now has an awful mane - not only is it THICK, it is spikey! Very hard to braid - spikes pop out everywhere. I had a professional groom do her for a Symposium this Spring, and she asked me “How do you braid this mane!”. That was the last braid job - I buzzed it, and we showed all year with a roach - again, liberating!

My feeling - your horse needs a good neck to pull off a roach job. BUT - you can shape the neck with how you cut the roach. As for getting on - I don’t ever get on from the ground. I keep a mounting block by the barn, and I’ve trained my mare to stand at just about anything -at shows, I stand her up next to the trailer and get on from the “step” in front of the trailer door. I’ve gotten on from retaining walls, stumps, etc. Much easier on my horse’s back AND my back.

Here she is:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r264/friesiansport/SVEJuly2016-1_zpsvsot0zsg.jpg

[exvet]

I’m another one who has shown multiple horses with a roached mane. I have been lucky in that all of my horses have had well shaped necks with good top lines. Manes have usually been those very thick unruly kinds; but, I also roached my Arab’s mane and showed at the big show at Scottsdale <gasp>. It was dressage and I won all my tests lol so the USDF/USEF dressage judges certainly didn’t mind though some of the Arab people were a bit aghast when they found out my guy was a purebred. I’ve shown through PSG with a roached mane; so, if your horse has a nice neck, go for it. Braiding will be one less tedious task you have to worry about …

[Lucassb]

I think it is a matter of personal preference, myself. If you like the look, go ahead!! It’s just hair, after all… so if you don’t like it, no big deal. It will grow back out again.

I don’t personally care for it, but then I am a reformed hunter princess and I treasure a pretty mane and tail. To each their own!

[mjhco]

[QUOTE=exvet;8830564]
I’m another one who has shown multiple horses with a roached mane. I have been lucky in that all of my horses have had well shaped necks with good top lines. Manes have usually been those very thick unruly kinds; but, I also roached my Arab’s mane and showed at the big show at Scottsdale <gasp>. It was dressage and I won all my tests lol so the USDF/USEF dressage judges certainly didn’t mind though some of the Arab people were a bit aghast when they found out my guy was a purebred. I’ve shown through PSG with a roached mane; so, if your horse has a nice neck, go for it. Braiding will be one less tedious task you have to worry about …[/QUOTE]

If this was the Scottsdale Arabian show you were lucky you did not get eliminated for roaching in Dressage. Technically roaching is allowed at Arabian shows only for cutters. We are working to change that specific rule

That being said, I have seen a number of horses with roached manes and it works SO well for them.

If it suits you and your horse, have at it.

[MysticOakRanch]

[QUOTE=exvet;8830564]
, I also roached my Arab’s mane and showed at the big show at Scottsdale <gasp>. It was dressage and I won all my tests lol so the USDF/USEF dressage judges certainly didn’t mind though some of the Arab people were a bit aghast when they found out my guy was a purebred. I’ve shown through PSG with a roached mane; so, if your horse has a nice neck, go for it. Braiding will be one less tedious task you have to worry about …[/QUOTE]

Hahaha, my first “unruly roached mane” was a Morgan, and I did the same thing - showed up at one of the big Morgan shows with no mane. I won all the dressage classes we entered, and a big name in the Morgan world tried to have me eliminated for lack of mane. They actually CHANGED THE RULES for the Morgan shows, requiring a mane even in dressage:lol: Needless to say, I haven’t been back.

[anon68314200]

Roaching Rocks!! Very useful to see horse’s neck fully. And the stress of not braiding is irreplaceable.

[beaujolais]

“He had a magnificent neck, and I actually got a lot of comments on how “cool” his roached mane was - several people called him the “Chess Piece” or the “Roman War Horse”.”

That is a perfect description for the look!

“I don’t shave it down to the crest but let it stand up a bit.”

How do you do that, though? You don’t use clippers? Thanks!