Actually, I just had a question regarding the pain free mane pulling comb. You say to back comb then cut with the blade, do you mean to cut at the root of the hair? Also can this be done without a special comb? Could you just back comb with a mane comb and then cut the strands with scissors?

Thanks,

A.C.

Do the combs really do an effective job? I have a mare with
a really thick mane which has a colic and lays on both sides because it is so thick. Is there anyway I can thin the mane without pulling it? Would the comb work? What about thinning shears or a blade?

Is there any way I can get a "pulled mane effect" in a full, natural mane in just a few days? I am on a new show schedule, and need help with my gelding's mane desperately!

I recently purchased a Appolusa Mare and it looks like her main was braided and never taken out. I am a new horse owner and have a lot to learn about all asspects of owning and carring for horses. Getting to know them and caring for them is my main priority for the time being. My concern is bathing and how to get the tangles out of Glorey's main. What suggestion do you have that will start her winter off well groomed?

Thanks
Love my horses

I have a palomino gelding that has never had his mane pulled. I want to pull it, but its so thin. If I pull it, will it thicken out or will it remain thin? Thanks for your reply!

My mare Angel, has a very sensitive mane, she loves to throw her head around and very often she gets jumpy and will not really rear,she is not dangerous, but she really lets you know she does not like this. She is only Six I have a knife...how is the best way to use this?

My appy/qh X filly has long mane, that is naturally thin, but I would like to shorten it. I'm am a real big begginer at pulling manes and don't want to make a mistake and have to wait a long time for it to grow back, should I get an experienced show groomer at my barn to help me with it or should I do it myself and go with the flow and see what kinda job I can acheive. Oh ya I like your site. I would like any tail care advice you have for a horse that has a very long tail that she steps on. Thanks

I seem to remember a trainer we were with wetting the crest along the mane w/ absorbine to sort of numb the area before pulling the mane....sound reasonable?

I found that a good way to reduce pain while pulling a horses mane is to pull upwards with the hairs rather than in a downwards motion.
And in reply to Amanda Cox , yes you can just cut the strands with scissors , I backcomb until I have the longest hairs left then cut them to abit shorter than the length I want to finish up with , then comb the hair free of knots again. I have found this method much easier on a horse that is figety and it still gives a very natural finish.

Hi!
Does anyone else use the method of where you take a small chunk of the mane, brush up some of the hair to the root with a pulling comb, then wrap the rest of the hair around the comb and pull it out? Just wondering if anyone had any experience in which way works better?

Hello,
My horse got his mane pulled without anyone at the stables asking me and now its diffrent lenghs everywhere. I dont want to make it all short because then it will look like a cob mane, At the top of his neck he has nice lengh and thick mane and then as you go down the mane gets shorter! what should i do? Im going with im to a show soon and i cant to anything with his mane because some parts are too short to plate...

My horse Flicka has a very thick mane and it grows quite long.It is an absaloute mess, especially in the wintertime.This year I started pulling it and it looks a bit better but is still really thick.I have to pull more but after im done all the pulling does anyone have any good tips on braiding/plating her mane?
Thanks
~Holly and Flicka~

Hey!
Just a quick question.... why can't you cut a mane with sissors? surely this is quicker and easier. If i was to brush through the mane first, check the length, and then cut it in small sections,would that be ok? like at the hairdressers?! If u could get back to me asap, it would be a great help, Thanx alot!

If you had ever seen a mane cut with scissors you would know it looks terrible.
By cutting you do not thin it and therefore the end is very thick and wedge shaped and cutting somehow makes the mane too straight.

My advise is don't.

Try pulling the mane after you have worked your horse and it is warm...often the hair comes out a lot easier. These combs that cut the mane tend to leave a thick mane looking 'just cut' and a little like 'Dill' the dog from the Herb Garden!

In my experience it often works well, especially with a native mane that is long and thick, to section the mane and pull one section to a standard that you feel suits the horse and to then work on with sections pulling out a few strands at a time. Often if you use a sharp movement and pull small bits at a time you may find that a horse displays more tolerance. Take time and patience as manes can be tricky! Another suggestion is to provide a bucket of feed or a haynet and pull when the pores are open, if a horse has something to distract it more often than not they become easier to handle.

Oil of cloves is good to put on a mane or tail and Bonjela, before you start to pull. The only time i have ever cut a horses mane was when we had a mare on the yard who had a baby fine mane which was very sparse. It looked ok but not great, this was the only way to sort it though as the solo comb had not been invented! as for the plaiting it is a matter of time and practise.

I find some horses don't like it when you brush the hair back with the comb. My friend has a mare who really really hates it and makesa big fuss about it when it comes to pulling her mane. So we tried this way on her and she didn't even flinch an eye lid. What you do is grab a long part of the mane using your fingers brush back the short bits and just pull. It takes a little longer but if your horse dosen't like its mane pulled its well worth trying it.

Is there any way i can prevent dead ends on my horses mane? Or will pulling help prevent them?

There's nothing wrong with using scissors, it's the TYPE of scissors you use that makes the difference. Double blade thinning sheers work wonders. Especially if you have a horse who has a thin mane, and you want it to have a thicker appearance. Pull jobs tend to take quite a bit of time, especially if you're a prefectionist like we are. I do quick pull jobs now, then I reach for the double blade thinning sheers. I make the hairs underneath shorter than the top; giving the "poof" look, which makes the mane look thicker. Everyone has their different ways that works for them, and their horses. If it works, go for it! =)

My horse has a really thin mane already. If I pull it will it make it thinner or can I just make it shorter by pulling it?

Hi, I have a filly that I am going to show in a halter class in one month and she has a mowhawk that is about 3 inches long. What can I do to fix this problem? I was wondering does anyone know a way to give the mane a nice curled under effect. I had seen this once at a halter show. Where as most lie flat this horse that i say her mane was slightly curled under and banded. Does anyone know how to accomplish this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hey, when ever I pull my horse's mane it always tends to turn thinner not shorter. As it is quite a good thickness I would like to keep it like that but for his mane to be shorter. I don't like cutting it with anything because they have wrecked my horses manes' in the past. Any info on making his mane shorter and a bit thinner would be great.

Claire, the double edged thinning scissors that Heather mentioned would work perfectly for what you are talking about. They thin the hair just slightly (depending on how you use them), and are perfect for taking the length off without the mane looking 'boxy' and 'cut'!

Hi i got a pony a little while a go and she has a really long main in one place it alot shorter what should i do?

I have a QH gelding that i bought last year.When we got him it seemed like his mane had been pulled.Then, this winter when he started to grow his winter coat his mane got a lot thicker.I would like to pull it this spring/summer before I started showing.But I don't know how and I don't know if he would allow me to pull it.Is there any way to make it appear thinner without actually pulling it???

I have an appy with a real thin mane. I used to fight with it for shows trying to get it just right. Finally one day I just shaved it off and shortened his tail to match. I actually started doing better in halter classes.

If you have an extremly well muscled horse with excellent confirmation a "buzzed" mane and short tail shows it off. If your horse has a weak neck or confirmation issues it will show that off as well.

My standardbred though has an very thick mane and it is such a pain. Since he is a performance horse I keep it thinned and short. The first time I trimmed him I used scissors just to take 2 feet off his mane and then thinned from there.

Hi everyone. I've had a lot of experience in mane pulling/cutting etc. My advice is that for horses with thick manes, pull them. If your horse has a thin mane, then the best way is the solo comb. If a thin mane needs neatening up, scissors will do the job. but if the mane is thicker, NEVER USE SCISSORS. Trust me, it really can make a mess!
Thnx