Dilemma--someone help

[lollielala]

I've posted a topic about this before, but lately I've been trying to think of something to do with my horses mane -- such as braiding. But would it look okay if I trimmed his mane? like to make it all one length all the way across? I wouldn't take too much off of it, just enough for it to be even. and his tail, what if I trimmed it where it would be all one length? I really need help deciding on this. Would any recommend that I leave it like it is or trim it? I really need help on this. :)

[qhlover]

Lollielala,

You know, there are so many protocols pertaining to horses' manes that I get tired of following them and do what I want. As you long as you don't show, what's the harm.

My gelding has a long, gorgeous mane that completely covers his neck but who cares? My nephew tells me everyday to "get rid of that mess" but I would rather see and brush that long lovely mane than to see another expanse of neck, as lovely as that may be too. My mare has a horrible habit of rubbing all her mane off so I keep that super short and pulled. As for tails, I grow mine as long as possible. Both my horses tails are about an inch from the ground.

We don't show, so I don't trim my horses either, except for bridle paths, and they have a full face of whiskers. My friends all laugh at me but say, "oh, that's just Wendy, she ain't right" with smiles. I try to keep it all as natural as possible.....less work for me, more comfort for the horse AND more time to ride.

If you want my opinion, I say do what you want but remember it takes a little while for that mane or tail to grow out if you do a chop job, which CAN be embarrassing (yes, I do speak from experience:o )

[lollielala]

Thanks for the advice. I've made my decision - I won't cut. I've thought more about it, and as a Western pleasure horse, he needs no reason to have the cut. Thanks so much :)

[galadriel]

QHlover--your mare rubs her mane out?

You might want to look up "sweet itch." Perhaps another source of discomfort/grumpiness for that mare. And this stuff:
http://www.saddleuptack.com/webcat/items/item1117.htm

has done great things for my mare with sweet itch who rubs her mane & tail off.

[qhlover]

Yeah, she has an ongoing dandruffy problem in her mane. I have tried numerous products and spent much time trying to get rid of it. It's just at the base of her mane but she rubs it off and it sticks up straight into the air...very unattractive looking. I'll give this stuff a try....I like the item description. Thanks for thinking of us!!

Qhlover

[missbobbie]

Nutmeg is a natural gal. She has her whiskers and furry ears too! I like the look of her long mane and tail as long as it is kept brushed. Her tail is also about an inch or two from the ground. She is a super flyswatter!:p

[cvb]

lollielala

many years ago when I was in pony club, one of the boys cut his pony's mane - and then tried to tell the instructor he'd "pulled" it.

It looked awful - sort of fluffed up in a wedge :eek:

In general, cut manes look very weird and do not lay very well.

The exception to this is if you make very careful use of a thinning comb - like a Solo comb or similar.

I have an Appy mare with a very sparse mane. If I pulled it, there would be nothing there ! So I just use a solo comb to shorten up any bits that do manage to straggle and get longer.

You use a similar technique to pulling i.e. take the longer strands only, back comb the rest out of the way, and shorten to the required length. In theory you can use solo combs to "Pull" i.e. you shorten the mane right up. But I figure you're gonna get a spikey mane a few weeks later :rolleyes:

My old chap has a very thick mane - he's a Heinz 57 cob and as common as muck. He hated having his mane pulled. But it was so thibk that I was never going to get a neat 3 inch mane. So we just did little bits to tidy it up. I think if I'd thinned it, he'd have ended up looking like a bay Fjord i.e. with a punk mane :eek:

At 32 he no longer has to put up with such indignities and is now a hippy rather than a punk ;)