To pull or not to pull

[VickiGG]

OK - question.

I have noticed the pictures in the UK Horse mags - that it seems more 'acceptable' or 'fashionable' to leave manes unpulled.

Here in NZ everyone seems to pull their horses manes and shave or pull the tail.

I have a Palomino and when we enter the inhand classes (annually) - to have any chance in best mane and tail - we need a natural looking mane and tail.

I always like the natural look but agree that sometimes manes can look too long and untidy especially if the ends are a different colour and all dry.

When I first bought Garbo his mane had been cut with scissors. I started growing it out. After a while it looked great, but over winter here (now it was starting to get quite long). My RI volunteered to pull it telling me it would look the same but shorter. I am so disaapointed though - it looks all split and thing and manky, it doesn't fall nicely anymore and it's lost it's shine. *boo hoo*

So - I am asking you all what you think. I have some shots of the cut look - which he had when I first got him a year ago, the grown look at various lengths, then the pulled look. What do you think?? What should I do?

Everyone here pulls mainly so it's easier to plait (as far as I can tell). But we don't plait very often. Try to avoid it at all costs actually! :)

OK - the cut look when I first got him...
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/gettingridofmudsowecanaddmore.jpg

The partially grown look a couple of months later (scuse the riding - concentration plus going on there);
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/garbodressage0007.jpg

At the Golden Horse Show in Dec (6 months after getting him);
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/GHORD0014crop.jpg

Just before the pull - getting quite long;
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/March25.jpg

After the pull :( ;
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/IMG_0068.jpg

[RustyMary]

Vicki he is completely gorgeous in all the pics - I particularly like the second one down, what a magical colour he is!

I personally prefer the longer look, but have no experience whatsoever in looking after a mane so I'm only going on aesthetics!

[VickiGG]

thanks Mary - I love his summer colour - he is quite pale in comparison with his winter coat. I actually have no problem looking after it - just peer pressure to trim it....

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/dec0510068small.jpg

[VickiGG]

so this is what it looks like now (blah)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/IMG_0098.jpg

Am I over reacting?

[VickiGG]

I sent this photo in to the NZ Horse and Pony Mag for a "Jumping Clinic' column. Dale Pedersen was the clinician. He said the mane was far too long and untidy for jumping and that it was distracting.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/DSC_0026.jpg

[l7oopys]

I think it looks much better longer! He is GORGEOUS!!!

You are very lucky!!

Can i just say his nose band looks a little high!

[teabiscuit]

he's gorgeous

[VickiGG]

I miss this ....(look)... :(

Am I being silly? I just think he looks more handsome with a mane. My RI says his neck looks better with a shorter mane. What do you think?

Sorry for all the photos - I DO go on.:)

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/DSC02417.jpg

Yes, I have my eyes shut. I was having a lesson that I won in a competition and she suggested it - works really well actually.

[VickiGG]

Can i just say his nose band looks a little high!

Do you think so? Gosh....:confused:

[charlotte+jill!]

I personally much prefer to see a nice pulled mane myself and i think your lad looks better with a pulled one........ personal preferance though:)

[c2b]

That is one gorgeous looking horse. I have a passion for long long manes (along with feathers :) ) so I can't comment objectively. He is fantastic. I love that photo of him jumping. Do you drool everytime you see him? You ought to :D

[VickiGG]

yes C2b I drool daily - he's like a big golden labrador - he talks me into getting apples for him and all sorts of things...

Like here - we were trying to get a nice photo for my 40th birthday invites and he was trying to tell me he actually really needed a carrot please :)

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/DSC_0348cropped.jpg

[teabiscuit]

he suits a long mane doesn't he?
some horses just do :)

[VickiGG]

ps although his ears are back in that photo of him jumping - my old RI says that angle is him processing rather than being angry or upset. It was the middle jump of a triple. Not me jumping him! Way too scary that high.

[eml]

Personally think he suits the longer mane! In the UK palaminos are normally shown with long mane and tail in their own classes but if you also want to plait you could compromise on about 6" long or do a running plait!!

[crinks]

As we have an Arab and her mane and tail remain unpulled, I am all in favour of long flowing locks, on horses and humans where possible. I prefer the unpulled version, but you can plait it in a spanish or arab braid when you are jumping. And tell the clinician to get a life if thats all he can critise! Manes are only distracting if you let them be!

[*Sez*]

I prefer a longer mane, much to the disgust of a lot of people on my yard, as my TB has quite a long mane now, and I'm forever being told he "doesn't have the neck to carry it off".

Pretty forelock view
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/Gothic_Sez/Salsa1stJuly06.jpg

Full mane view
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/Gothic_Sez/DSCF0369.jpg

Pulled toilet brush mane
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/Gothic_Sez/Salsa005.jpg

[Lucyad]

I like him with a long mane - he is really lovely - great colour! In saying that I am about to pull Oscar's mane - but I think that different horses suit different legnths, and yours looks great long.

[SFLG]

I prefer seeing horses with long natural manes :D Nature designed manes, feathers and wiskers for a reason, so us cutting and hogging/pulling seems (to me) wrong. :D

[capalldubh]

Oh wow he's beautiful! I think the comment from the jumping clinic person is probably because the jump looks so good, the guy couldn't think of anything else to say! It's really a pretty irrelevant comment.

I do like the longer look - and I think it suits him and is in proportion with his neck and overall look. However, I appreciate that people have different ideas about what looks good (I would let the mane grow pretty long on my share horse before I did anything about it, but I frequently arrive at field to find that owner's been there and "neatened it all up". If my hair ever looked like Shannon's when "neatened up" I would be sueing my hairdresser :D )

[RachelEvent]

I'm usually a big fan of a pulled mane (looks so much nicer on my own horse) but in your horses case, I actually think the slightly longer mane looks nicer! Probably because he's palamino, and because he has a well muscled neck already... on a horse with a thin neck, long manes (in my opinion) look awful, but that's not an issue with Garbo.

Think it's just right in the 2nd/3rd pics you posted. Still short enough to p lait if needs be :)

[VickiGG]

Sez - I agree - your boy is very handsome with his longer mane.... the mane just looks so much more shiny and it lays better hey

[domane]

I LOVE long manes... I think he looks lovely.

And Sez - I think Salsa looks fab with a long mane too.... :D

[horse__obsessed]

long mane!! If you prefer it longer keep it long. Your horse!! Also, if horses were meant to have plauited manes god woulod have made them with ready-plaited manes :rolleyes:

[CMR]

I like he looks very handsome with a long mane(of course I'm very partial to long manes :p ). However, his mane does also look cute in the second picture as well :D

[VickiGG]

cvreagzayn - thanks - I agree I like the in between kinda length - but now I just have to figure out how to nicely trim it so it still looks natural. Really long is quite hot for them in summer I think. One of my friends has a horse whose mane is longer than the horses neck width. :)

horse__obsessed - funny - yes, God would have made them with ready plaited manes - wouldn't alot of people love that too! I thought I was the only one that thought plaiting was a waste of time. Takes soooo long and the poor horse must have pulls all over the place - Garbo looked like he had a real headache the one time I did plait his mane. :)

domane - me too - a big sucker for long flowing manes - love those show fresians and arabs

RachelEvent - thanks Rachel - all of these replies have really helped me make up my mind to not ever pull it again (or allow anyone near it with pulling tendencies).

capalldubh - you are soooo right - some pulled manes do look like as Sez says - a toilet brush. I guess there is a knack to it. I tried a solo comb once but it still looks cut.

SFLG - I'm with you! I don't trim their ears or whiskers either as I reckon they need them. I trimmed his feathers a little in summer for the show (as it was expected) but I leave them long in winter (now). Figure he needs them right about now.

Lucyad - thanks. I agree some do suit being pulled - and some people are so much better at it too.

Sez - again your guy looks so cute with his mane long. I'm with you on that one. Looks like you have somewhere indoor to ride? That's awesome.

crinks - how do you do a spanish braid? I have not tried other kinds but when it grows again I shall experiement one weekend.

eml - yes, I agree 100% and shall try another plait soon....when it grows back *sob*

teabiscuit - yes - I think you are right - he does suit a longer mane. I'll ignore my RI.

l7oopys - thanks... you have all helped convince me that my gut feeling was right all along! Thanks.

Does anyone else think my noseband is too high?:confused:

[Rarah]

Vicki

What a beautiful horse -you must be very proud.

I think he looks much better with a longer mane too.

- Since you asked..... I'm no expert but I think his noseband looks a little high too.

Sarah
x

[Whatanejit]

Definately long Vicki.

We are getting pressure to pull and trim too as it is the real fashion at the minute.

I like horses au natural and yes just spanish / Arab plait it when it gets nice and long.

Toilet brush mane is an excellent description of how awful short manes can look when you go too far.

Please let it grow!

Your boy is gorgeous, his long golden locks will make him even more gorgeous why follow the crowd and go for a short back and sides????

xx

Dee

[Little Dolphins]

Already posted my opinion on another thread- but to say again- don't do the trimmed lampshade/ loobrush look!

A thick mane may look hot for a horse, but it prevents flies biting there.
Same with the whiskery, beardy bits.

Gorgeous horse you've got there. And I hope you had/have a great 40th, by the way, you youngster

:rolleyes:

[VickiGG]

Thanks little dolphins. Everyone here has helped me to stick my with decision - cheers!! :)

Thanks - I shall have a great night - we have a big party planned!! 50 people. :)

I want to celebrate my 40th because it was three years ago at the thought of approaching 40 that I decided to finally learn to ride. Now I have met all these wonderful horse friends and people friends and it's the best thing I could have done.

[Dina]

Wow,he is such a stunning horse:Dand I think that he suits a longer mane as well.
All my horses have long manes,altough my new TB's mane is pulled and I can't wait for it grow out abit.:)

[RustyMary]

I want to celebrate my 40th because it was three years ago at the thought of approaching 40 that I decided to finally learn to ride. Now I have met all these wonderful horse friends and people friends and it's the best thing I could have done.

Funny what your 40th can do for you.. it was when OH and I were both 40 in the same month that we decided to move abroad, and we are continuing to have a great time here in Slovenia! Have a great day :)