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Probably a stupid question...

4K views 23 replies 22 participants last post by  DSJ46 
#1 ·
I was just wondering what side of the neck the mane should lie on. My horse's mane lies on the right side but there are other horses that have their manes on the left.

Thanks ahead:-D
 
#2 ·
There is no proper side. If your horses mane naturally falls to the right side, than that's the side it should be on. Maybe that sounded harsh......hmm, I'm sorry if that did.....

There's a saying that the side the mane falls on indicates the horses favored side, but there is also a saying that the side of the neck that the mane falls on is the side of the horse where the leg is slightly shorter.....not sure on how true that one is.
 
#23 ·
There's a saying that the side the mane falls on indicates the horses favored side, but there is also a saying that the side of the neck that the mane falls on is the side of the horse where the leg is slightly shorter.....not sure on how true that one is.

LOL! Let's hope it's an Old Wives Tale.. Cerra's mane tufts to both sides! It's the strangest thing too cause it's so unruly and flips in the middle. All these 'nice maned' horse pictures on the forum and hers is a poof growing out from the roach.
 
#3 ·
Wow, this brought back memories....growing up at an equestrian center in Orange County the side for your horses mane depended on if it was an English horse or a Western horse. Yeah, real stupid huh??? I can't remember what side was what, however...as the horse I had at the time was usually roached so it fell to no side ha ha.

Trust me, there were a lot of people braiding, banding, gelling and doing whatever the heck they could to "train" their horse's mane to go to the correct side. That was just before Slinkys came out.
 
#8 ·
I was always told that hunters' manes should lie on the right side of the neck. We used to try all sorts of things to keep that mane in place on those "odd lefty horses", lol. It has something to do with uniformity in the show ring, but I'm not sure if it's as big a deal now as it used to be. I quit doing many shows a while ago, and all mine are naturally "righties" anyway...
 
#10 ·
My horse has an undecided mane. His is right in the front, straight up in the middle, and near his withers its to the right. I've tried to band it to the left...not even an hour later all his band were standing straight up in the middle. =/ lol
 
#15 ·
Most shows I've been in haven't been too nitpicky about which side the mane falls on, but I can definitely see a practical reason for a roper to have it on the left. Most horses I've dealt with have them on the right.



Somewhere I heard that a mane that switches sides is indicative of the neck being out of alignment. Not sure if that holds water or not, but I thought it was interesting.

My guy's falls to the right, and has a super-thick section near the bridle path that will fall half to each side if he shakes his head a lot.
 
#11 ·
For hunters it is braided on the right side...

I know that a lot of ropers want it on the left side because they are right handed and when they through and dally the rope it won't get caught ...

WP they band it but I am not sure if the side matters...
 
#13 ·
I rope and show. I like my roping horses manes on the left so the rope doesnt get caught up. And I have always had my show horses (WP and Hunt) on the right side. I dont know why but it looks cleaner.

To train a mane over to the other side I wash the mane, braid it, and put a sleezy on.
 
#16 ·
It's on the right.
I think I was told as a kid that we get on the left side because a knight's sword was kept on the left side and it interfered with getting on and the mane was on the right so it didn't get tangled up when mounting. I don't think there is any truth to that, but it's how I use to remember it.

And I'm a show hunter.

Edit:
To train a mane you have to braid the mane to the right side. You leave them in for a day or two take them out and repeat. We do this before shows, even if we are planning on braiding them, because this will only keep it nice for a little while.
 
#17 ·
I've always heard right side too but like Draft said I think the horse really cares! lol :O)

Indi's mane lays on the right, then halfway down switches to the left. Bells'a mane lays on both side, it looks like it's been parted down the middle. I like the way Bellas mane looks so I leave it that way. Indi's I wish would go to one side or the other, but I don't think she really cares with side it's on! haha
 
#21 ·
Bells'a mane lays on both side, it looks like it's been parted down the middle. I like the way Bellas mane looks so I leave it that way. Indi's I wish would go to one side or the other, but I don't think she really cares with side it's on! haha
My Dancer's mane is like your Bella's - it's split down the middle. Which is probably a good thing - any more, it's s thick and heavy if it all fell to one side, Dancer would probably tip over! :shock:
 
#20 ·
Like a couple of the previous posters mentioned, many ropers prefer a mane on the left side to keep it from getting tangled in the rope. Other than that, unless you show and your discipline has rules regarding that, it doesn't really matter. I personally prefer my manes to be on the right because, if they are on the left, they get tangled in the halter when I put it on and take it off. The only thing that bugs me is when a horse has a mane split where some is on one side and the rest is on the other LOL. That makes my OCD act up and I have to do something to get it all on one side (hence the reason why I am banding my yearling's mane) :D.
 
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