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To pull or not to pull, that is the question.

2K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  kbarbour3 
#1 ·
For starters, Odie has a crazy THICK mane & tail (yay for the tail, ugh for the mane).

I've let Odie's mane grow out since we stopped showing many many years ago, and it is all over the place. Well, now my daughter is starting to ride him huntseat and wants to show him next year. So without a doubt, next year it's getting pulled to be braided IF she shows(he's so much more handsome when it's braided:-p). If she ends up not showing, I'm leaving it long, helps keep flies off.

So here's my silly little dilema. She has a few lessons with him this fall, do I just leave it long and just put it in chunky braids for lessons? Or do I at least cut it short (I won't bother thinning it out for now)?

If I do cut it and she ends up not showing, I'm not worried, Rogaine IS NOT in his future. I could probably cut it once a month & sell it for horsey wigs:lol:

Just curious what you guys would do.
 
#2 ·
If you want to keep it long for now you could always do a running braid. And you can always just thin the mane without making it shorter, that is what my boss does because some of our horses have really thick manes and it makes it a pain to braid it unless it's thinned.
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#5 ·
My horse's mane is like that, but I like it nice and long, so it usually gets pulled every few months. But when I have lessons it usually goes into a running braid. If it were me, I would leave it long, just because I like long manes and for fly protection, and then cut it for show season.
 
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#6 ·
I'd say... Pull it! Do yourself a favor and don't try to cut it (that always fails miserably for me). ;)
 
#7 ·
I'd say... Pull it! Do yourself a favor and don't try to cut it (that always fails miserably for me). ;)
Oh, I've been through all this before:lol: It actually works best as a combo deal. I usually cut it to within 1" of were it needs to be. It then takes about a week to pull it to the correct length. Odie can only handle about 6" of neck at a time, there's just soooo much hair!!! It doesn't matter how sweated he is, there's just so much to take out, he get's BEYOND crabby if I try to get it all at once (tried once, swore I'd never do it again). Once the majority is out, I attack it with the thinning shears.

The picture is the best one I have right now of how it looks, IT'S INSANE!!!!!
 

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#9 ·
I hate when people have horses with such short manes that they stand up. I do like long manes, especially on Arabians... but it can be a pain when riding them. I would recommend thinning the mane and pull it a little to shorten it for riding.
 
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