Pulling the Mane

I have only pulled a mane one time before. I know how to do it, but I was just wondering if there is a way to make it less painful for the horse. I know to take really tiny pieces, but I can tell that it is still painful to my horse. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Ride your horse before and give him a good work out, it will help to open the pores and make the hair come out easier. You can also just do a bit at a time, it looks kind of funny having a half pulled mane, but if its easier for the horse, who cares!?

If you want to do it a bit at a time, always do a few of the longest hairs across, so that you shorten the mane as a whole instead of working in partitions.
Don't use a comb, just your hands. Wrap a few of the longest hairs (3-4) around your finger and pull UP.

If your horse is especially sensitive, you can apply a bit of liniment to the crest before pulling.

There are some pain free puling combs for horses that are sensitive.

Theres some discussion of it here.