how to protect your fingers when pulling manes?

[Catersun]

Please don't say solo comb either.

I have a bunch more inches to take off and thin out and I've worn a nasty little hole in into my skin on the middle finger at the first knuckle on the hand that pulls the hair. And well.. the horse looks really funny with only half of her mane pulled.

How do I protect my fingers and not feel clumsy. Gloves in this case make me lose my grip on the hair too easily.

[SweetieG]

I know some people have success actually wrapping the hair around the comb and pulling. I've never been able to do that well. I do use gloves, though. I use an old thin cotton glove. I wrap it around my finger/fingers and pull. I don't have a problem loosing grip with the thin glove. My finger will still be red afterwards but at least not cut. You can also try putting some bandaids on prior to pulling. Good luck. It's not really that fun for either party!

[pharmgirl]

I (and others) have used vetwrap to wrap around certain fingers. That seems to help a lot.

[see u at x]

I'm one of the people who uses the comb to actually pull the hair with. If I'm actually pulling the hair with my hands I just wear my riding gloves (I have the crochet backed ones). What about using athletic tape? The vet wrap sounds like a good idea too!

[AEM74]

I use a pulling comb as well. Wrap the hair around the comb once and off you go. I bet using your fingers would hurt like the dickens!

If you're set on using your fingers a layer of vetwrap should do the trick.

[eponacowgirl]

athletic tape, bandaid, vetwrap...

[zooksuitriot]

The Actual comb thing is the only way I know how to do it!.
Ouch on the fingers doing it that way. If you can't do it with a comb... I would say vet wrap or sealtex

[seabreeze]

I'm slow at pulling with the comb...I, too, use my fingers. Glad I'm not the only one.

Masking tape works well for me.

Good luck!

[Traum]

I use my fingers and duct tape :D Seriously, it works. Two layers around the finger where the hairs pull and none on the thumb for grip. Easy :)

[Bravestrom]

Don't pull the mane - just cut it with special scissors or use a clipper - manes should not be pulled.

Flame suit on.

[quicksilverponies]

Buy a pair of thin garden gloves that have the elasticized backs and rubberized fingers. They protect your hands and give you a good grip. I get mine at Tractor Supply. They work great.

[Jeannette, formerly ponygyrl]

Disposable surgical gloves help too, and are a lot thinner than most gloves, plus they improve grip.

You can still wear a hole in your fingers wearing them, but it takes longer. :)

[Catersun]

Disposable surgical gloves help too, and are a lot thinner than most gloves, plus they improve grip.

You can still wear a hole in your fingers wearing them, but it takes longer. :)

hmmm... Lots of good food for thought everyone thanks... I think I'm going to start out with someextra padding on the damaged finger and a lap or two of vet wrap and then a nitrile glove over that. I can cut the fingers out of the rest of the glove.... I've tried pulling with the comb and well... it slows me down.(that and it was dark adn I didn't feel like digging though my horse trailer that is a mess in the middle of the night with no light. I've been using my nice pink oster mane and tail brush to comb it back then pull the longest couple of strands, as long as it's not a massive WAD of hair Mir doesn't mind. I think she is sick of looking like a bumpkin horse. It's long enough that I suppose when I get it thin enough I'll take the thinning shears to it and make it look more of a natural cut line at the correct length, but rightnow.. it's just too thick.

[Bravestrom]

Not flaming, just wondering... why?

Because:

1. It hurts them - how would you like hair pulled out of your head. Don't see humans pulling out their hair for a fashion statement - what's so wrong with bigger braids. We do big braids on our guys - fewer braids, much easier on their neck when they work too.
2. It is really bad for their neck muscles - they tense their muscles with each pull - that is not good for a good, loose neck.

I believe that this antique and cruel method of shortening and thinning a horse's mane is just that - antiquated and cruel. How anyone can inflict this type of pain on a horse they love is beyond me.

There's my rant.

[Not So Practical Horse(WO)man]

I was always told by vets and trainers that horses dont have nerve endings in their manes. Thats why we can pull ourselves up when we get on from the ground with the mane and why we can grab mane when we jump.

My horse loves having her mane pulled. She lowers her head and falls asleep.

On the other hand, my friends gelding has to be sedated because he is so deathly terrified of anyone coming near him with a pulling comb.

[rtrules]

I used to have this problem. Don't pull the hairs with your fingers, use the comb to pull the hairs. You don't need to wrap the hairs around the comb. What i do is pick an area of mane to start grab the long hairs with your fingers and comb the mane hairs up, like you are teasing it. Then,with hte longers hairs still pinched between your fingers, take the comb halfway down the hair shaft, lift the strands up so the hair is folded up over the comb and then pull down on the comb and the section of hair will come right out. Easy peasy.(You are making a V with the section of mane that you want to pull. The comb is your lowest point) TSC also sells a thinning blade. It is blue plastic and it has a razor blade in it. It works great if you use the technique that I mentioned

[seeuatx]

I never did figure out how to coordinate wrapping those tiny hairs around the pulling comb. I tease up, wrap around my index and ring fingers and pull. It is very easy and works quite well on sensitive maned horses IMO. It only takes me about 10 minutes to do a whole mane (say a trim of about two minutes), long manes take 20-30. I wrap my fingers with a piece of cotton ball and then vet wrap right over the area I usually get blisters... it works wonders and actually adds to grip.

[Miss-O]

I was always told by vets and trainers that horses dont have nerve endings in their manes. Thats why we can pull ourselves up when we get on from the ground with the mane and why we can grab mane when we jump.


Try and tell that to my mare and I bet she will tell your vets and trainers where to shove it :lol: I have tried EVERY tactic with her (and a few others like her) to alleviate pain while pulling it hasn't worked. I've even tried pulling her mane while she was wearing her driving bridle just in case it was the sight of me coming at her and coming her mane that made her jump like that.

Eventually I came up with a method of pull/cutting her mane. I go through all the motions of pulling but cut the hair as near the crest as possible. It comes out looking exactly like a traditional mane pull job that has grown out slightly. I don't think I will ever go back to "real" pulling with her there's absolutely no need.


I think it may be true that some horses have fewer nerve endings in that area (I don't believe that ANY horse has NO nerve endings there) but it's definitely not true of all horses.

[2 tbs]

Don't pull the mane - just cut it with special scissors or use a clipper - manes should not be pulled.

Flame suit on.

Where do you live? Can I convince you to come to Pgh and take care of my horses mane? He has a mane that lays on both sides of his neck, is thicker than that of a thelwell pony and it grows like weeds after a spring rain (but all year round-no rain needed :winkgrin: )

Seriously, if I didn't pull his mane I'd have a massie frizzy bushy pile of hair on his neck. Not exactly ideal for the hunter ring ;) I'm not flaming or saying your way is wrong-I'm just saying that method would in NO WAY work for my horse. Bigger braids? Not for us-we'd have braid blobs :lol:

Truthfully though. If done right, pulling a mane shouldn't be a big deal. The crest of the neck isn't the same as our scalp. I do tend to use my hands-I think I'm more gentle that way and I certainly can't grab as many hairs at once with my fingers. I push the hair back, take a small tuft in my right hand, wrap around my fingers, place my left hand under that tuft, and push away while I pull. I guess I've always done that to avoid "pulling" my horses neck...in other words, I just get hair, not muscles.

As far as protecting my hands? Never really thought about it. I pull my horses mane spring through fall but I do it over several days. Once or twice a week in the spring I'll start. I get it short enough that I can just tidy up randomly through the summer. Thankfully I don't really braid for schooling shows so I don't have to worry that much. I just pull until I hurt then I stop for a couple days-then I start again. I think if I protected my hands my horse would hate me because I'd do the whole thing at once and he wouldn't get to rest between sessions.

[Catersun]

I have wimpy soft massage therapist hands lol... I didn't expect it to be a problem until I realized just how "soft" my hands are now than they used to be. I wear gloves for most other barn chores... How long is the neck of the mane that it only takes you 10 minutes to pull??

[seeuatx]

I have wimpy soft massage therapist hands lol... I didn't expect it to be a problem until I realized just how "soft" my hands are now than they used to be. I wear gloves for most other barn chores... How long is the neck of the mane that it only takes you 10 minutes to pull??

Normalish horse size ;). G is about 15.3-16ish but he has a short(er) frame... but my old horse was 16.2 and had a long frame. They both have thin-normal thickness manes... pony type manes take longer. I was taught once to do it, and since then it has been all on me... I guess I just figured out the rhythm of it. That being said, the 10 minutes has been on horses that stand well for it... more sensitive ones do take quite a bit longer since I will stop and let them rest between pulls.

[Catersun]

lol... ok... my horse is 17h and has a LONG neck with lots of hair, although not as bad as a pony lol She stands like a champ. I honestly think she likes having her mane pulled. She also likes to be worked... so she may be considered a little touched in the head :winkgrin:

[hedmbl]

How long is the neck of the mane that it only takes you 10 minutes to pull??

It only takes me a max of 20 mins on BIG horses with bad manes from first pull to end. Average for me is about 10 mins. I'm really, really quick. I used to pull manes and body clip for extra cash in the summers so I've had more then my fair share of practice. These were horses showing on the AA circuit so it was done well, too (and probably easier then pulling horses manes unaccustomed to being fussed with). I've never had a horse object...possibly b/c I am so fast they don't know what's going on ;). I use the comb to pull so no wear on my fingers. If only I could braid as fast as I can pull manes...

[SteeleRdr]

The best thing to use is what used to be "plumber gloves." They actually now sell the identical gloves in multiple colors at tack stores. Anyways, my dad works in the plumbing business, and always had these gloves, and the lady I ride for has always used these gloves for pulling manes (and she can usually do one in about 10-15 minutes). They are the white/off-white crocheted gloves, with rubber palms and fingers. The plumbers version (which you can pick up at TSC) have blue rubber on the palms and fingers.

[eqrider1234]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYyK_z2zBfw this is basically the technique, but instead of clamping you twist it around the comb and pull.. hmm i think i would like to buy these they look kind of cool


OMG Am i the only one that grimaced when they pull the tail out?? who pulls their horses tail?!

[eqrider1234]

HEYY i found a video that shows both ways comb first, and then finger pulling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAlCqNK7QeQ

[hedmbl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYyK_z2zBfw this is basically the technique, but instead of clamping you twist it around the comb and pull.. hmm i think i would like to buy these they look kind of cool


OMG Am i the only one that grimaced when they pull the tail out?? who pulls their horses tail?!

Eventers pull their horses tails instead of braiding. Dunno about dressage people. I've never liked the look but I was also born and raised in the H/J world.

[SteeleRdr]

These are the "equestrian" version:

http://www.doversaddlery.com/atlas-equine-nitrile-touch-gloves/p/X1-39054/cn/2045/

They really do help to protect your hands.

[Tilly]

I've never ever heard of using your hands instead of a comb. I guess you learn something new every day. :cool:
As for how to protect your fingers: have a horse who will kill you if you try to pull its mane. I gave up long ago and let Ruby have a thick mane.:lol::yes:

[jenm]

I pull by hand as well. For me it's much easier than using the comb. However, I also only pull on warm-ish days or after my horse has worked out. The hairs come out much easier then. I only do a bit at a time so my horse won't get mad at me. I guess that saves my finger as well.

The other day I watched two young girls cut their horse's mane so they could braid it for a show...OMG, it looked HORRIBLE!! :eek: They never were able to get it braided...oops.

[Bravestrom]

firstly, luckily we don't show hunter so we don't need nor want those braids, but if I did - just as when you clip a horse - run the clipper along the top on both sides before you braid - you have to keep it short regularly but you can take quite a bit out.

We do bigger braids because we event and show dressage so those small braids would take forever to take out before cross country.

You can also use the thinning shears at the base after doing the clipper routine.

We have draft crosses and ponies - thick thick manes - but I am very good at doing the button braids. Maybe the hunter world needs to to rethink the braid thing - okay now I really need a flame suit I guess.

[spookhorse]

The rare occasion I have to pull manes at my friend's farm, I use latex gloves. Hate them cause my hands sweat, but no more holes in my fingers (just in the gloves after awhile so you have to change them out occasionally) :)

Personally I just roach the mare I want to keep short and leave my other two long :D

[lauriep]

Don't pull the mane - just cut it with special scissors or use a clipper - manes should not be pulled.

Flame suit on.

Oh, please. That is complete BS. You can't put decent braids in a mane if it is cut, bladed, solo combed, PERIOD. And a cut mane looks horrible. PERIOD.

OP, I use a latex surgical glove on my pulling hand. The kind you keep around for putting DMSO or other nasty stuff on with. Works great!

I occasionally use a metal pulling comb (normally I just use one of the black plastic "men's" combs) to wrap the hair around, but you have to be VERY careful not to break the hair off instead of pulling it out. I have found that this method makes the breaking off of hair easier to do.

[TheOtherHorse]

I wear cotton grippy gloves and use a pulling comb to wrap the hair around before pulling. My wrist still gets uncomfortable, but my fingers do okay.

[CrazyDog]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYyK_z2zBfw this is basically the technique, but instead of clamping you twist it around the comb and pull.. hmm i think i would like to buy these they look kind of cool


OMG Am i the only one that grimaced when they pull the tail out?? who pulls their horses tail?!

Showing people do in the UK! I, personally, like the look of a natural tail.

As for pulling manes, I also use my fingers and wear holes in them. I'm glad to know there is an alternative as my method was to wear a hole in one finger and move to the next. I currently have holes in both index and both middle fingers. I will be looking for the right kind of gloves now, I just never thought you'd have enough feel with them on.

[Zipsmom]

I used to have this problem. Don't pull the hairs with your fingers, use the comb to pull the hairs. You don't need to wrap the hairs around the comb. What i do is pick an area of mane to start grab the long hairs with your fingers and comb the mane hairs up, like you are teasing it. Then,with hte longers hairs still pinched between your fingers, take the comb halfway down the hair shaft, lift the strands up so the hair is folded up over the comb and then pull down on the comb and the section of hair will come right out. Easy peasy.(You are making a V with the section of mane that you want to pull. The comb is your lowest point) TSC also sells a thinning blade. It is blue plastic and it has a razor blade in it. It works great if you use the technique that I mentioned

This is pretty much what I do also. If I just want to shorten, I take the comb the length I want , wrap and pull down sharply. If I want to thin, I take the comb up closer to the neck. Also, the less hair, the easier it is. Trying to shorten, thin big chunks is hard on both of us:)

[ybiaw]

Ok, professional mane-puller, here.

I personally wear an old pair of my riding gloves. They're really thin and kind of tight - almost like a 2nd skin.

If I can't find my gloves (which happens sometimes, since my tack trunk is a black hole), I tape my fingers. Athletic tape or vetwrap works. Tape the knuckles, and tape over top of the thumb. I prefer the gloves, though, because I have a tendency to rip a gigantic hole in my palm when pulling.

I've been known to wrap around the comb to pull, or to just use my fingers. I only use my fingers if the mane is just needing a little maintenance and comes out easily. I'll be darned if I'm gonna pull an entire, thick, bushy mane that way!

And just as an aside (as I said, I'm a professional mane-puller)...I got my horse's mane done in about 5 minutes last week, and while not particularly THICK, he had definitely gotten LOOOOOONG. And I got a bushy-bushy hairdo on another horse tamed in about 15/20. I'm quick. :winkgrin:

[in_the_zone]

I use my riding gloves too. I ride a lot of horses, so I try to keep it maintained every time I tack up a horse. It only take a minute to grab the long strands and tidy it up. Much easier to keep up with it if you stay on top of it. The horses seem to prefer it that way too!

[Catersun]

Ybiaw... You need to come south for a long weekend er... something... Don't you want to get away from the cold windy city?!?

*ponders if I know anyone who would trade mane pulling for a massage* Otherwise... pulling is going to have to wait until next monday when I officially go on maternity leave. The wimpy hand still hurts from the hole and I can't afford anymore holes in fingers until I'm on maternity leave.