[shjhorses]

My coming 3 year old filly is extremely sensitive with her mane and I can't get it pulled or trimmed. I did it once when she was sedated for her teeth doing but don't want to do this every time. She has a lovely long silky mane but it needs to be tidied up. She will let me brush it etc but as soon as I get a handful to use scissors or pulling comb etc she freaks out. Any ideas?

[SolarFlare]

My mare when I first got her got very agitated when I tried to pull her mane. I bought Chloraseptic spray (for sore throats) and sprayed it on the roots. Once she realized it didn't hurt, she quieted down significantly. I only ever had to use it that one time - she's very smart.

Tip: comb the mane FIRST, then apply spray, otherwise you pull it all through the hair and your fingers will go numb.

[Crazy4aOTTB]

I had always seen a mane "pulled" like thishttp://youtu.be/i_iIqV0FXn0. Which looks actually quite painful. However I just recently found a new technique. http://youtu.be/_yr0vYytr24
I like this technique much better. it takes a little longer but it works and I am sure much more pleasant for the horse.

[Texarkana]

However I just recently found a new technique. http://youtu.be/_yr0vYytr24
I like this technique much better. it takes a little longer but it works and I am sure much more pleasant for the horse.

The Lynn Palm technique posted above really works! It takes forever and a day, but it really works!

I'm very tempted to try the Chloraseptic, too-- I'd never heard that before.

[Foxtrot's]

Today is warm and sunny - so it was in my plans to do the mane - going to try Lynn's method. Her horse was yawning and licking his lips and didn't mind at all. So cute.

The trusty little mane combs these days are made in china and between the teeth it is very sharp from where they were molded - so I had to get a file and smooth that down. I've had my old one for years made in England and it does not cut the hairs like the cheapie...would be so mad if I lots the oldie but goodie.

[Loopy]

Will definitely try the chloraseptic, I haven't heard of that before (I've heard of using clove oil to numb but not that), I have a rising 2 yo I want to tidy up but she's hairsore like her dam.

The humane solo combs shorten but don't thin the mane though, no good if the mane is thick as well, just looks a state and no good for plaiting imo. I don't like the finish from them really.

I have one of those sharp moulded mane combs for my TB, it breaks the hair off really well as I only want to shorten it not thin it, otherwise yes, the cheapies aren't great

[Ltc4h]

Anbesol works well too. aApply on small sections w/ dabber skin only stays numb for apprx 1 minute. It also helps if you pull after working, lunging/riding. Both mentally and hair is looser.

[SLW]

My coming 3 year old filly is extremely sensitive with her mane and I can't get it pulled or trimmed. I did it once when she was sedated for her teeth doing but don't want to do this every time. She has a lovely long silky mane but it needs to be tidied up. She will let me brush it etc but as soon as I get a handful to use scissors or pulling comb etc she freaks out. Any ideas?

50 years ago I was taught to pull manes in Pony Club the way demonstrated in the Lynn Palmer video. I bet I haven't used that method in over 20 years. Now I use scissors and a two step system to get a mane that looks pulled and is thinned.

Your horse becoming bothered by the scissors method suggest to me, a complete amateur, something changes in what you are doing, maybe your horse needs desensitizing. The reason I say that is that using scissors to shorten a mane does not, should not, make a horse uncomfortable. Do you stand on a stool or box when you try to trim the mane?? Do you start at the withers and move toward the head? Does your horse stand nicely to be groomed? Does your horse stand tied nicely for extended periods of time??

[ComingAttraction]

Original flavor listerine works well too.

[Foxtrot's]

I did go and try Lynn Palm's method - I think my mare is just so tuned into not allowing pulling, that I gave up and trimmed with a pair of those little-teeth scissors hairdressers use to thin hair. Came out not too bad, will fix a bit more today, but really, pulling does thin and look the best if kept up (sigh).

Perhaps a real horsewoman would keep the comb in her pocket and attempt to do a bit every time I worked with her after she was warmed up. She just feels I am torturing her.

[monster]

SLW, what is your method for cleaning up a mane? I let my boy's hair grow wild this winter and it needs some work.

[SLW]

SLW, what is your method for cleaning up a mane? I let my boy's hair grow wild this winter and it needs some work.

I decide how long I want the final mane to be then I blunt cut/straight line cut the mane 1" longer than that length. Take care to keep it the same length from the withers to the poll so you don't have a mane with an S curve.

Then, I use the scissors to "feather" or "point cut" the mane to create the soft look of a pulled mane. Starting at the withers end, with my scissors perpendicular to the mane/crest, I snip into that 1" section which will eventually be cut away. Look at the diagram on this hair salon site for an example of the point cut. http://www.hairfinder.com/hair/point...slithering.gif How big my cuts are depend on the texture of the individual horses mane. My semi-retired mare has very fine hair while my Connemara has a thick hair.

A lot of horses have more hair in their manes at the poll end so my point cutting at the end will extend further up into the mane to thin it. With a very thick mane I will point cut heavily on the underside of the mane. If you take off a lot of the upper side hairsof the mane you could end up with a mo-hawk.

You could always practice it by only removing about half of what you want your final "pull" to be. That gives you a lot of length to dabble around with.

[shjhorses]

I like the Lynn Palm approach, would be good for all of mine. With this filly I'm going to have to work on the combing first, as soon as I back comb she freaks. I'll get there, may try the chloraseptic to help. Thanks.

[warmbloodlover11]

Very timely post! I just went out today to try to pull my 2 year old's mane and it was not a pleasant experience! I have done the point trimming before and it never seems to looks as nice as pulling when I do it. I am going to go out tomorrow armed with Chloraseptic spray and try Lynn's method. If anyone else has any suggestions that would be great!

[risky business]

I tried the Lynn Palm method last night and was really impressed how well it worked.
My guy starts anticipating the "pull" as soon as I start combing but after a couple of times with "just waiting", he stood there totally relaxed.
Love COTH, learn something new everyday

[Acertainsmile]

I started doing manes exactly like SWL about yrs ago. Having 13 horses (and some of them youngsters) pulling was just sooo time consuming. Of course I was ostracized by some old school friends "How dare I use scissors on a mane" but oh well. Within a week of growing out they looked perfectly pulled. Saved time and saved my poor fingers!

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...itfilly010.jpg