Pulling Manes: Everyone’s Favorite Equine Grooming Chore

Pulling manes is probably no one’s favorite grooming chore, whether from the human or equine viewpoint. While some horses will stand quietly for long sessions of mane thinning and shortening, most will eventually run out of patience, and some horses object violently to the whole idea, even if the owner decides to take advantage of a leftover state of sedation following dental work or a veterinary procedure. For horses with this particular phobia, the first hint of mane-pulling can turn a droopy-headed, wobbly-kneed steed into a raging war-horse in the briefest of instants.

Regardless of the horse’s attitude toward this activity, many horses will need their manes evened up from time to time. Even those that are of a breed or discipline that is always shown with a full, lush mane will often look better with a judicious touch-up. Here’s how to go about the task.

First, most horsemen will agree that simply taking a clipper or pair of scissors to an unruly mane is not a good option. The result almost always looks choppy and unnatural, and it’s easy to get carried away and end up with a bushy “do” that stands straight up or sticks out to both sides of the horse’s neck. A carefully pulled mane takes longer, but generally gives more pleasing results.

You will need a mane comb and gloves to begin. Comb the mane onto the side of the neck you want it to lie on (usually the off, or right, side for hunters and sale horses). Dampen the mane and then begin somewhere in the middle of the neck where the hair is likely to be fullest. Select a few of the longest hairs, push the rest of the mane away, wind the hairs around the comb, and pull them out with a firm tug. If you notice you are just breaking off the tips of the hair, move the comb up until you are closer to the roots. Don’t try to pull too many hairs at a time; if they don’t come out easily, you have selected too large a section of mane. The hairs seem to come out more easily when the horse is warm after exercise, and some owners find that pulling up rather than down or out is less aggravating to the horse.

Work in both directions from the center, trying to achieve an overall even appearance. You generally want to end up with mane hairs that are about six inches long (the length of a dollar bill) when pulled straight for measurement. This is long enough to braid but also looks tidy if left unbraided. Achieving this length will likely take several sessions before the whole mane is finished. Some Thoroughbreds and other light breeds have thinner manes that can be evenly pulled in a fairly short time, while many horses have thick, lush manes that will take much more effort to thin and shorten.

Horses that are not headed for shows or sales should have somewhat longer and thicker manes, especially if they spend a lot of time in the pasture. The longer hair will help to shed rain and keep horses warmer in cool weather.