thinning manes and tails - then I quit with the ? :-)

[js1arab]

I do a pretty good job with grooming in general, but manes and tails are apparently just not my thing. I have 3 minis with that super thick Buckeroo mane and tail going on!!!!! I did an ok job when I thinned my stallion's mane and tail, but then I did my gelding and he looked like he had a sideways mohawk . The hair stuck straight out sideways from his neck

I was trying to pull back the top layer and trim the underneath with the thinning shears, but it didn't exactly work right . I know some shave one side or the other and just leave a thin strip of mane, I hate to go that route, but any suggestions for those super thick manes would be great. I have tried several methods, but if anyone has pics of the process or close ups of their show horses that would be great too. I seriously need to get to more shows and clinics to get back in the groove and learn a few new tricks too!

 

[MiLo Minis]

I come from an english full size horse background and so thinning and pulling a mane and tail was the norm for me but some of these Minis just have way too much mane to go that route and have good results. Clipping off the underside of the mane is just about the only way to get it down to a decent thickness that can be laid flat on the neck. Once you clip away the underside I damp down the mane, lay it with a dandy brush and then drape and clip a towel over it till it is dry. I have sleeves made of polar fleece that we put over the horses neck after its show bath and leave on till morning. For the tails I shave a little off each side at the base and blend the fluff on top in with a 7 blade going with the lay of the hair. A tail wrap on a dampened tail will keep it neat and tidy.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

I clipped the underside of my mares mane and her mane flipped over to the other side of her neck. It looks awful! Does this normally happen?

 

[nbark]

I clip underneath a little but then I band it. I take about the thickness of my ring finger in mane and put a band on it close to the hairline so that it lays flay against the neck and continue on down until the whole mane is banded. This helps keep it "trained" and keeps it from looking like an out of control afro. It also makes the neck look longer. Then before going anywhere we put the slinky on the night before, comes out beautiful. The tail I keep braided and in a sock for control. When I take it out I dip it in Healthy Hair, comb it out and the bushyness is gone and I have a beautifully long, sleak tail. Just my way of getting out of pulling and thinning.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

For thinning the mane I do the clip underneath and a little off the top if it is super thick but, I have a question too, why would you thin a tail. Thick tails are desirable, hence the reason a lot of people put fake tails on horses with thin ones, not maybe so often with minis but I have seen it in the minis as well!!!

I clipped the underside of my mares mane and her mane flipped over to the other side of her neck. It looks awful! Does this normally happen?

Yes this happened with my stallion too but it is usually because the new hair is growing in, I just retrain it with a manestay before a show and actually sometimes it helps if the horse is outside and gets a little bit of bleaching then when you flip it back to the correct side it is the good color again

.

 

[js1arab]

Hopefully this picture comes through. I think you'll see why I'd want to thin the mane and the tail. This was my guy a couple years ago just before his spring hair cut. I was having fun watching him be all woolly in the winter, but man was it heck getting the spring hairdo done up! Needless to say, his tail is equally as thick and it looks much better when it is thinned out a little. the picture below is what he looks like after being cleaned up a bit. Keep in mind, we just drug him out of pasture, clipped him and took him to a show. He should have been on a diet first

It worked good with him, but when I tried his son's, it was a mess.

 

[ClickMini]

I just want to say that your horse is the prettiest color horse I have ever seen. I just absolutely LOVE HIM!!! I wouldn't do a thing to his tail if it were me, just gel and wrap the dock for a couple of hours before a class. I think his mane and forelock look just fine in the show photo. Just maybe a little gel and a slinky the night before your class and you should be good to go!

 

[js1arab]

Thank you for the compliment, you should see his personality. I've never been around another stallion who is as easy to handle and friendly as he is. I have actually completed a showmanship pattern with no lead! He is just so easy to work with.

I also want to say that you and all the others posting have beautiful horses as well. I am just amazed at the quality of some of the horses in the avatars. Good thing I have small acreage and my husband keeps a tight wallet or I'd be in serious trouble

 

[Keri]

I have a couple minis that have super thick and bushy manes (not quite so much on the tails). I basically under cut half his mane underneath. Flip his mane over. I will also wash it and then put in pantene pro-v sleek conditioner (suppose to help with human fuzzy hair). Then wash it out. It helps with the fuzziness. You won't see results instantly, but after a few times using it, you will. After washing it, I'll put them in a sleezy to help train their mane to lay down and flat. I get pretty good results off of just done that to him.

 

[Boinky]

yes... almost every horse i've ever done just the underside will flip to the other side.. here's the trick I learned.. take from BOTH sides until the mane is the thickness you want. You of course will have to keep it clipped down to maintain the neat appearance. Often times a mane will lay to the weakest side of the horse. I think what happens is that the mini's manes are so thick and heavy it will put the crest to one side on almost all of them at least to some extent..once you cut that under layer it lightens it up so the crest springs back up to it's normal position and then there is nothing on that side to keep the or push the mane to lay flat against the other side. so if you take it off both sides and leave the strip down the center..it will fall to whichever side you want it on.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Thanks for the help everyone, on the mane flipping to the other side. Boinky, that toally makes sense. I'm glad she's a broodmare and not going to any shows!