Thinning Manes

[topnotchminis]

I am trying to get things for the next show season now. All my horses have extremely thick manes. I was looking at the Solo Combs for thinnings manes, but was wondering what do you use, and what have you had the best luck with. Any tips would also be great. Thanks!

 

[disneyhorse]

The solo comb is okay, but some minis have the thick crest pony mane and in that case honestly the easiest thing is to undercut it. Just take clippers and shave the under part off. It's a very common practice in the minis.

That said, I was never super super competitive and hated to undercut the mane... so I just used a lot of Cowboy Magic and always kept a slinky hood on my stallions (they seemed to have thicker manes for some reason) to force the hair as tight and low profile and non-bushy as possible.

The SoloComb is best for actually thinning/SHORTENING the mane such as on hunters or quarter horse type short manes.

Andrea

 

[Leeana]

Ive had best luck doing an undercut on the mane, its simple and easy. When you body clip them, or when you do your bridle path just cut under the mane (the side it lays on, so the undercut is hidden when you let the mane fall back over). That will thin it up and help it lay nicer.

 

[topnotchminis]

Thanks everyone! I am glad I didn't waste my money on anything yet. I will try that later this spring.

 

[topnotchminis]

I forgot to ask .. I have only been to a few mini shows, but do you ever see minis with the short manes like the quarter horses? I personaly like the longer manes, but just thought I would ask.

Also.. my fillies tail is on the ground is going to need to be cut. How do you recommend doing this?

 

[georgiegirl]

I was wondering about the little quarter horse manes, also.

I dont think that a mini's mane would like down properly without the bands in the mane. It is my understanding that you cant put any type of decoration in a mini's mane. Is that correct?? With no bands, I think you would end up with a Mohawk effect.

My mares mane was undercut before I got her. I keep trying to grow it out, but it gets to a certain length and then starts causing a big mess with what is on top. My gelding, on the other hand, has a gorgeous mane that has nothing done to it.

 

[disneyhorse]

You certainly CAN trim their manes short like Quarter Horses, but it is NOT the norm. So unless your horse has rubbed it all out, I would suggest leaving it fairly long.

As for the tails, it's easy. Wash it and comb it out. Then pull your hand straight down and hold tight at the bottom. Trim it straight across just below the fetlocks. When it dries, it will shrink up just to the fetlock and look nice and full but won't get stepped on when the horse backs up.

Andrea

 

[topnotchminis]

You certainly CAN trim their manes short like Quarter Horses, but it is NOT the norm. So unless your horse has rubbed it all out, I would suggest leaving it fairly long.
As for the tails, it's easy. Wash it and comb it out. Then pull your hand straight down and hold tight at the bottom. Trim it straight across just below the fetlocks. When it dries, it will shrink up just to the fetlock and look nice and full but won't get stepped on when the horse backs up.

Andrea

Thank you for the tips! I won't cut my horses hair short I like it long, but was just wondering about that.

 

[jleonard]

I would not recommend a Solo Comb for thinning a long mane. I use one on my TB who has a thin mane. I alternated between a traditional pulling comb and the solo. When I use the solo comb, I can simply shorten the mane, without removing any thickness, while if I pull it, I also thin it. For the minis, I undercut, then use a traditional pulling comb (the 3" little metal combs), to shorten it enough to remove any sunburnt/ scraggly ends, while leaving a natural look. The other problem with the Solo's is that they take some practice, and the first time you use them you are likely to get some strands that look like they've simply been chopped off.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

The solo comb is okay, but some minis have the thick crest pony mane and in that case honestly the easiest thing is to undercut it. Just take clippers and shave the under part off. It's a very common practice in the minis.

Andrea,

Do you just undercut or do you also do a little "over" on the other side. I had been just undercutting and leaving the "top" side at its natural point and what I ended up with by the end of the show year was mane only on half of the crest and some people were telling me I should trim on both sides so it's more even. I don't know if I've explained that well enough for you to even comment.

 

[disneyhorse]

Andrea,Do you just undercut or do you also do a little "over" on the other side. I had been just undercutting and leaving the "top" side at its natural point and what I ended up with by the end of the show year was mane only on half of the crest and some people were telling me I should trim on both sides so it's more even. I don't know if I've explained that well enough for you to even comment.

Okay, what I am assuming you mean is to undercut AND cut along the top of the mane, too... so that the strip of mane that you leave is basically the "middle" of the crest along the top?

Yes, people DO do this. However, I personally don't really like it because it is OBVIOUS the mane is cut and it looks really bad on some colored horses (particularly where the mane is a contrasting color to the coat). And it is hard to trim up for touch ups between body clips. Once you clip that hair, you really can't let it grow back in because it looks super terrible. Whereas, clipping only UNDER the mane looks bad for just the time it is sticking straight up... once it is long enough to lay down (mane tamers and slinkys help speed this process) you at least still have the original long part on the top to cover it. But, to each his own I suppose!

I hope that answers your question...

Andrea

 

[topnotchminis]

Thanks everyone for the great tips! I will try the under clipping this year. I can't wait till spring!

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Andrea,Do you just undercut or do you also do a little "over" on the other side. I had been just undercutting and leaving the "top" side at its natural point and what I ended up with by the end of the show year was mane only on half of the crest and some people were telling me I should trim on both sides so it's more even. I don't know if I've explained that well enough for you to even comment.

Okay, what I am assuming you mean is to undercut AND cut along the top of the mane, too... so that the strip of mane that you leave is basically the "middle" of the crest along the top?

Yes, people DO do this. However, I personally don't really like it because it is OBVIOUS the mane is cut and it looks really bad on some colored horses (particularly where the mane is a contrasting color to the coat). And it is hard to trim up for touch ups between body clips. Once you clip that hair, you really can't let it grow back in because it looks super terrible. Whereas, clipping only UNDER the mane looks bad for just the time it is sticking straight up... once it is long enough to lay down (mane tamers and slinkys help speed this process) you at least still have the original long part on the top to cover it. But, to each his own I suppose!

I hope that answers your question...

Andrea

Yep, that's what I meant. Thanks for explaining.

 

[topnotchminis]

I have one more question for everyone... do you think the "V" they do on the horse is somthing really important for show? If so do you have some tips on getting it straight?

 

[Leeana]

The solo comb is okay, but some minis have the thick crest pony mane and in that case honestly the easiest thing is to undercut it. Just take clippers and shave the under part off. It's a very common practice in the minis.

Andrea,

Do you just undercut or do you also do a little "over" on the other side. I had been just undercutting and leaving the "top" side at its natural point and what I ended up with by the end of the show year was mane only on half of the crest and some people were telling me I should trim on both sides so it's more even. I don't know if I've explained that well enough for you to even comment.

I normally take just a tad bit (like two rows of hair) on the "over" side...not enough that someone could notice it but enough to make that straight and level, i hate when its taken off so much that it is obvious.

 

[disneyhorse]

Yes, you will at least want to leave a little "V" at the top of the tail. To make it even, first leave a large "V" and see how it is. If it leans a little to one side, take another swipe from the opposite side and keep trying back and forth until it looks even. When it's even, stop. If you start with enough hair to leave room for error you will be fine.

The lower the tailset, the longer the V most people leave. It's a simple optical illusion. Yes, the judges are aware of it but any optical illusions you can create, the better.

Then what I do is reverse my clippers and clip with the hair to cut down the winter fuzz left above the tail. To blend it in.

Andrea

 

[topnotchminis]

Thank you! I tried making the "V" on one horse this past spring just to see how it would look, I did okay, I guess I'll just have to practice!