mane pulling

[piper]

Does anyone have any bright ideas - to allow my mare to let me mess with her mane? I need to plait it occasionally and its getting too long. I've had her a year and got a friend to pull it against my better judgement! Anyway it must really hurt her. Since then I've tried solo combs, thinners - I'm on the verge of cutting it with scissors - but now she just won't stand still.
She will let me massage her neck - enjoys that - but as soon as I get something in my hand and put two hands up she creates. Any thoughts gratefully received...

[emma]

I have this problem with my gelding. I got someone to pull his mane for me 7 years ago and he hated it so much he wouldn't even let me comb his mane the next day and reared up. Even now he doesn't like me combing it but he will stand. I use a combination of a solocomb and a mane thinner from clippersharp. I had to start just doing it a tiny section at a time but now I can do his whole mane in one go. Just take it slowly and in time she will get better. Good luck

[pip]

Horses I have bought from dealers hate having their manes pulled, probably becuase it was done all in one go.

If you can, use the Solo Comb. My horse is incrediably sensitive, and had I tried to pull his mane he would probably have kicked me out of the stable. Just do a few strands at a time, and do a bit every day, then she will learn that it doesn't hurt. She is probably anticipating pain.

Just as an aside, in the USA they pull the manes by pulling UPWARDS, not downwards, although you have to be standing on something high enough for that.

[Vicky&Beenie]

if you massage her neck whilst holding scissors in one hand then after a while she might associate the scissors with pleasure

[janetgeorge]

Get one of these! cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180118357526&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=008

Turn the mane to the wrong side and just gently rake it. It pulls a few hairs at a time and with a bit of patience and time, will get the mane nice and tidy without that CUT look. Have never had a horse object to it - even those that throw real wobblies at the first attempt to backcomb hair for pulling. They do a great job tidying up bushy tails too!

[horsey123]

i have one of those janetgoerge i use then on my duaghter ponys boff of a tail make it look really thin and nice