# Roached Mane



## justjump (Jan 18, 2011)

islandponi said:


> What do you think of the roached mane/ hogged mane?
> 
> And do you think my horse has the neck for it?


Depends.. do you show?

If you show western, don't roach it. I personally love the thick mane and forelock, and it would look nice banded if you pulled it a little bit!

If you ride and show english, thin it if its thick, but not too much because the more braids the better! Especially on a short neck!


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## islandponi (Jan 21, 2011)

I show western and if you got a veiw from the other side of her, you'd know her mane is impossible to pull. I would band it if i could pull it but her mane is just too thick. :--|


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## justjump (Jan 18, 2011)

islandponi said:


> I show western and if you got a veiw from the other side of her, you'd know her mane is impossible to pull. I would band it if i could pull it but her mane is just too thick. :--|


Take a picture from the other side when you have the chance, and post it!

I'm a braider/ bander and have done the impossible mane.

At the last big AQHA circuit I was at, I saw a western pleasure gelding that looked a lot like yours, that had a gorgeous long thick mane and it was banded! I really really liked the look, and the judges did too because he won the class out of about 30! Maybe try doing that? Then again, I don't know your horse or the mane, but it's just a suggestion


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## islandponi (Jan 21, 2011)

only pic of her mane i have its much much shorter almost roached looking at the moment but by may i hope to have it grown out to this length again.

and do you think without pulling her mane I could do this look on her?


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## justjump (Jan 18, 2011)

islandponi said:


> only pic of her mane i have its much much shorter almost roached looking at the moment but by may i hope to have it grown out to this length again.
> 
> and do you think without pulling her mane I could do this look on her?


Hmm... I'd have to feel it. I can't really tell. You can try pulling it, and get that look! But, It'd be hard to pull because it is really long.


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## islandponi (Jan 21, 2011)

So I should cut it before attempting to pull it?


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## justjump (Jan 18, 2011)

islandponi said:


> So I should cut it before attempting to pull it?


I would! Don't make it too short though


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## islandponi (Jan 21, 2011)

Okay! Thanks a bunch for your help!!!!!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Please do not roach that beautiful mane! Roaching helps a thin neck look thicker, but your horse is nicely put together. Just pull it to thin it. There's lots of info on how to pull a mane on the internet.
My appy has naturally roached mane, and I have NOTHING to hold onto in the event of an emergency or when he goes up super steep hills.


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## islandponi (Jan 21, 2011)

You make a very good point! Haha. But just as an alternative, do you know anything about giving a pulled mane look and feel with thinning shears. Just wondering. I can't find anything on google about it.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> Roaching helps a thin neck look thicker


I think the opposite, it looks horrible on thin necks!

I love roached manes, I have both my ASH and my Arab roached and they look spunky, but both have the neck for it. I actually think your boy would look great roached, but it might be no-no for shows.


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## Arksly (Mar 13, 2010)

I always roach my horses manes. I do, however, leave their forelock. I am firmly against pulling a horses mane as I can't imagine what it would be like if someone were to take little chunks of my hair and pull them out. I've also seen horses bleed from it. I think that thinning shears could help. I also don't tend to grab onto a horses mane. I don't think I've ever really done that. If I'm riding bareback I will usually just use a neck rope.

P.S. I do dressage and I'm not sure if there are any rules against it in western.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

My boy roached:


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## justjump (Jan 18, 2011)

Arksly said:


> I always roach my horses manes. I do, however, leave their forelock. I am firmly against pulling a horses mane as I can't imagine what it would be like if someone were to take little chunks of my hair and pull them out. I've also seen horses bleed from it. I think that thinning shears could help. I also don't tend to grab onto a horses mane. I don't think I've ever really done that. If I'm riding bareback I will usually just use a neck rope.
> 
> P.S. I do dressage and I'm not sure if there are any rules against it in western.


I heard that it doesn't hurt them as much as you would think. I pull my horse's mane because it was literally impossible to braid, and I can braid some pretty thick manes. It doesn't bother him in the least, but I would avoid using thinning shears because they make the mane choppy and a pain to braid. I charge extra whenever I have to braid manes that have been attacked by the thinning shears..

And I agree, you shouldn't be grabbing onto mane *period*. I believe, if you're riding, your legs should be strong enough to where you don't have to grab mane.


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## Arksly (Mar 13, 2010)

justjump said:


> I heard that it doesn't hurt them as much as you would think. I pull my horse's mane because it was literally impossible to braid, and I can braid some pretty thick manes. It doesn't bother him in the least, but I would avoid using thinning shears because they make the mane choppy and a pain to braid. I charge extra whenever I have to braid manes that have been attacked by the thinning shears..
> 
> And I agree, you shouldn't be grabbing onto mane *period*. I believe, if you're riding, your legs should be strong enough to where you don't have to grab mane.


Well considering that a horse can feel a fly land on it I think it would be at least uncomfortable. Jesse has a pretty thick mane and when I was doing hunters we just braided it (ended up being over thirty braids) and just picked itty-bitty sections. It took forever, but it did the job. We just roach it now, let it grow out a little and then make lump like things so it has almost the same effect as braids. I'll have to try to find a picture.


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## justjump (Jan 18, 2011)

Arksly said:


> Well considering that a horse can feel a fly land on it I think it would be at least uncomfortable. Jesse has a pretty thick mane and when I was doing hunters we just braided it (ended up being over thirty braids) and just picked itty-bitty sections. It took forever, but it did the job. We just roach it now, let it grow out a little and then make lump like things so it has almost the same effect as braids. I'll have to try to find a picture.


Button braids? And, a horse at my barn's mane was so bad, that even taking less than a half an inch of hair was impossible. I did about 10 braids in the first 4 inches on his mane before it got even thicker (which somehow that was even possible!)

I also read somewhere that the top part of the neck where the hair grows is just fat and doesn't have as many nerves in it? I'm not trying to argue, I just read that a really long time ago and IDK if it was even true! Haha.


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## Arksly (Mar 13, 2010)

justjump said:


> Button braids? And, a horse at my barn's mane was so bad, that even taking less than a half an inch of hair was impossible. I did about 10 braids in the first 4 inches on his mane before it got even thicker (which somehow that was even possible!)
> 
> I also read somewhere that the top part of the neck where the hair grows is just fat and doesn't have as many nerves in it? I'm not trying to argue, I just read that a really long time ago and IDK if it was even true! Haha.


Oi vey, that does sound thick. Could be possible that they don't feel much there. It just freaked me out a little when I pulled a grey mare's mane and she started to bleed :shock:. 

This was the type of braids we did (I honestly don't know what they are called):


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## justjump (Jan 18, 2011)

Arksly said:


> Oi vey, that does sound thick. Could be possible that they don't feel much there. It just freaked me out a little when I pulled a grey mare's mane and she started to bleed :shock:.
> 
> This was the type of braids we did (I honestly don't know what they are called):


Those are hunter braids, the kind I do haha!

And thats really really strange... Sometimes if you pull too much hair out it can bleed. I do my horse's mane in small sections over a period of a week before I braid him, because their neck can get sore if you pull too much out.


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## Arksly (Mar 13, 2010)

justjump said:


> Those are hunter braids, the kind I do haha!
> 
> And thats really really strange... Sometimes if you pull too much hair out it can bleed. I do my horse's mane in small sections over a period of a week before I braid him, because their neck can get sore if you pull too much out.


Well I've never really liked pulling manes so I would take extremely tiny bits (like not even 10 hairs at a time). She could have just been sensitive though.


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## ScharmLily (Nov 23, 2009)

Personally, I think it varies from horse to horse how sensitive they are to pulling. Both of mine are your typical sensitive arabs, so I don't even try. I think it would just be mean to pull sensitive horses. A "trainer" that I knew thought differently, and they would pull all the horses no matter what. Often they would need to be tranquilized, with people holding them down, or they would just get a swift kick in the belly....it made me sick. However, my old instructor had an arab gelding that loved to show and knew that when his mane was being pulled he was going to a show soon. He stood for it and didn't seem to mind. Some less sensitive types also don't mind. I think it all depends, and it is only cruel if the horse is in obvious discomfort.

Oh, I also know a horse that needs to be tranquilized to have spring shots. Her owner would pull her mane when she was already sleepy and couldn't feel it. She pulled it short at first and it would last the entire season if she braided it right


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## candandy49 (Jan 16, 2011)

I echo what someone said, "Please don't roach" that beautiful mane. What you could that is so much easier on you and your horse is to use only the bottom blade of a set of clipper blades, the one with the longer teeth and a cutting edge. Tease up a section of mane with the teeth of the blade then give just a slight downward tug and the cutting part of the blade will only take the part you want it to do. With your horses thick mane don't try to get the the mane shorten to the length you want in one session, but progressively shorten as you go to get the desired length. I ws shown this method by a friend who showed her horse in Dressage tests.


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## islandponi (Jan 21, 2011)

candandy49 said:


> I echo what someone said, "Please don't roach" that beautiful mane. What you could that is so much easier on you and your horse is to use only the bottom blade of a set of clipper blades, the one with the longer teeth and a cutting edge. Tease up a section of mane with the teeth of the blade then give just a slight downward tug and the cutting part of the blade will only take the part you want it to do. With your horses thick mane don't try to get the the mane shorten to the length you want in one session, but progressively shorten as you go to get the desired length. I ws shown this method by a friend who showed her horse in Dressage tests.


Thanks for the clipper blade idea! I'll try that.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Please please don't roach that gorgeous mane, most of us slave for years trying to obtain that! Lol, if you're showing and would like to pull it, cut it to the length (usually 4 inches) you'd like and then pull it to thin it. if you use a comb to pull it and only take a little at a time, making sure to pull down, it doesn't hurt them.


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## redrooster (Jan 23, 2011)

She's got a nice neck for it...
It's just hair and it will grow back, so I'd say go for it if you really want to, but my tips below may help:
But if you like the length, use Mane 'n Tail shampoo and conditioner - it works MIRACLES!
But if her mane is coarse, baby oil works miracles!
My Walking Horse Dusty has very thick, coarse hair that baby oil makes shine just out of this world and also gets rid of frizz and makes it easy to comb.
However, my Fox Trotter Roany has normal thickness to his mane, but his hair is very fine, and his forelock frizzes up a lot! I use Mane 'n Tail on him and it makes his hair feel soooo soft like human hair! You could try putting the forelock in a braid (not hunter/jumper like, but a normal, long braid). I have seen many a Western Pleasure horse sport that look and it usually brings out the shine in the forelock.

Hope this helps!
~Casey


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## islandponi (Jan 21, 2011)

redrooster said:


> She's got a nice neck for it...
> It's just hair and it will grow back, so I'd say go for it if you really want to, but my tips below may help:
> But if you like the length, use Mane 'n Tail shampoo and conditioner - it works MIRACLES!
> But if her mane is coarse, baby oil works miracles!
> ...


It helped a lot. Thank you!!!


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## redrooster (Jan 23, 2011)

islandponi said:


> It helped a lot. Thank you!!!


No problem


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