# I have made a horrible mistake.



## DreamerR (Dec 17, 2017)

After 6 months of trying to grow out Chases mane (I know its crazy I've had him for 6 months!) I have made a mistake. 

When I arrived yesterday and 8 inches of his beautiful blonde mane was ripped out I was about to cry, but boy did I make it worse. As soon as I cut the first strand I knew it was a mistake. The more I took off the worse it got. I am better off just roaching it at this point. At least then it will be even. I will add pictures later, just know it is AWFUL. I'm sorry Chase:frown_color:


----------



## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

There, there...


----------



## lb27312 (Aug 25, 2018)

Holy Mane Batman! That's too much...

I would roach it.

I cut my horses forelock one time... looked like I put a bowl over his head and cut it. Looked SOOOO bad, all the other horses made fun of him. I felt really bad every time I tried to make it look better it kept getting worse. I had to walk away and leave it, it grew out so no harm except my horse looking goofy for a while and being a laughing stock.


----------



## DreamerR (Dec 17, 2017)

It just kept getting worse, and worse, and worse. I told myself not to do it. I KNEW something like this was gonna happen but I didn’t listen did I.


----------



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

If you haven't roached it yet, and don't want to, you have enough to braid it and leave it to grow out. If you like the way a roached mane looks, then there's no reason not to do it. It's up to you.


----------



## DreamerR (Dec 17, 2017)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> If you haven't roached it yet, and don't want to, you have enough to braid it and leave it to grow out. If you like the way a roached mane looks, then there's no reason not to do it. It's up to you.


I think I'm going to have a professional horse groomer thats in our area come on Saturday and cut it all even. I like roached manes its just the stages of it growing back when it looks like a Mohawk is what annoys me lol


----------



## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Haha, all you can do is laugh. It is pretty bad :rofl: BUT- it will grow back, promise!! Here's a video on how to scissor cut a mane that might help you clean it up





My horses live outside in New England winter, so they often have neck covers on, which rubs out big chunks of mane. After the winter, I generally have to cut it back pretty far in an attempt to even out what's left with the rubbed out stubble. I don't quite roach it, but I have to cut it back really short, which is sad when you have Morgans that typically have lush, thick manes. If you're using scissors (which I do), you're going to need to hold them at an angle and sort of cut up into the mane to try to make it look a little more natural. The hardest thing for me to grasp was that although the mane _looks _like it's a uniform length along their neck, remember their neck has a curve/arch to it and you can't just cut straight across as the neck isn't a flat board.

Here's an example- Isabel _could _have a really long, thick mane









But scissoring it leaves it more like this, which is definitely not pretty, but manageable. And, all summer, it grows longer!









Here's my other one-when I have to bring hers up short (not technically roached, just really short) it stands up sort of spiky for awhile until it's long enough to lay down on her neck again. Fresh cut last summer:









Recent (and looking scraggly after a long winter):










It WILL grow back, don't fret about it. Watch that video and then work on evening it out, and it will look much better.


----------



## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

DreamerR said:


> I think I'm going to have a professional horse groomer thats in our area come on Saturday and cut it all even. I like roached manes its just the stages of it growing back when it looks like a Mohawk is what annoys me lol


A carefully crafted Mohawk is a thing of beauty!


----------



## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

I had a friend cut the mane on a horse. It made the horse look like she got a bowl cut. She asked me to fix it for her. It was already really even, but it needed some layering to make it look more natural. I took little sections and cut up into them to thin the ends out so that they didn't all end in a blunt cut, and looked more like a pulled mane. She looked pretty good afterward. 

It looks like there's enough hair there that you could pull the mane and it would look fine.


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

If you roach (hog) it you'll have a mane that grows upright like a toothbrush for ages if you then grow it out.
Really the shortest bit isn't that short so get someone who's a safe pair of hands around scissors to trim it all to the shortest length.
You can then pull it to thin it if/where needed or get a solo comb to thin it


----------



## Cedar & Salty (Jul 6, 2018)

Gus came to us last year at this time with a big spot rubbed out and he kept rubbing. We roached it last spring, and it has grown out beautifully thick and even. Gus has a handsome neck, so he looked fine.

Just roach it.


----------



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I'm sorry that happened to you, but I agree with others that even the short part isn't TOO short -- it can still be fixed.

Also, thanks for posting the pictures. I hope this isn't rude, but I got a good laugh out of them, and I needed a laugh today. Reminds me of a haircut I gave my poor daughter one time. Also enjoyed mmshiro's pictures. That first horse -- how would it even move???

ETA: I'm sure you realize, but this isn't a big deal. I mean, it's not like you decided to trim his hooves yourself and messed that up and now he can't walk right. *HE* has no idea he has a bad haircut, and he probably wouldn't care even if he did.


----------



## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

I once took scissors to a mane to control for dead ends. I made diagonal cuts (between 45º and vertical) in a zig-zag pattern, about 1/5-1/4 up the total length, paying no attention to regularity or uniformity. It didn't ruin the look. On the other hand, I also did it to maintain the "shaggy" ends, not recreate them from a bowl cut.


----------



## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

I agree. Unless you want to leave it roached (growing out a roach is a pain to get to lie down flat again) trim it all to about the same length, then pull it to thin it out a bit, then let it grow and it will look fine in a month or two.


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Step away from the scissors!! I grew up in the “ NEVER touch the horse’s hair with scissors!!” Time....this is why!! Now, I get it....in 50 years, I have never cut a horses mane!

Have you looked at his hooves lately? (Just an observation...no judgement....)


----------



## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

mmshiro said:


> A carefully crafted Mohawk is a thing of beauty!


Bwahahahaha! :rofl:

While this is not a mohawk, who remembers Siouxsie Sioux? (Go on, date yourself! For the fossil record! :Angel


----------



## Idrivetrotters (Jan 5, 2013)

There should be a rule next to "No Running In The Barn" a sign that says "No shears near a horse's mane!!!!!"


Thinning shears can be used to salvage your self-inflicted hairdo that became a hair "don't".

Don't fret too long, manes grow back although I am a "Never Roach" person I vote for working with what you have instead of taking yourself back several months of growth and directing that mane. Way too much masochism for me, just work with what you have.

Also, this proves my Grandmother correct, "If you cannot be a shining example, be a horrible warning"


----------



## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

:rofl:, @Idrivetrotters! And that reminds me of the saying, "Nobody is useless as at least they can serve as a bad example!"

Equine hairstyles: Our Benjamin has naturally sticking-up mane hair, like a zebra. And he _knows_ he's cute!










As does his mum Nelly!


----------



## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Personally, I would leave it alone, or maybe even it up if it really drives you crazy, At least it is laying down on the neck...and you have something to grab in an emergency. 
Thank God hair grows!


----------



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

No more scissors...no more.
The shortest part is actually the length you need to braid this mane for the show ring you are planning to do in a short period of time..
You obviously don't know about pulling a mane or you would of done that some time ago...and been able to reduce rub-out damage before creating this masterpiece.
Do no more damage...
Find someone who truly knows how to prepare a horses mane for braiding and ask, _pay them_ to fix your mess.
You can salvage and hide your "mistake" if you do no more...
Your horse has a decent, better than decent mane...don't ruin it by putting scissor/thinning scissor to it unless you know positively what you are doing....
And no, watching a video doesn't cut it in educating you on how to do..hands-on with someone watching you, showing you over and over again and again is how you learn this detail correctly.

I would strongly advise you to _*not*_ roach that mane down here...flies will eat him alive.
Not sure how "different" you want to look in the show ring either and no mane gives you nothing to grab when jumping as you still need...
:runninghorse2:...


----------



## LULUSAYS (Apr 14, 2019)

Yeah you should never cut your horses mane with a scissors. You'll ruin it. I did think about trying layers like the do in the hairdresser holding the mane diagonally through your fingers....but erm after seeing that ....nope not even trying it.

Don't worry though it will grow back :thumbsup:

That is pretty bad though. But he's still really handsome!


----------



## Apple6 (Jun 14, 2018)

I'm sorry about that! 
Try pulling his mane before you roach it. Even if there are a few shorter pieces of hair, they'll grow out quickly enough, and pulled manes still look presentable, and are popular in both western and English showing. 

Later, once the mane is longer, if you still want to grow it long, there are some liquid solutions that are effective. Although I don't highly recommend it due to the "burns" it supposedly causes to horses with extremely sensitive skin, is rather oily and has a strong odor (it was never a problem for mine, though), MTG grew my mare's mane an inch or so above her knees within a couple months, and before she had had a sparse mane with dead ends- all I did was rub it in and braid it weekly, washing it come show season. There are other solutions as well, research and try and few before you resort to MTG if you have a sensitive horse.


----------



## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

I told myself I would not get on HF because I'm into crunch time at school, but I got a break in busy-ness. So I thought I'd share that you CAN cut a mane with scissors and have it look neat but you have to have a technique. 

I pick a "base length" and measure it with a ruler or some other convenient object. This time I cut Nick's mane to the length of the pair of scissors I was using. 

I set the measurer from the crest perpendicular to the ground and I cut a section of the top layer of mane, so that it's "marked" I do this at even intervals down the mane. Once I've got a few lengths marked out I "connect the dots" still only cutting the top layer of mane. Once I've done that I step back and evaluate. I may choose to shorten it closer to the poll if I like how that looks. Then I work on the under layer, pointing my scissors diagonally upward and doing a "dramatic feather" on the underside. This helps keeps it nicely layered and natural looking. I make sure that the underside is about 1/2 cm shorter than the top. Then I feather the top layer. Stepping back frequently to look at it. 
Brush out. Trim any strays. And you're done. 
Best of luck next time.


It's also worth noting I'm one of those that cuts her own hair. I have made mistakes before on both mine and pony's "do" one time leaving the left side of my hair 1" shorter than the right. I wore it in a pony tail for a month:frown_color:


----------

