Which is better?

nrhareiner · 11-03-2009, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArabianHaven

It also shows that you took the time to do all the grooming. Only certain breeds can pull off the long manes.

I am not sure why people think that if your horse has along mane that is b/c you do not want to groom it??? I bet I spend more time on my horses manes then the people who pull and I am also going to bet that at any time I can pull horse out and a person who pulls manes and my will look as well kept or better then the one with the pulled mane.

Any breed can look nice with long manes or short. Just depends on what you like. I do not think any of mine would look good with short manes.

Luv2LopeQH · 11-03-2009, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArabianHaven

I would have to say a pulled mane. It makes the Western horses neck look great! It also shows that you took the time to do all the grooming. Only certain breeds can pull off the long manes. Such as Arabs, Welsh Cobs (which I was pulling my mares mane before I was told that te breed can have a long mane). Where as my Dartmoore pony cross has to have her mane pulled.

Trust me, if someone is going to show WP with a long mane they are going to still band the mane which takes even longer then banding a short mane. There are some horses the benefit from having a short mane or long mane, just depends on their neck.

Native Winds · 11-03-2009, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArabianHaven

I would have to say a pulled mane. It makes the Western horses neck look great! It also shows that you took the time to do all the grooming. Only certain breeds can pull off the long manes. Such as Arabs, Welsh Cobs (which I was pulling my mares mane before I was told that te breed can have a long mane). Where as my Dartmoore pony cross has to have her mane pulled.

I must say this statement bothers me some. Just because the mane is left long does not mean that there is less grooming involved. I am very picky about the mane esp if I have a horse with a full mane. I more than likely spend more time nit picking and keeping a long mane full, free from debris, knot free, keeping it from getting pulled out and keeping it up in stable braids. With manes that I have pulled about 4 inches one can put a quick stiff brush or wide tooth comb through it and your done. No nit picking, no knots to deal with, no debris to get caught up in it, no length trying to grow in and etc. In my experience a short mane is easier to keep than a long mane and less involved (unless your braiding or banding).
Having a long mane has nothing to do with one's willingness to groom well. I delt with gaited horses and most have long manes and are shown with such regardless of dicipline.

Maybe the sentence needs to be reworded. Most goes with personal preference and show standards for specific breeds.

nrhareiner · 11-04-2009, 06:57 AM

Well must not take time to groom with those long manes. Then why did it take me about 30+ min last night to re do tail and working braids on just one horse. She has 11 working braids in her mane and they rang in length from 13 in to 30 in long. Then there are 2 others that I keep up too. The 2 that I do not I probable should but at 29 I doubt Sara cares if her mane is perfect and Te's mane dose not do well braided so it just gets lightly brushed and MTG put in. He had a tail that was thick and hit the ground and someone about 2 years ago stole it and now I am having a problem getting it to grow out like I would like.

So having long manes and time spent grooming go hand and hand.

countrysoul784 · 11-04-2009, 05:52 PM

I show western pleasure, halter, trail.....my show mare I sold this year I kept her mane long and loved it.....she won just about every class she went in....so it didn't make a difference to a judge.

the filly I hope to show in 2010 I will have to do it short only for the fact she rubbed some of it out and I think it will look better on her anyway.

WashingtonBay · 11-04-2009, 05:55 PM

Depends on the type of horse. On a stock horse type, the short pulled and banded mane looks the tidiest. On an Arab, a long mane, but with a long bridle path, looks right for the type and yet still shows off the neck.

Quick2Skip01 · 11-04-2009, 06:07 PM

As I am sure you have noticed, the general consensus is that there is no "better" style. They are both equal, it just depends on the horse, the situation and personal preference.

My show gelding has had a short mane since he was 2 years old. I will probably never let it get ridiculously long unless I retire him.

When I am showing regularly I keep it super short, it is usually 2.5 inches long.

My 2 year old right now has a gorgeous mane, and unfortunately I don't fuss with it like I should.

TimmysMom · 11-05-2009, 06:31 PM

This is a good post - when I was young, and showed Western (all classes) the thing was pulled manes. I swore I'd never own another horse that had a short mane!

Timmy's mane has grown four inches in one year, touches the shoulder point, and I love it!

I spend more time on his mane and tail than I do on my hair! In fact, you could say I'm "roached!"

Capilet · 11-05-2009, 10:51 PM

My QH gelding was a reiner, but he is mane challenged. His looks best short, because it never gets more than 4-5 inches long and gets scraggly fast.

Nightwindrider · 11-06-2009, 03:50 PM

So what I gather its almost always personal preference.
Except if you are in a breed show where there are mandatory grooming rules. Like length of bridle path, if tail is braided so should the mane, etc.

11-04-2009, 06:57 AM	#34
nrhareiner Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,071	Well must not take time to groom with those long manes. Then why did it take me about 30+ min last night to re do tail and working braids on just one horse. She has 11 working braids in her mane and they rang in length from 13 in to 30 in long. Then there are 2 others that I keep up too. The 2 that I do not I probable should but at 29 I doubt Sara cares if her mane is perfect and Te's mane dose not do well braided so it just gets lightly brushed and MTG put in. He had a tail that was thick and hit the ground and someone about 2 years ago stole it and now I am having a problem getting it to grow out like I would like. So having long manes and time spent grooming go hand and hand. __________________ I'll Keep my Guns you can keep your change. An armed person is a citizen an un-armed person is a subject.

11-04-2009, 06:07 PM	#37
Quick2Skip01 Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan Posts: 4,678 Images: 344 Blog Entries: 7	As I am sure you have noticed, the general consensus is that there is no "better" style. They are both equal, it just depends on the horse, the situation and personal preference. My show gelding has had a short mane since he was 2 years old. I will probably never let it get ridiculously long unless I retire him. When I am showing regularly I keep it super short, it is usually 2.5 inches long. My 2 year old right now has a gorgeous mane, and unfortunately I don't fuss with it like I should. __________________ 2008 ABRA National Reserve High-Point Amateur Horse Power- (Informal) The extraordinary capacity of the horse to elevate the human spirit. ? Got Dun Factor ?

11-05-2009, 06:31 PM	#38
TimmysMom Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Potrero, California Posts: 969 Images: 1	This is a good post - when I was young, and showed Western (all classes) the thing was pulled manes. I swore I'd never own another horse that had a short mane! Timmy's mane has grown four inches in one year, touches the shoulder point, and I love it! I spend more time on his mane and tail than I do on my hair! In fact, you could say I'm "roached!" __________________ "I don't know when, I don't know how, that's God's business, my business is NOW" - me

11-05-2009, 10:51 PM	#39
Capilet Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Western Washington Posts: 4,480 Images: 413 Blog Entries: 1	My QH gelding was a reiner, but he is mane challenged. His looks best short, because it never gets more than 4-5 inches long and gets scraggly fast. __________________ "Just because something seems impossible that doesn't mean its not real." -Charles de Lint, Someplace to Be Flying

11-06-2009, 03:50 PM	#40
Nightwindrider Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 512 Blog Entries: 1	So what I gather its almost always personal preference. Except if you are in a breed show where there are mandatory grooming rules. Like length of bridle path, if tail is braided so should the mane, etc. __________________ I'd rather nuzzle a muzzle than kiss a boy

11-04-2009, 05:52 PM	#35
countrysoul784 Full Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Western Canada Posts: 136	I show western pleasure, halter, trail.....my show mare I sold this year I kept her mane long and loved it.....she won just about every class she went in....so it didn't make a difference to a judge. the filly I hope to show in 2010 I will have to do it short only for the fact she rubbed some of it out and I think it will look better on her anyway.

11-04-2009, 05:55 PM	#36
WashingtonBay Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tumwater, WA Posts: 1,611 Images: 109 Blog Entries: 2	Depends on the type of horse. On a stock horse type, the short pulled and banded mane looks the tidiest. On an Arab, a long mane, but with a long bridle path, looks right for the type and yet still shows off the neck.