How do people manage manes these days?!

[SnakesForPM]

I'm a happy hacker with ponies who live out. In my teenage years (90s) we pulled manes to both shorten and thin them. I feel like that isn't the done thing anymore (and I haven't done it for decades). What do people do now, thinning scissors? Or just cut them? Manes look much less natural now, as if they've been cut straight with scissors! I'm just looking to smarten up the ponies for spring!

I just leave mine natural. I tend to give it a good wash, untangle, and then plait it out the way. I like to have something to grab onto in an "oh shit" moment

I thin my horse’s mane with a tail thinning rake on the wrong side, then ‘pull’ it on the right side but instead of pulling the hair I trim it with scissors. Leaves a pulled effect but not so much pain for the horse. I always do it when they’re warm after exercise too. But I’m old school so younger people may have better ways!

Solo comb to gently thin and shorten for a more natural look. I hate manes hacked into straight thick lines with scissors.

I pull mine with a metal comb - no scissors ever! My horse doesn’t mind it at all and will fall asleep while doing it! However other people I’ve seen use those solo rakes which tend to have similar results if their horse won’t tolerate it. If you can pull a mane properly it will not hurt the horse, I’ve always been able to pull my horses’ except ones who have clearly been traumatised by it before by someone too rough!

Ahh ok, so people do still pull them! The YouTube videos my daughter watches all seem to have dreadful straight line manes like a pony version of a basin cut 😂 thank you!

Following with interest, because my horse has a very thick mane which turns into a long scrubbing brush if I even try to thin it. Horse is a sensitive mare who will not allow me to pull it - it really isn't worth the battle. I now resort to just keeping it brushed and conditioned, take the straggly ends off with scissors, and plait it into thick bunches in the summer.

For condition, I use Cowboy Magic, the best hair product I've ever used. Brilliant on tails too.

I still pull manes. Used to be head girl on a big showjumping yard and pulled all the manes. The cut 'showjumper' manes make me cringe!
If you've got one that doesn't like it to be pulled you can comb it back then cut vertically up with scissors to make it look more natural.

I just leave mine as nature intended. Never seen the point in pulling etc.

I never pull a mane anymore. Why not make it as comfortable as possible for them? I second Cowboy Magic products btw.

Miri Hackett has a good video on You Tube about how to trim a mane. I can’t seem to link it sorry but it’s straightforward and clear.

Edited to say: because my horse’s mane is extremely thick, I do tend to cut a bridle path behind his ears but I do that very slowly using clippers and ear plugs.

Thinning rake on the wrong side (do a little all along the mane and then do the same a week after and repeat each week until it's your desired thickness - if you thin it all in one go then it grows back at the same time and you end up with a wedge of hair regrowing the wrong side of the mane which then pushes the whole thing up and is a nightmare to plait) then solo comb to the length you like.

I either leave it long or I cut then pull enough that it doesn’t look too straight. If I need to pull I do a few pulls each day rather than all in one go.
I think if you are going to plait for competition you need a pulled mane as the other approaches would leave it too thick.

I can't abide unruly manes and tails, i always tidied my retired boys mane every month so it didnt get long.

I have New Forest ponies and do showing, i "pull" their manes with a Smart Tails rake as not to get a daft straight edge. i lightly tidy the tops of their tails with this too.
i'm also the go to for my friends to do their horse manes and have done 6 manes and tails this weekend 😂