How to Fix a Horse's Split Mane

A split or divided mane occurs when a horse's mane grows on both sides of the neck. While this condition is completely harmless, it is generally considered to be a flaw in the equine's appearance. If you plan on showing your horse in halter, showmanship or under saddle competitions, it is a good idea to retrain the mane to grow on the correct side of the neck for the discipline you will be competing in.

  1. Left or Right?

    • Determine what side of the neck you want the horse's mane to grow on. In most riding disciplines it is normal for the mane to fall on the right side of the neck. However, some breeds prefer the mane to lay to the left, so check with your show association judges or handbook to see what is preferred. If you will not be competing but want the mane on a single side of the neck, it is easier to train the mane to fall on the side of the neck where the majority of the mane naturally falls. For example, if 65 percent of your horse's mane is on the right side of the neck and 35 percent is on the left, it will be less difficult to get the 35 percent to come over to the right.

    Training the Mane

    • Shampoo and condition the mane so that it is clean. Brush the mane onto the side of the neck you want it to lay on. Pull the mane with a mane pulling comb, if desired. Pulling the mane involves shortening the mane by pulling out some of the longest hairs. Pulling gives the mane a more natural appearance than cutting it with scissors and is most commonly done to American quarter horses and similar stock horse breeds. An added benefit of mane pulling is that it reduces the thickness of the mane and makes it easier to retrain.

    Braiding and Taming

    • Once the mane is on the desired side, braid your horse's mane into a series of half-inch-wide braids. Apply hairspray to the braids to hold them in place. Put a spandex hood on the horse that covers his head and neck. This style of hood, which is sometimes called a mane tamer, is intended to hold the mane in place and keep it clean. Leave the hood on the horse while he is in the stall. Do not turn your horse out to pasture or ride in these hoods, as they can obscure vision or get tangled on objects. Repeat this process regularly until the horse's mane has been retrained to fall on the desired side.

    Long Term

    • When your horse's mane does not grow on the correct side naturally, you will have to continually train it as time goes on. However, once you have it growing the right way it is not difficult to maintain. Periodically brush, braid and hairspray the mane into place in order to train new growth.