How to Cut a Horse's Mane & Tail

A horse with a long, flowing mane and tail is a sight to behold, but that flowing mane can be problematic. In pastured horses, long manes and tails often accumulate debris and mat up in painful knots. Long manes on show horses often tangle in the reins and the horse may step on a long tail, interfering with the rider and ruining an otherwise flawless ride. Cutting the mane and tail may seem easy, but a perfectly groomed horse does take work.

Things You'll Need

  • Halter and lead rope
  • Mane comb
  • Spray bottle
  • Water
  • Shears
  • Thinning shears
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Instructions

    • 1

      Slip a halter over the horse's head and lead it to grooming cross ties or a hitching post. Tie the horse to the post or snap the cross ties to the halter to prevent it from wandering and pacing as you groom.

    • 2

      Pick large debris from the mane and tail with your fingers and comb through the hair with a mane comb. Comb the mane in small sections, staring at the poll and moving back toward the withers. Hold the tail in one hand and comb from the bottom, moving upwards until no more knots remain in the hair.

    • 3

      Fill the squire bottle with water and spray the mane. Comb the wet hair flat against the neck. Cut the mane in a straight line, starting at the withers and working your way up to the poll. Make the initial cut 4 inches longer than where you want the final mane to fall.

    • 4

      Comb the mane again after the initial cut, and swap the straight shears for a pair of thinning shears. Cut upward through the hair, working in 2-inch wide sections along the length of the mane. The thinning shears snip the hair in slightly uneven lengths, leaving the hair looking more natural than a plain blunt cut. Trim the entire mane once, and then make a second pass until the mane reaches your desired length.

    • 5

      Spritz the tail with water and comb the hair once more. Wrap your hand around the tail just below the tail bone, and run your hand down the hair, stopping at the pastern. Trim the hair in a straight line at the fetlock. Run the comb through the hair one last time and trim off any long hairs you missed on the initial cut.