How To Thin a Mane

Trimming and thinning a horse's mane gives it a clean and neat appearance. Although horses have no feeling on the crest of the neck, it is best to thin the mane in small sections over a long period of time. Doing the entire mane in one long session may irritate the horse and make it resent the process. Thin with a pulling comb or using only your fingers, making sure to pull from the underside of the mane to make it less noticeable.

Things You'll Need

  • Scissors
  • Pulling comb
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Instructions

    • 1

      Comb the mane so that it is neat and can be easily divided. Trim a longer mane to within an inch of the desired final length (pulling will help further shorten the mane).

    • 2

      Pull the mane into small sections, about a handful at a time. This should be done in the same way that a hairstylist separates lengths of human hair in order to tell which areas have been cut and which have not.

    • 3

      Hold onto the hair in one hand and use the comb to tease back the hair at the top, leaving only the hair on the underside in hand.

    • 4

      Wrap the remaining hair around the comb twice so that it is close to the roots. Keep a firm grip on both the comb and the hair.

    • 5

      Yank the comb back so that the hair is removed at the root. Keep the comb level from back to front to maintain a sharp edge along the underside of the mane.

    • 6

      Work along each side of the mane in many short sessions to keep the horse happy, always focusing on the underside of the mane and pulling the hair from the roots.