Ok so I trimmed my horses hair!!! .....?

Question

I asked the question a few days ago if I should pull/cut my Anglo-arab's hair and everyone told me to do it(I'm competing in hunter-jumper).. So I held my breath and trimmed his long hair..What do you think? It was my first time so I know its not perfect but what do you think?

before....

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x269/Brooklyn_McKinney/12-16-07_1757.jpg

after

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x269/Brooklyn_McKinney/IMG_1314.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x269/Brooklyn_McKinney/IMG_1350.jpg

I know there not the best pics but its all I have.

Answer 1

Looks good but you should get an electric razor and shave the rest of so it's bristly, cause that would make him look like a true hunting horse. I ride a horse name Maverick and he has it shaved all off he's pretty and looks spiffy.

Answer 2

I like it.  You did a pretty good job with cutting it.  When you show, are you are going to band him?  If so, try putting it in the bands and then trimming anywhere that you may have missed during the first cut.  Just be careful when cutting.  :-)

Answer 3

To be honest the before picture looked better. If its what you want then be happy with it but I would break any ones fingers for even thinking about doing that to mine.

Answer 4

im a western rider but i whould have left it long it was prettier that way but it looks good that way to and its okay because you are doing hunter jumper but if you werent i whould have left it long

Answer 5

I think it looks good...Nice horse by the way.

Answer 6

The show horses I worked as a groomer with were morgans. We did not cut there mane unless something was wrong.

In jumpers though the mane gets in the way, I would think. In rodeos this is what is done.

It looks fine for what it is, like the person above said you might as well shave it..... our horses would hide there head in shame if we shaved them.

Answer 7

Looks great! I like it short better than long.  

Answer 8

I definitely like it short. Especially if you are planning on showing hunter for a while.  You want her to look more like a hunter pony and less like an arab, and this is a great step. Make sure it doesn't look "cut" like you took scissors to it. If that is what you did, go back and give it a good pull to thin it and make it lie more naturally.

Another suggestion would be to put a "sweep" fake tail in to make it fuller (don't use a banged tail, he'll look like a skinny-necked quarter horse);

Good luck, I hope these tips help..My best friend had a little arab she had to "disguise" to compete against all those cute Connemara and Welsh ponies.

Answer 9

I am going through somewhat of the same thing. I have a beautiful palomino quarter horse stallion with a very long mane. He is more of a western horse and I am much more used to english horses. All of my horses have short manes with the exception of my shire/tb cross who looks sort of majestic with the long mane. Then the palomino stallion of course. I think he may even look better with a short mane.

The thing with the short mane in addition to it being a pain for hunting and jumping and getting in the way is a short mane will show off the neck on a horse.

I have to tell you that you have a very pretty horse but I like his mane shorter. You did a good job don't worry about it and if I were you I would keep his mane short. He has a bigger head then I would like to see on a horse (no offense) he is pretty but trimming his mane short makes his neck look fuller which makes his head look smaller.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

Answer 10

well did you actually snip it with the scissors? or did  you pull the whole thing

i personally like longer manes

i only trim my tb's mane with scissors to trim off the dead ends and that's it.. it's so thin so it's easy to braid.

i don't like short manes at all but i guess it looks "good"  it's looks just like any other pulled mane! so i think that's a good thing for you?

Answer 11

I LOVE IT. I am happy you did it. i did the same thing and my horse has a Mohawk and i hate it. lol. But your horse was gorgeous before and is even more gorgeous now. and i don't think the western riders should answer because i heard that some judges will take points off and in western you don't have to cut it and all the western riders said leave it long but you ,made a good choice because hunter/jumpers are supposed to have short mains.

Answer 12

I wouldn't have cut it but... it will grow out (i think) dont worry

good luck with the hunter-jumping thing!!

Answer 13

You did a great job...by the way, what a pretty horse!!!  Very attractive!!

Answer 14

I like it, but he looks more like a  quarter horse now.  Good job for a first time.  It is hard to go from as long as his was to short all at one time, so I think you did well.

Answer 15

The mane shouldn't ever be cut with scissors, but for doing that, you did an excellent job. It looks ok and it will grow out,I have had to cut my horse's mane twice because he rubbed it out trying to get the grass on the other side of the fence(yes the old proverb is true. The grass IS greener over there...)

but I am more worried about you wearing flip-flops around the horse! you can't hold your heels down properly for one thing, or the flip-flops will fall off(look at your pic...) but for another thing, your toes will be toast if your horse ever steps on your foot! Not a smart thing to do !

Good luck!

Answer 16

I can not believe all of the thumbs downs to the answers here!

That is a very good length for a hunter mane that needs to be braided.  Cutting is very commonly done by the grooms in Europe and if you have a horse with a thin mane it is also preferred over pulling.

I think you did a good job for your first time.  It looks like your horse might have a few cowlicks, which make an even mane look uneven.  As long as it lays flat & even when it is very wet you will be o.k.