However, My Boy's mane has thinned out since I have started this grow-out. I think because it is longer, it tends to get caught or rubbed out more. It has indeed grown, but in the last month I'm not sure it has continued to grow, it appears to have hit it's maximum length, which some horse manes tend to do. It just looks kind of scraggly. Here are some pictures for comparison.
My Boy's shorter, stock-horse mane:
My Boy has an awful cowlick at the top near his bridle path, which tends to flop over when his mane is shorter like this.
My Boy's growing out, natural mane:
When it is not brushed out, it can look at little stringy:
What do you think I should do?
Goodness, don't worry, I have realistic expectations. I know that manes like the following are not realistic or easily manageable:
Speaking of which, I get my own mane cut this weekend, which I am in dire need of! And no, nothing drastic. I've been growing mine out too, and unlike My Boy's, mine has actually grown quite long and doesn't get too straggly, lucky for me! But I am getting some long layers and some fringe bangs though......
I would keep going! Try some M-T-G (or something like that)????
ReplyDeletehttp://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PGGUID=2FD984B6-F5AC-4323-A639-1D059477370FI
have heard that people have had a lot of luck with it and it smells great! I love a long reiner mane! My little reiner wont grow one and has such baby fine hair that I was going to bring some across the border for her. I had a reiner last year with a gorgeous mane in this oatmeal color. I loved it!
Hey, I dont know how far away you are but the Mane Event is next weekend in Chilliwack, BC (40 minutes from Lynden, WA) and they have some HUGE names (Stacy Westfall, George Morris and Ken McNabb for the trainer challenge)...here is a link...
http://www.maneeventexpo.com/event_forms/Chilliwack/MEChilliwack_Schedule.pdf?BAGTLRGGQJS
Good luck with your hair cut. I get really nervous about cutting mine even though it is really long. Are you going to give it an 80's flair? I have been thinking of getting a bit more shag cut into mine.
YOU go girls!
ReplyDeleteComing from a hairdresser here...I am letting my mares mane grow too. Mine as well....though not stylish fromt he dressage point of view that our stable has..oh well. I am loving all the creative ways I may braid and do cool things with it!
GROW ON! You can always cut it later when you want!
M-T-G...buy it...today! Seriously, I've used it on Lyle and it has done wonders. Just remember to keep shaking the bottle when you're using it - all the good stuff sinks really fast to the bottom. And be sure to wear gloves when you apply it - once a week will do it. It's sulfur-based, and My Boy will be smelling like a match for days on end.
ReplyDeleteHe's got an Appy mane. It is just how they are. I like it better grown out some, rather than cut.
ReplyDeleteI like the longer version, myself.
ReplyDeleteMy, those guest horses on your site sure look sultry with their long manes. Maybe you get MyBoy some extensions.
YES! Nothing like a visit to the hairdresser to perk a tired coif up. I just had a haircut, etc., etc., last weekend. I was way overdue and was beginning to feel like a junky jonesing for a hit.
I feel much better now.
That's a pretty long mane for an appy! I personally would leave it au natural. I don't like the look of a pulled mane.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm the odd man out so far! I prefer a neatly trimmed mane. I don't pull our app's mane, too thin, but I do keep it trimmed and even. I keep my TB's and QH's manes neatly trimmed and pulled. They are VERY thick and just look nicer if they are under control.
ReplyDeleteI look at their manes much like our hair...regular trimmings keep it healthy and break free. It's the breakage that makes it look scraggly.
Oh my gosh! That top photo horse looks hideous. That hose has such a huge head that the long hair just doesn't fit.
ReplyDeleteThe nottom horse is gorgeous and would be even more so, if about a foot were trimmed off that mane and forelock.
When I was a little girl I had a Cher doll and right away I cut all her long hair off.
But now I like my paint mare's longer mane and tail. She has a blend of white and black and I like how it looks as it grows out.
I think My Boy looks great with a longer mane, too.
~Lisa
:)
You crack me up with those long mane and tail pictures!!
ReplyDeleteMane pulling, I just got my paint's mane pulled. But I intend on showing him. If I wasn't going to be braiding or banding his mane then I would have just left it long. So, I like a shorter mane while showing and I like a longer mane while just hanging out riding. He does look good with it short. And just a fun fact, horses don't have any nerves in their mane hair. You can pull away and they don't feel a thing! That is why you are supposed to grab mane while mounting. :)
I like your boy's mane longer. Appy's don't have much hair, but he does have a nice tail doesn't he??
Brandy's mane doesn't grow. Well it does, sort of. It stops at a certain point. I wish it would grow really long since she is 1/2 Arab!
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand Fritzy has the long reiner mane. She has a tendency to rub it and do weird things but she still has a long mane. I would never pull her mane. My boyfriend would kill me!!!! I wouldn't pull it anyways. I like the long manes.
I think at this time your boys mane has seemed to hit a stopping point like Brandy's. But I would continue to leave it long just to see how much more it will grow. Plus as everyone else says, you are lucky you have an Appy with a mane! My show horse Appy from my teens barely had one. You should be very lucky sis!
My Tennessee Walker's Mane is just like that. Scraggly and thin. I too just got my hair cut. The cut? Not so bad. The color? Purple. NOT. KIDDING. *sniff*
ReplyDeleteJazu is an Arabian. His mane & tail grow very quickly, but they aren't thick to start with and he rubs on anything and everything. He's always kind of a mess.
ReplyDeletePoco is arguably Appy/Percheron, but I know nothing of him prior to about 3 years ago. He has a thick, long, beautiful tail. His mane sticks out in every direction. He has a LOT of mane hair, but the hairs themselves are very fine and frizzy. It's grown quite a bit in the 2 years I've had him, but it seems to have stopped. It's so thick, it won't lay over to one side; it parts in the middle and just sticks out everywhere. I trim the really frazzled ends, but it doesn't help much. I can't bring myself to roach it and I have no idea how to pull it. It sorta fits his personality anyway. I call him my Wildman Rockstar. As a matter of fact, if I had it to do again, that's what I would have named him, and called him Rocky.
Putting them on Source has helped Jaz a lot, Poco not as noticeably. Jaz's mane and tail are like fine silk.
When wet, I like to use Garnier Fructisse (recommended by Lydia at Paul Taylor's) on Poco, which helps for awhile. I don't like to use it all the time, since it's not really a leave-in product. I'll have to look for the M-T-G product recommended on several comments.
As for my own mane, slightly longer than chin-length is about all I'm willing to fuss with.
I have never cut a mane. I prefer the natural way. Nothing wrong with stringy manes.
ReplyDeleteI am in the minority. Give me a neatly pulled mane any day! But I think I'm one of your few English readers, so I guess that goes with the style. Jack's mane is one big cowlick. No matter how many times I braid it over and try and make it lie flat, half lays on one side of his neck and half on the other. It drives me crazy!
ReplyDeleteMy Boy's mane is pretty amazing for an Appy, though!
Wow! The first thing that came to mind with that first picture of the long-maned horse was "Mortisha" - you know that lady on the Adams Family?? Yeeuck! Not my cup of tea. But the second, fancy white Andalusian or whatever he is - I have to admit is gorgeous!! However, as for me, I like the no frills kind of look - I have Appys, so feel blessed if they have anything other than the Mohawk look. hee hee - but your boy, in my opinion looks ever so dapper with his 'el naturale longish mane. I like the wild and wooly look myself! Except on me - it just doesn't work - my hair is thin and wavy, so now matter how I try, shoulder-length seems to be the best I can hope for, otherwise I could be the poster girl for stringy! *sigh* Oh well, I am thankful just to have hair!! Could always be worse. Where do you find these pictures by the way?? Oh, I finally have a "blog" of my very own - just did it yesterday so haven't had a chance for any pics or customization, but...I'm on my way!!! Yeah - come on over and say "hi". I'd love some visits from everybody!!! Have a wonderful weekend - it's supposed to be nice here in the NW. Oh, forgot - just google cingspots.
ReplyDeleteI'd let it go myself. I don't think it looks terribly thin or straggly.
ReplyDeleteManes and tails are annoying! Seems I either have a horse that grows a great mane and has a lousy tail or a ground dragging tail and a thin, ratty mane. Roan Dog and Turk are the exceptions-both have luxurious long manes and tails. Just my luck, one is a bronc and the other is limited to slow classes where short manes are the norm. Can't win-LOL.
My mane? Ha-I look at pictures of me 10 years ago, with my stylish hair-dos, layers, perms and can't believe it. These days, I'm lucky if I get it trimmed twice year. My excuse is that it is easier with it all one length and long. That's really bull-I am just too lazy to get a style and then have to maintain it any more.
Hey PG, a quick question off topic.
ReplyDeleteI note with your blog and another I follow that I have to go to the archive to find the latest postings...they don't come up automatically as some blogs do, with the most recent post. Instead, I get the first one I ever read....and have much scrolling to do to find the most recent ones. Any ideas? Your end or my end? Not all blogs I read do this, just yours and one other. Oh, and I am for natural manes unless showing. Keeps off the bugs, something more to grasp at a dead run, more natural look.
You crack me up! Each horse is so different about there manes! I have one that is so full and long, one that is scraggly, one that won't grow, etc, etc.
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend like many others here MTG (Mane, Tail Growth) it is a awesome product and use per directions. You could try braiding his mane to help it grow and keep him from pulling it out. Preacher our bay horse's mane will get stringy the longer it gets. I keep it trimmed on the ends and that works for him!!
hmmm
ReplyDeleteWell Abu has always been pulled,and he really likes to have it pulled. He grunts and moans and drops. However I did decide to let it grow over the winter so I could play with a french braids next year. It grows so fast!!I had it pulled to show length(2 in) in August and now its already about 6 inches long!! Now if he only had the tails to match!! Tonka on the other hand hates to have his mane messed with so we have let it grow and he has developed a double mane. I do worry about them being to hot in the summer.
Julie~ I have the archive settings to monthly, so it only shows the post titles from the current month. For example, right now it is showing 6 post titles for October. The other options (weekly or daily) shows too many dates and I think it takes up too much room on the sidebar. I am not sure if that answers your question? Or if anyone knows how I could change it to make it easier, let me know! I also experimented with the "tagging" system my first few posts, then gave that up. I have considered going back and retagging the posts so it is easier to tag topics.
ReplyDeleteI thought My Boy's mane looked nice this summer. I think the shorter cut is too blocky for his neck and shoulder. A lot of appaloosas would kill for a mane like his! (In a manner of speaking, that is)
ReplyDeleteShow us a pic of your new haircut;)
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking if you ride western that it should be longer.
ReplyDeleteLove the long mane. There is nothing more relaxing than brushing my Royal's long mane, standing back and admiring it, then brushing it even more.
ReplyDeleteIt's a beauty shop around here, I guess.
So ... I'm all for that long mane you've got going on "My Boy". Such a handsome boy you have!
I would let it grow---just takes time.
ReplyDeleteI do not see the point of a pulled mane unless you are showing in a class that needs it--
I have a friend who is constantly threatening to sneak into my pasture and pull them all
I would stroke out