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Barb McCrary said:

> Roaching the mane would certainly eliminate the
> rein-tangling problem, but without a thick mane,
> what would a rider hang onto in a panic situation?  :-))
What I do with my horses' manes is to roach them and then let it grow
out standing straight up, which it will do for a couple of inches.

It gives you plenty to grab a hold of, keeps the mane off the horse's
neck and out of the reins, allows you to shape the horse's neck in
pretty much any way that you want depending on how you cut it, and it is
easy, easy, easy.  You just trim the extra 1/4 that it grows every few
weeks.

Besides which, I like the way it looks.

I can only get it to stand up properly if I shave it down to pretty much
nothing first, so if you want to have something to grab a hold of while
it is growing out, you can leave a "handle" in front of the withers
while this is happening.

After it has grown out to the desired length where it is standing up
nicely, it actually makes a better handle for holding on to in panic
situations (or for mounting) because it is standing straight up and also
because your fingers don't get tangled in it (and risk being sprained
when they get yanked the wrong way).

I don't do this to the mane of my Anglo Arab stallion who I show in
Native Costume classes, but all the rest have the Trojan pony look.
Much to the chagrin of the Duck who once commented on how inappropirate
he thought it for a Thoroughbred.

kat
Orange County, Calif.



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