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I'm a children's author. Animals are a constant source of writing material for me. They are also my heart!

I Pulled His Mane...Yes I Did!

>> Wednesday, May 13, 2009

I was tempted...oh how I was tempted. Tango's mane was really long. The scissors were in my tack box and I could see them out of the corner of my eye. "Who's going to really know if I cut off three inches of his mane then pull the rest?" I thought to myself.

Then I remembered what happened last year. Tango's tail had gotten so long that he was stepping on it so I decided it needed a quick snip...just for safety of course. Well, one snip led to another and then another and another. By the time I got things evened up, even poor Tango was embarrassed. His lopsided tail was an eyesore for several months.

So, I did what all knowledgeable horse owners do...I pulled Tango's mane (gently of course) for
over two hours. Tango was patient until we got down to the last fifteen minutes. Then I popped peppermints into his mouth every other pull or so. By the time I was done, I actually think Tango could have gone for more...PEPPERMINTS!

The moral of this story is this: NEVER LET YOUR HORSE'S MANE GROW LIKE CRAZY ALL WINTER LONG. Spend a little time grooming while the ground is blanketed in snow and you'll save a lot of precious time when the tulips poke through the ground in the spring. Your wrist won't hurt so much either!

I know some of you animal folks out there (who don't have horses) will want to know why and how manes are pulled. Since it's really late, I hope your answer can be found in the comments to this post. If not, I'll get back to you later!

By the way, Tango is looking more spiffy every day. He WILL BE SPIT SHINED by Friday. Layers of dirt have been temporarily displaced by early baths. Why? So Tango can go outside, roll in the mud, and revel in the joy of the soft wet earth every morning. That's what horses do...at least my horse!

8 comments:

Miss Janet May 14, 2009 at 12:32 AM  

Hi Jan! I just became a follower of your animal blog!

The story about your horses tail is so cute! A bunch of people in our church have horses including my cousin. They have regular size, minis, and a donkey. I, on the other hand, don't know a thing about them!

Hey, I have a second blog now, too! Check it out: www.homeward4.blogspot.com

Love,
Janet

Sandy May 14, 2009 at 10:40 AM  

Hope your wrists are better today and Tango didn't OD on peppermints. I never would have thought a horse would eat peppermints. Is that common? Glad you were able to do the heated barn bath instead of multiple cold ones.

Go now, right on your 2010 Calendar in red ink on Oct 15, Nov 30, Jan 20, Feb 25th...Pull Mane! That way this time next year you can pat yourself on the back about how smart you are. lol

Not a very nice day out today, hope you have good weather for the show. Drive careful.

Good Luck
Sandy

Ern May 15, 2009 at 11:15 AM  

Sounds like a lot of work, hope all works out well.

Ern

Your Best Friend May 15, 2009 at 2:01 PM  

Great blog! Your horse Tango is a handsome boy!

Sandra May 15, 2009 at 5:48 PM  

We don't pull manes, it's considered very bad to mess with their hair! Of course I have many tangled and matted manes waiting for my attention.

I look forward to photos of the spruced up horse.

Sandy May 16, 2009 at 2:44 PM  

Hey all just popped in long enough to tell ya Tango and Jan got a 2nd and 4th place today. She said she had great rides. Don't know if she'll have time to pop in; but hopefully some of you will see my note. She's gonna take a nap, then head back to the show to get some things done in order to prepare for tomorrows competition.

Congrats Jan!
Hugs
Sandy

Anonymous May 16, 2009 at 6:50 PM  

Congrats, Jan ! Thanks, Sandy for the show update.
I admit it (blushing): my horse's mane is about a foot long now. There always seems to be something "more important" to do (read: I hate pulling manes) ... LOL

For non-horsey folks: pulling manes is desirable in dressage circles because the mane edge will have a "soft" look, as opposed to the hard and severe-looking edge that scissors will give you.

Regards,
Sian Min

Karen May 18, 2009 at 9:05 AM  

Hi, Jan,

I really like your new animal blog. I loved reading about your horse. I used to have horses when I was growing up...and I loved brushing and grooming them!

Great blog!

Karen

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