How important it the mane for a show horse?

[windmillgsd]

This may seem like a silly question.....but as I am new to showing horses, I am just wondering how important is the mane in showing? My 11 month old colt has a very short mane--right now it is so short it just spikes up. He will be going to a trainer next month to get ready to show next spring, and I am wondering if his short mane will hurt him in shows? I know it will take a while to grow and it seems that the horses that are winning have long beautiful draping manes!

 

[windmillgsd]

Oops sorry about the typo in my topic! Seems that I can't type today!

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

IMO, if he has a great neck and is groomed well, the judge will not likely consider it a major thing that his mane has not grown in yet. The only way I think it would really make a difference in his placing in the ring is if he and another horse were equal in other ways and then the longer mane could be a tie breaker.

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

Try wetting it down and using hair gel and hair spray. If you can get a hood/neck wrap it can help keep it down. I think a judge should understand a yearling not having a perfectly flat smooth mane.

 

[windmillgsd]

Thanks for your replies! LOL I guess we shall see how it goes!

 

[disneyhorse]

Your trainer will be able to tame it down and it likely will grow some by show season so don't stress about it.

 

[windmillgsd]

Thank you disneyhorse! I just like to over-think things, I guess! ;-)

 

[HGFarm]

I agree, dont worry and he is young- he is not going to have the long full mane of an adult horse yet.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I had an appy with a skimpy spike hairdo mane. At a show, I used a straightening iron to bend it over and look more presentable. I tried most of the things to make it lay down, and that was the only thing that worked.

Hopefully your guy will grow a nice mane.

Very frustrating when they are skimpy--or have cowlicks, making part of the mane fall on the right side and the other fall on the left.

My horse is like that. I keep the right side piece braided to encourage it to hang where it is supposed to when I know we are going to appear in public.