Mane (horse)

[1][2]: 247 [3]: 311  It is thicker and coarser than the rest of the horse's coat, and naturally grows to roughly cover the neck.

Heredity plays a role, giving some horses a longer, thicker mane, and others a shorter, thinner one.

When ungroomed, however, the mane usually grows no longer than the width of the horse's neck, as natural wear and tear limit its potential length.

[4][2]: 81 All domesticated horses benefit from having their manes and tails untangled regularly to remove dirt, tangles and debris.

Beyond basic care, the mane is styled in various ways, depending on the breed of horse, part of the world, and the equestrian discipline of the rider.

It gives a much neater appearance than simply trimming it with scissors, which does not thin the mane enough to braid and creates an unnatural line.

To make it more comfortable for the horse, a groom should pull the mane out of the crest in an upwards direction, rather than sideways or down.

In some cases, a horse is very sensitive and may constantly toss its head or try to bite if the groom attempts to pull the mane.

However, the effect only lasts a couple of weeks at most before the cut hairs begin to grow out and stick up straight into the air.

If a mane is roached, it can take 6–8 months for it to stop sticking straight up in the air and lie over onto the neck, and a year or more to return to a natural length.

This is still the standard for show hunters in the United States and eventers, although dressage horses are commonly braided on either side.