When is the best time to pull a horse's mane?

• A. Early morning before exercise
• B. When the horse is thirsty
• C. When the skin pores are warm and open
• D. In cold weather

Answer: (C)

Pulling the mane is easiest and gentlest when the skin is warm and the pores are open. Warmth softens the skin and makes the hairs more pliable, so the mane can be pulled out cleanly with less resistance and less chance of breaking hairs or pinching the skin. You’ll often see good results after a light warm-up, a bit of grooming with a damp or warm area, or after the horse has had a chance to warm up. Doing this in cold conditions or before the horse has warmed up means the skin is cooler and pores are less open, which makes the process tougher and more uncomfortable for the horse. The other options don’t help the hair or skin to be ready for pulling, and being thirsty isn’t relevant to how the hair and skin respond.