What Horse Has the Best Mane? 12 Breeds Known for Flowing Hair

Most horses can grow long manes given time. However, certain horse breeds are famous for their long thick manes. Have you ever wondered what kind of horse breeds has the best mane? This article looks at the most famous horses for their beautiful manes.

Horse breeds with the best manes are Friesians, Andalusians, Lusitano, Gypsy Vanner, Shire, Icelandic, Clydesdale, Haflinger, Black Forest Horses, Fell Ponies, Arabians, and Paso Finos. Many horse breeds can grow long manes, but these select breeds are renowned for their luxurious flowing mane.

A long flowing mane is one of a horse’s most attractive attributes. Some horse breeds naturally grow long flowing manes and tails. Let’s find out all about them and which ones have the best mane!

Horse Breeds with the Best Manes

Some horse breeds are famous for their long, thick, wavy, and luxurious manes. Genetic influence has a lot to do with regulating the thickness and strength, helping it grow longer.  The breeds that have the best manes are listed here.

Friesians

Originally from the Netherlands, Friesians were bred heavy to carry a fully armored medieval knight into battle. Friesians became warhorses during the Crusades and were often used to fight German tribes.

Friesians are one of Europe’s oldest horse breeds over 1,000 years. Some say they may even have been in existence since 1000 B.C. The Roman historian Tacitus described them as versatile and powerful.

Friesians are famous for their long wavy thick manes and tails. They also have feathers on their feet. The natural feathering on a Friesian’s feet is light and can be left untrimmed. 

Friesian horses are tall and muscular and almost always black. They can range from deep black to almost bay black. Friesians perform well and are eager to please. Their gentle personality makes them a favorite for most horse riders.

Friesians have a proud head carriage and magnificent body postures with high stepping action. They are built for maneuverability instead of speed; these characteristics were needed for war horses.

The thick flowing manes and tails and exorbitant feathers of Friesians set them apart from other horse breeds and earned them the place as number one horse breeds with the best mane.

Spanish Andalusian Horses

Andalusian Spanish breeds with their long wavy luxurious manes look like they are directly out of a fairy tale.  Spanish Andalusians have a rich history, dating as far back as the 15th-century.

The breed has been meticulously preserved for hundreds of years. Most breeders still adhere to the historic mane and tail standards to keep this fabulous breed the same.

Andalusians require a lot of grooming and maintenance for those lush, voluminous manes and tails. Keeping the mane of an Andalusian clean and well maintained requires a consistent and thorough grooming program.

Portuguese Lusitano Horses

The Lusitano breed has silky, thick manes and long, free-flowing tails that can grow exceptionally long. Lusitanos can have any solid color coat, and their wavy and thick manes are often intricately braided at shows. The Lusitano’s abundant, long, wavy hair is noted as one of the best attributes by most breeders.

Lusitanos are famous for their gentle and endearing personality. They are kind, enthusiastic, noble, and generous. They work well at any level because they can concentrate and focus well.

Lusitanos are powerful horses, intelligent and willing with high-stepping gaits and smooth to ride. 

Gypsy Vanner Horses

Gypsy Vanner’s was initially bred by the Romani travelers of Ireland and Britain. The Romani Gypsies chose their horses from those most capable of pulling their wagons as they traveled across the countryside. 

The Romani liked their cobs to be distinctive and eye-catching, just like their beautifully decorated wagons. Gypsy Vanner’s is often black and white and is frequently sought after.

Gypsy Vanner horses have long, flowing, thick hair with heavy feathering around their feet.

This influence is from the influx of draft horses breeding into their pedigrees. However, Gypsy Vanner’s is typically smaller than draft horses.

Gypsy Vanner’s is easily recognized by their flashy manes, colorful coats, and graceful gaits. The Gypsy Vanner is a beautiful breed that excels in many disciplines. Their elegant, good looks and gentle demeanor make them a favorite of most riders.

Gypsy Vanner’s must be shown with a flowing full mane and tail at shows. Some Gypsy Vanner horses exhibit extraordinary hair growth that can take hours to wash, dry, and comb.

Shire Horses

Shire horses were originally bred for transporting goods, pulling barges, and doing heavy agricultural work.

Like most draft horses, Shire horses have thick manes and heavy feathering on the feet to protect them from the elements.

Shire horses have impressive manes and tails to match their impressive height and beauty. Some draft horses have short, bobbed tails and braided manes to keep them out of the way from equipment used for pulling wagons. Shire horses can grow exceptionally long manes and tails if not trimmed.

The Shire is a British horse breed that has a distinctive presence. They stand over 18 hands high and are usually grey, bay or black in color.

The tallest Shire horse called Sampson stood at 21.25 hands high. The Shire breed was influenced by Flemish horses that added the long furry hair around their hooves.

Shire horses often towed drays to deliver beer to taverns and inns in history. Shire horses were seen making deliveries throughout England or working along river canals, towing boats upstream. Because of their gentle personalities and big size, they make excellent cart horses.  

Icelandic Horses

Icelandic horses are powerful, muscular, and hardy, with thick flowing manes and long tails that float behind them as they perform their characteristic tölt. The Icelandic breed’s full luxurious mane and tail are one of their best features.

Selective breeding through hundreds of years resulted in full and thick manes and tails. Icelandic horses also feature a seasonal thick double coat to keep them warm during the harsh Icelandic winters. Average winter temperatures in Iceland can sometimes drop below –22. Icelandic horses need their thick coats and impressively thick manes and tails to stay warm.

Clydesdale

Most people will recognize the Clydesdale horses pulling the Budweiser wagon and the beer advertising campaign that enchants viewers across the globe. Clydesdales have spectacularly beautiful long manes and feathered feet that are distinctive to this breed.

Clydesdales initially originated near the Scottish River Clyde during the 1800s. Clydesdale horses were crossed with Shire horses to improve the horses’ overall height and enhance their thick manes.

It is thought that Flemish stallions were the primary influence on Clydesdale’s feathered feet when Flemish stallions were taken to the U.K to help overcome The Fens during the 16th Century.

Clydesdales were tasked to plow and till millions of acres of land into good agricultural farmland those days. Clydesdales were the most important workhorse used in newly founded British colonies like New Zealand and Australia. These horses are well known for their beauty and grace.

Haflinger

The Haflinger breed is also known as the Avelignese, initially developed in Austria and the north of Italy.

Haflinger horses have a wealth of luscious mane and tail and a well-defined head. The typical Haflinger horse is muscular, short, and strong. The Haflinger breed has a thick mane to keep them warm during the cold winters of the Austrian Alps.

Haflinger horses are hardworking and always a shade of chestnut, with distinctive golden-colored thick flowing manes and tails.

The Haflingers coat colors can range from flaxen gold to darker chestnut. Some Haflingers have white points on their lower legs and heads. Beautiful Haflingers are famous for their gentle, pleasing personalities and make great horses for children.

Black Forest Horses

Black Forest horses date back over 600 years. The endangered German Black Forest horse has beautiful long flowing flaxen manes and tails.

The Black Forest horse is always chestnut with flowing thick manes and tails. Black Forest horse’s ancestors were powerful and worked in highland farm areas in Germany. Black Forest horses can withstand cold, freezing winters with their long manes.

Black Forest horses were instrumental in farmers’ ability to farm. They have elegant long strides that are ideal for riding and driving. 

This breed is famous for its dense, flowing, thick mane covering both sides of its necks. The long, flowing mane and elegant gait of the Black Forest Horse are unique. The coat color can be different shades, with some almost black, and the distinctive mane gives these horses their beautiful appearance.

This draft horse is well-muscled with a short, powerful neck and medium-weight at 1,400 pounds. Even though the Black Forst horse has the best mane and tail, their feet are without feathering.

Black Forest horses are loved because of their great temperaments and are often seen pulling a carriage or working farmland. The Black Forest breed is rare and protected today.

Fell Ponies

The Fell pony breed is native to the U.K, and today herds of registered fell ponies still live on the Cumbrian lands. They have long manes and tails that can grow exceptionally long. Fell ponies have fine feathered feet, and their manes and tails are left to grow long. 

Fell Ponies must be shown with long flowing untrimmed manes. This horse breed is like Friesians with stocky, powerful bodies, feathered feet, long flowing manes, and black coats.

Fell ponies are versatile and are ideal for light agriculture work, driving, and riding. Their genetics dates to Roman times when soldiers patrolled Hadrian’s Wall on horseback with Fell Ponies.

They are known for their hardiness, intelligence, and willingness to work regardless of the weather. Fell ponies are great for children and a popular show horse for adults. They hardly stand higher than 14hands high.

Arabian Horses

Arabians are one of the oldest and most elegant breeds with beautiful silky manes and tails well known for this breed.

Arabians have a characteristic highly arched neck and high-set tail greatly accented by gorgeous silky hair.

The spirited Arabian always proudly carries its tail like a banner, and its flowing mane floating behind him as he gallops in the desert wind.

Most Arabian owners choose to leave the main and tails long. It also offers protection from summer flies.  The horse’s ancestry predicts if its mane and tail are wavy or straight. Long manes and tails require a lot of maintenance, and many hours are spent to groom them to perfection during the day.

Show Arabians in-hand classes are famous for their long flowing manes and tails to accentuate their royal bloodlines.

Paso Finos

The Paso Fino breed is an elegant, gaited horse from Latin America known for its luxurious long flowing mane and tail inherited from its Spanish ancestors.

As its Lusitano and Andalusian cousins, the Paso Fino is famous for its luxurious thick mane and tail, highlighting its unique gaits.

The Paso Fino is known for its unique gaits, unlike standard gaits found in other horses. They can perform gaits like the Paso Corto, Paso largo, and the Paso Fino. When performing these gaits, their characteristic long flowing manes make it even more spectacular.

The long, luxurious hair of the Paso Fino in the show ring is left flowing rather than clipped or braided.

How to Grow Long Thick Manes and Tails

A healthy mane starts with the basics: adequate forage, a balanced ration, and good skin care. Supplements should not be added automatically; if the coat or mane changes suddenly, becomes thin, or breaks unusually easily, ask an equine veterinarian to investigate nutrition, parasites, skin disease, rubbing, or other causes. Always start with the basics to grow a horse’s mane and tail. Feed the best nutrients. There are many discussions on what supplements and vitamins work best for healthy manes. Always feed the best quality hay. Ensure your horse gets plenty of omega fatty acids and B vitamin biotin daily to help grow a healthy mane.

The environment is important. Stabling a horse in a stable where rough boards and sharp edges will cause hair breakage. Horses also like to rub their rear-ends on boards and trees that also cause damage.

Keep the mane and tail clean and detangled. Keeping a horse’s mane and tail clean and detangled is also promoting growth. It requires lots of maintenance and care. Groom and brush the mane and tail every day. Buy a commercial detangle spray and spray the mane and tail to keep it knot free and clean.

Vaccines and de-worming are vital. Disease and parasitic infections prevent healthy hair growth. Keep up to date with your horse’s vaccines and worming program to keep them healthy. When horses get sick, their skin and hair are negatively impacted, and the hair growth is stunted.

Conclusion

Certain horse breeds are famous for their thick, wavy, luxurious long mane and tail. The horses with the best manes are Friesian, Gypsy Vanner, Andalusian, Clydesdale, Shire, and Black Forest horses. These breeds have naturally long thick manes.

Their good genetics regulates hair strength and thickness and promote healthy hair growth. Most horses can grow long manes and tails, but the breeds listed in this article are particularly famous for their long flowing mane and beautiful tails.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which horse breeds are known for having long manes?

Friesians, Andalusians, Lusitanos, Gypsy Vanners, Shires, Clydesdales, Icelandic Horses, Haflingers, Black Forest Horses, Fell Ponies, Arabians, and Paso Finos are commonly associated with full or flowing manes. Individual horses vary, and grooming and management affect how much mane is retained.

Do all horses of these breeds grow a thick mane?

No. Breed tendencies do not guarantee a particular mane. Genetics, age, season, health, nutrition, rubbing, and grooming practices all influence hair length and thickness.

What helps a horse keep its mane healthy?

Provide a balanced, forage-based diet, address rubbing and sharp surfaces, and detangle gently from the ends upward. Avoid pulling or aggressive brushing, which can break hairs. A sudden change in hair growth or skin condition warrants veterinary advice.

Should I give biotin or another supplement for mane growth?

Not automatically. A supplement is appropriate only when it fits the horse’s ration and a veterinarian or equine nutrition professional identifies a likely need. More is not always better, and supplements do not override genetics or mechanical breakage.

Sources

• AAEP horse-health resources
• Friesian Horse Association

• https://www.helpfulhorsehints.com/horse-breeds-with-long-manes-tails/
• https://www.deephollowranch.com/horse-mane/
• https://horseracingsense.com/horse-breeds-long-hair-long-manes-and-tails/
• https://horseyhooves.com/long-hair-horse-breeds/
• https://petkeen.com/friesian-horse/
• https://blackforesthorses.ca/history/

Related Guides

If you found this helpful, these related articles cover more ground:

• 20 Most Popular Horse Breeds (2026 Guide)
• Perfectionism in Horse Training: When Standards Become Barriers
• The Microbiome of the Horse Gut: What’s Living Inside Your Horse?
• Horse Vision Explained: Seeing the World Through Equine Eyes
• Understanding Bit Pressure: What Your Horse Really Feels