Braiding?

baylady · 08-18-2005, 10:14 AM

Ok either my braids come out too fat or I pull the mane to short my fingers dont fit to braid it. So my questions is how long should I pull my horse's mane so that my braid come out the right size? English braids that is!

Fawn Lane Farm · 08-18-2005, 10:20 AM

I always figured about 4 inches or so (about the length of a pulling comb) for nice flat braids for hunters. If you want them to stick up a bit, such as for dressage and eventing, I'd go more like 5 inches. Also depends on if you are using rubber bands or yarn and carpet thread. With thread and yearn you can do smaller braids (atleast I can)

. Of course braiding is REALLY and art, the professionals can get everything looking so awsomne in minutes, of course at 35 dollars a mane they better be able to!

baylady · 08-18-2005, 10:23 AM

Yea my braider charges $40 for manes and $30 for tails. I am not about to attempt a tail. I just wanted to work on my mane braids for now. Thanks.

EquineAlberta · 08-18-2005, 11:04 AM

If the horse has a thin neck, I will trim the mane so it is just a little longer than my hand is wide. If the horse has a thicker neck and I want longer braids, then I leave it longer.

When I trim I make sure the mane is wet as it helps it lie flat to keep it even. As well, you may have to pull more in some parts, and trim with scissors in others to keep the thickness even.

I know some people that will put bands in the mane to divide it before braiding, so that might be a good idea when you first start so that you are comfortable with the thickness before you start braiding.

I find a horse with a really wide crest will do best with a slightly longer mane too, so that the braids have enough length to lie flat.

When braiding down, it is ok if you don't braid all the way to the ends of the hairs, as the loose hairs at the end will be pulled up, and the braid can be tied to hide them along the crest (within reason).

Grooming to Win is a great book to help with braiding!

Karen2

tiggypoodle · 08-18-2005, 02:12 PM

I used to groom on the "A" circuit, when I was a teenager. (That includes braiding!) I've always been told to pull the mane to the width of a hand. Of course, around here it's completely out of style to braid, so everyone (me included!!) cuts the mane rather than pulling it. I personally don't pull because the mane tends to get stretched out and frizzy, which I hate..... I like the look of a sleek, sharp-edged line on the horse's neck. But then again this area is heavily influenced by the AQHA type of show, and there are no upper level jumping shows...... if there were, the trend may be different

Lily

baylady · 08-19-2005, 07:36 PM

Does anyone know of a good website that could help me?

tiggypoodle · 08-19-2005, 09:56 PM

I don't know about websites but I can highly recommend a good book-- "Grooming to Win" by (I believe) Susan Harris. It has great diagrams and descriptions of different styles of braiding (and other stuff) for different disciplines. It's one of my favourite books, I love it!

Lily

jmprider · 08-19-2005, 10:05 PM

I'm pretty sure there is a video out there, too. One of the moms at our barn had one, so she could learn to braid her son's pony. (Yeah, my mom would've told me where to stick it when I was a kid.) For the life of me, I cannot recall the name of it. You could check on doversaddlery.com or statelinetack.com I would be willing to bet that one of them would have it.
I'll ask at the barn tomorrow.

babycakes · 08-19-2005, 11:50 PM

Just out of curiosity do any of you kno anything about braiding Fresian manes? I was told not to cut his manew, not even a bridle path. Someone I used to know braided and told me that they kind of french braid the mane under and just let the long braid hang at the end near their withers. I can't seem to figure it out though.

Fawn Lane Farm · 08-20-2005, 07:26 AM

I'd try a running braid for breeds where you want to have the option of a full mane and no pulling. It is basically a french braid and it is way easier to show how to do then explain over the internet.. Basically you you start with 3 sections of hair, start a normal braid then continue to add manefrom one side or the other. Maybe I'll do my mares mane and post pictures if I get a chance before the wedding

It looks really neat in a running braid!

babycakes · 08-20-2005, 10:12 AM

So a running braid is pretty much a really tight french braid? I know the better presentation you have the better opinion the judge makes of your apperance but you don't think that I would be penalized if my braid wasn't perfect do you?

tiggypoodle · 08-20-2005, 05:46 PM

A running braid is basically a french braid done close to the crest. Another option (which I actually did once on an Arab gelding I showed at a schooling show) is a "diamond" braid... let's see if I can explain..... you take two small sections of mane, and band them together. Continue doing this all the way down the neck. Then you take half of each of the pieces hanging below the band, and band THEM together. And you keep going down the mane..... you end up with the mane in all these little diamond shapes. And the fun part is you can use coloured rubber bands-- you can go subtle or crazy, depending on the level of show you are going to. With the grey (white, really) Arab gelding I used black bands, for a black Friesian you can use white bands, or now they sell silver and gold... how pretty would that be!

My only issue with this is that the mane stays in one big like "sheet" when you are riding-- so as you canter, the mane goes "whack whack whack" against the horse's neck. You have to keep your rein over the mane to hold it down, lol.

Best of luck at any rate...... wish I had a picture to show what I was talking about........

Lily

capejumper · 12-23-2005, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiggypoodle

A running braid is basically a french braid done close to the crest. Another option (which I actually did once on an Arab gelding I showed at a schooling show) is a "diamond" braid... let's see if I can explain..... you take two small sections of mane, and band them together. Continue doing this all the way down the neck. Then you take half of each of the pieces hanging below the band, and band THEM together. And you keep going down the mane..... you end up with the mane in all these little diamond shapes. And the fun part is you can use coloured rubber bands-- you can go subtle or crazy, depending on the level of show you are going to. With the grey (white, really) Arab gelding I used black bands, for a black Friesian you can use white bands, or now they sell silver and gold... how pretty would that be!

My only issue with this is that the mane stays in one big like "sheet" when you are riding-- so as you canter, the mane goes "whack whack whack" against the horse's neck. You have to keep your rein over the mane to hold it down, lol.

Best of luck at any rate...... wish I had a picture to show what I was talking about........

Lily

The web braid is called the continental, and is the simplest and easiest way to spruce up a mane i've found. I've seen people braid between the bands too, it looks really nice, but yes, that sheet appearance can be a little offset. Personally, with a pony with a cresty neck, if i were to do a continental, it would stick up because while braiding herneck would not be curved like itis in the ring.

NChase · 12-23-2005, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babycakes

Just out of curiosity do any of you kno anything about braiding Fresian manes? I was told not to cut his manew, not even a bridle path. Someone I used to know braided and told me that they kind of french braid the mane under and just let the long braid hang at the end near their withers. I can't seem to figure it out though.

I don't know if it will help you at all, but on this web page http://www.thunderhorsestables.com/romeo.htm, toward the bottom, are several pictures that show a Friesian with his mane in that kind of braid.

--Nancy

appygurl · 12-24-2005, 09:07 PM

Im not that good at braiding manes. My manes come out sloppy and always have hair in the wrong places

, usually when I go to small shows I just leave there hair down but its all on the same side and neat then

ToveroMom · 12-24-2005, 09:19 PM

I will never ever complain about having to band my stock horse manes after helping a gal braid her hunter ONE TIME
I have to take my hat off to you guys that can do it

ThorArb · 12-25-2005, 08:26 PM

I couldnt agree more with ToveroMom. Makes banding seem like light work compared to that!

Brittany

WYJumper · 12-26-2005, 01:29 AM

Ick, don't remind me- braiding is really hard. I need to get some more practice in. I can do it, but it takes me a long time. Though most of the time it ends up looking just fine for our little shows.

Hmmm, Practical Horseman just had a piece about french braids in their magazine.

Lucky ducks, we have no pro braiders out here, it is every man for himself. My paint has a really thick white mane makes for a lot of fun. But I don't braid his tail so at least I don't have one more thing to worry about.

mandelyn82 · 12-26-2005, 06:38 AM

Ok, being a hairstylist and having instructed many people on people hair and horse hair.. here's the easiest way for the running braid and solutions to stop the braid from popping up with a bent neck.

Leave a 1 1/2 inche section at the top of the mane, directly behind the bridle path, or where the bridle path would start. Then band the rest of the mane, in 1in sections, 1in down from the root.

Start at the top, just behind the brile path, or where the bridle path would be. Section out 3, 1/2 inch sections. Start the braid, as you normally would, cross the left side to the middle, then the right side to the middle.

Next, grab the first 1in banded section, add to the left side, and bring both to the middle. Cross the right side to the middle, then the left side to the middle again adding another 1in banded section.

As you work down the mane in this manner, gradually drop the braid farther down each time, following the shape of the neck.

At the start of the braid, it should be at the root, next section an inch down from the root, the next section 2 inches down from the root, and so on. The end of the braid should stop about mid shoulder on the horse. You can band it there, or do this with the shorter hair at the shoulder.

At the top of the shoulder, start another running braid angling down to meet the first braid. Using 1/2 inch sections instead of 1 inch sections, giving more hair sections to make it easier to "meet" the other braid, as this area of the mane is normally thinner. The angle will have to be steeper to reach the end of the first braid. What I do when the braids meet, is braid the ends together, and double it up on the underside and band it, making a clean tuck, or band the loose ends and set it on perm rods over night, making it neat curls.

If you start the braid at the root, and keep it there the whole way down, the horse doesn't have freedom of movement which he can pull against and undo the braid. That's why you need to drop the braid down each section. Banding each section prior to braiding keeps the sections neater and stops the solid look with a braid at the bottom. Where the mane gets longer in the middle of the neck you can band sections every inch or so down the section.

I tried to draw it out in paint, but my mouse sucks. I wish I had a horse to do it on.....

It works best on long natural manes, it's diffcult on anything shorter than 10 inches.

QH Gal · 01-16-2006, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiggypoodle

A running braid is basically a french braid done close to the crest. Another option (which I actually did once on an Arab gelding I showed at a schooling show) is a "diamond" braid... let's see if I can explain..... you take two small sections of mane, and band them together. Continue doing this all the way down the neck. Then you take half of each of the pieces hanging below the band, and band THEM together. And you keep going down the mane..... you end up with the mane in all these little diamond shapes. And the fun part is you can use coloured rubber bands-- you can go subtle or crazy, depending on the level of show you are going to. With the grey (white, really) Arab gelding I used black bands, for a black Friesian you can use white bands, or now they sell silver and gold... how pretty would that be!

My only issue with this is that the mane stays in one big like "sheet" when you are riding-- so as you canter, the mane goes "whack whack whack" against the horse's neck. You have to keep your rein over the mane to hold it down, lol.

Best of luck at any rate...... wish I had a picture to show what I was talking about........

Lily

I found a picture of what your talking about ... it looks cool!
http://www.susan.rabbe.com/archives/...varm_lille.jpg

And here's a better pic...
http://blueridgehaflingerclub.com/ph.../nicolecl2.jpg[/url]

08-18-2005, 10:14 AM
baylady Yearling Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: PA Posts: 771	Braiding? Ok either my braids come out too fat or I pull the mane to short my fingers dont fit to braid it. So my questions is how long should I pull my horse's mane so that my braid come out the right size? English braids that is! __________________ \"Experienced riders are not prone to brag. And usually newcomers, if they start out being boastful, end up modest.\"

08-18-2005, 10:20 AM
Fawn Lane Farm Yearling Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 761	I always figured about 4 inches or so (about the length of a pulling comb) for nice flat braids for hunters. If you want them to stick up a bit, such as for dressage and eventing, I'd go more like 5 inches. Also depends on if you are using rubber bands or yarn and carpet thread. With thread and yearn you can do smaller braids (atleast I can) . Of course braiding is REALLY and art, the professionals can get everything looking so awsomne in minutes, of course at 35 dollars a mane they better be able to!

08-18-2005, 10:23 AM
baylady Yearling Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: PA Posts: 771	Yea my braider charges $40 for manes and $30 for tails. I am not about to attempt a tail. I just wanted to work on my mane braids for now. Thanks. __________________ \"Experienced riders are not prone to brag. And usually newcomers, if they start out being boastful, end up modest.\"

08-18-2005, 11:04 AM
EquineAlberta Seasoned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 4,688	If the horse has a thin neck, I will trim the mane so it is just a little longer than my hand is wide. If the horse has a thicker neck and I want longer braids, then I leave it longer. When I trim I make sure the mane is wet as it helps it lie flat to keep it even. As well, you may have to pull more in some parts, and trim with scissors in others to keep the thickness even. I know some people that will put bands in the mane to divide it before braiding, so that might be a good idea when you first start so that you are comfortable with the thickness before you start braiding. I find a horse with a really wide crest will do best with a slightly longer mane too, so that the braids have enough length to lie flat. When braiding down, it is ok if you don't braid all the way to the ends of the hairs, as the loose hairs at the end will be pulled up, and the braid can be tied to hide them along the crest (within reason). Grooming to Win is a great book to help with braiding! Karen2

08-18-2005, 02:12 PM
tiggypoodle Coming two Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Home Sweet Home, Badger Canyon, WA Posts: 1,691	I used to groom on the "A" circuit, when I was a teenager. (That includes braiding!) I've always been told to pull the mane to the width of a hand. Of course, around here it's completely out of style to braid, so everyone (me included!!) cuts the mane rather than pulling it. I personally don't pull because the mane tends to get stretched out and frizzy, which I hate..... I like the look of a sleek, sharp-edged line on the horse's neck. But then again this area is heavily influenced by the AQHA type of show, and there are no upper level jumping shows...... if there were, the trend may be different Lily

08-19-2005, 07:36 PM
baylady Yearling Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: PA Posts: 771	Does anyone know of a good website that could help me? __________________ \"Experienced riders are not prone to brag. And usually newcomers, if they start out being boastful, end up modest.\"

08-19-2005, 09:56 PM
tiggypoodle Coming two Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Home Sweet Home, Badger Canyon, WA Posts: 1,691	I don't know about websites but I can highly recommend a good book-- "Grooming to Win" by (I believe) Susan Harris. It has great diagrams and descriptions of different styles of braiding (and other stuff) for different disciplines. It's one of my favourite books, I love it! Lily

08-19-2005, 10:05 PM
jmprider Weanling Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 379	I'm pretty sure there is a video out there, too. One of the moms at our barn had one, so she could learn to braid her son's pony. (Yeah, my mom would've told me where to stick it when I was a kid.) For the life of me, I cannot recall the name of it. You could check on doversaddlery.com or statelinetack.com I would be willing to bet that one of them would have it. I'll ask at the barn tomorrow. __________________ "If riding were all blue ribbons and bright lights, I would have quit long ago."- George Morris

08-19-2005, 11:50 PM
babycakes Coming two Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,586	Just out of curiosity do any of you kno anything about braiding Fresian manes? I was told not to cut his manew, not even a bridle path. Someone I used to know braided and told me that they kind of french braid the mane under and just let the long braid hang at the end near their withers. I can't seem to figure it out though. __________________ Jena <3

08-20-2005, 07:26 AM
Fawn Lane Farm Yearling Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 761	I'd try a running braid for breeds where you want to have the option of a full mane and no pulling. It is basically a french braid and it is way easier to show how to do then explain over the internet.. Basically you you start with 3 sections of hair, start a normal braid then continue to add manefrom one side or the other. Maybe I'll do my mares mane and post pictures if I get a chance before the wedding It looks really neat in a running braid!

08-20-2005, 10:12 AM
babycakes Coming two Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,586	So a running braid is pretty much a really tight french braid? I know the better presentation you have the better opinion the judge makes of your apperance but you don't think that I would be penalized if my braid wasn't perfect do you? __________________ Jena <3

08-20-2005, 05:46 PM
tiggypoodle Coming two Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Home Sweet Home, Badger Canyon, WA Posts: 1,691	A running braid is basically a french braid done close to the crest. Another option (which I actually did once on an Arab gelding I showed at a schooling show) is a "diamond" braid... let's see if I can explain..... you take two small sections of mane, and band them together. Continue doing this all the way down the neck. Then you take half of each of the pieces hanging below the band, and band THEM together. And you keep going down the mane..... you end up with the mane in all these little diamond shapes. And the fun part is you can use coloured rubber bands-- you can go subtle or crazy, depending on the level of show you are going to. With the grey (white, really) Arab gelding I used black bands, for a black Friesian you can use white bands, or now they sell silver and gold... how pretty would that be! My only issue with this is that the mane stays in one big like "sheet" when you are riding-- so as you canter, the mane goes "whack whack whack" against the horse's neck. You have to keep your rein over the mane to hold it down, lol. Best of luck at any rate...... wish I had a picture to show what I was talking about........ Lily

12-24-2005, 09:07 PM
appygurl Coming two Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,821	Im not that good at braiding manes. My manes come out sloppy and always have hair in the wrong places , usually when I go to small shows I just leave there hair down but its all on the same side and neat then __________________ Appaloosa--brains, looks, and temperment all in one

12-24-2005, 09:19 PM
ToveroMom Pasture Pet Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cleveland TX Posts: 15,766	I will never ever complain about having to band my stock horse manes after helping a gal braid her hunter ONE TIME I have to take my hat off to you guys that can do it __________________ In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary. Aaron Rose

12-25-2005, 08:26 PM
ThorArb Kid Safe Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Conyers, GA Posts: 5,787	I couldnt agree more with ToveroMom. Makes banding seem like light work compared to that! Brittany

12-26-2005, 01:29 AM
WYJumper Product Reviews & Conf. Clinic Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Least Populated State Posts: 1,342	Ick, don't remind me- braiding is really hard. I need to get some more practice in. I can do it, but it takes me a long time. Though most of the time it ends up looking just fine for our little shows. Hmmm, Practical Horseman just had a piece about french braids in their magazine. Lucky ducks, we have no pro braiders out here, it is every man for himself. My paint has a really thick white mane makes for a lot of fun. But I don't braid his tail so at least I don't have one more thing to worry about. __________________ Steph

12-26-2005, 06:38 AM
mandelyn82 Coming two Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ft. Campbell, KY Posts: 1,974	Ok, being a hairstylist and having instructed many people on people hair and horse hair.. here's the easiest way for the running braid and solutions to stop the braid from popping up with a bent neck. Leave a 1 1/2 inche section at the top of the mane, directly behind the bridle path, or where the bridle path would start. Then band the rest of the mane, in 1in sections, 1in down from the root. Start at the top, just behind the brile path, or where the bridle path would be. Section out 3, 1/2 inch sections. Start the braid, as you normally would, cross the left side to the middle, then the right side to the middle. Next, grab the first 1in banded section, add to the left side, and bring both to the middle. Cross the right side to the middle, then the left side to the middle again adding another 1in banded section. As you work down the mane in this manner, gradually drop the braid farther down each time, following the shape of the neck. At the start of the braid, it should be at the root, next section an inch down from the root, the next section 2 inches down from the root, and so on. The end of the braid should stop about mid shoulder on the horse. You can band it there, or do this with the shorter hair at the shoulder. At the top of the shoulder, start another running braid angling down to meet the first braid. Using 1/2 inch sections instead of 1 inch sections, giving more hair sections to make it easier to "meet" the other braid, as this area of the mane is normally thinner. The angle will have to be steeper to reach the end of the first braid. What I do when the braids meet, is braid the ends together, and double it up on the underside and band it, making a clean tuck, or band the loose ends and set it on perm rods over night, making it neat curls. If you start the braid at the root, and keep it there the whole way down, the horse doesn't have freedom of movement which he can pull against and undo the braid. That's why you need to drop the braid down each section. Banding each section prior to braiding keeps the sections neater and stops the solid look with a braid at the bottom. Where the mane gets longer in the middle of the neck you can band sections every inch or so down the section. I tried to draw it out in paint, but my mouse sucks. I wish I had a horse to do it on..... It works best on long natural manes, it's diffcult on anything shorter than 10 inches. __________________ "The more people I meet the more I love my German Shepherd"