[HalterGirl_88]

Ok next on the list-banding. My lovely assistant is 4 year old paint stallion The Secret-"Whitey" Sorry some of the pics are a little blury, my assistant wasnt wanting to stand very still!


Here are the tools you will need- bands in a color coordinating with your horses mane. If your horse has a two colored mane use the color that the mane is most of. I would normally use white on this mane, but I used sorrel so you could see them better. A comb, and an alligator clip or similar. I would also recommend a stool to stand on.


Start with a clean mane that has been brushed out. Here you can see both sides of the mane and how poofy it is on the off side, it makes the neck look rather unattractive.





Start by sectioning off with your comb about a 1/2" piece of mane. Try not to go under 1/2" or the mane will be too light and want to flop around, same with over 1/2" then it's too thick and doesnt want to lay well.


Take your rubber band and wrap it around the chunk of mane in a side to side wrapping motion. Wrapping up and down will encourage the finished band to stand up instead of lay down. Also keep pulling TIGHTLY down on the chunk of mane as you wrap to encourage it to lay. Wrap the band as tight as you possibly can without breaking the band.(I usually break MANY doing a mane trying to get them tight)

[HalterGirl_88]

Your wrapped band should look like this



To get the band to lay better using both hands grab the sides of the band and pull outwards to tighten, while at the same time holding down some of the hair in the middle of the band. This will help it lay better also.


Keep repeating this all the way down the mane, keeping your bands uniform in size. It's natural to want to make them just a little bit bigger as you go, but try to keep them the same size. Your mane should start to look like this.




If you pull the hair upwards and wrap in an upwards direction your bands will look like little alfalfas on their neck, you DO NOT WANT THIS!!!



Your finished mane should look like this, notice how much more attractive the off side of the neck looks with the mane down nice and tight.

[HalterGirl_88]

If I was banding for a show I would now shorted his mane using the thinning shears method so that the mane was about 2" long. I would then spray the mane with laser sheen and put a slinky on him until right before our class.

Also I would do his foretop


Some people like to just put a band in their mane


I prefer to braid the foretop, it keeps it much more contained and doesnt draw your attention. Especially for riders when just a floppy banded foretop can show motion.

[HalterGirl_88]

Let me know if there's any questions or I need to explain something better!

[Sandra-A1]

Another GREAT photo step-by-step how to!!!!

[indiekisses985]

Thank you so much Holly- these really help- especially with pics!!

[QHGirl]

LOVE IT. Those are great pics... and I would have a word with your assistant, he doesn't look like he likes his job ha ha!!!! Maybe he is just camera shy!!!

[ILoveRedRanger!]

thanks ill have to show this to my sis ( shes the pleasure rider im the timed events rider lol)

[.Tuckitaway.]

Thanx HalterGirl! I have one question, how long should the horses mane be for banding?

[HalterGirl_88]

I wouldnt try banding it at any longer than 4-5", otherwise it gets to be hard to pull that much mane through the bands. After it's banded I shorted it to about 2-3"