[P&Tango18]

Im kinda new to the whole braiding thing. I have a step by step book that shows me how but it never seems to end up right. Does anyone have a website or better reference for me to check out? TY ALL!!

[thoroughbred_01]

i can help their hang on ill go get some info for you

[pinkpanther22]

here are two ways to braid manes and 1 way to braid the tail..ill try to find more pics but my computer is being really wierd..if they dont come out can someone fix them for me??....If anyone wants to kno how to do any of the braids them u can ask...dont worry i dont bite...*much* hah muahahaha..lol

1)"macramé"
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL294/...1/45400814.jpg

2)"mane banding"
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL294/...1/45401269.jpg


3)i dunno the name for this..but i use it in dressage shows...
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL294/...1/45401499.jpg

<small>[ February 09, 2004, 04:30 PM: Message edited by: crazi4horses ]</small>
i found this thread form crazy4horse just copy n paste the links to get them to work

[thoroughbred_01]

Braiding Your Horse's Mane




Braiding your horse's mane provides an aesthetically appealing look for any occasion. Many people braid their horse's mane before a scheduled horse show or competition, as attractive braids can help catch a judge's eye, giving the horse that needed edge over the competition. While many owners hire a professional to braid their horse's mane, they often don't realize that anyone with a little time and patience can learn this useful skill. Depending upon the length of the mane and the skill of the braider, it can take anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours to braid the mane.
Below is a list of the equipment you will need on hand:

A fine tooth comb or braid aid or braiding kit
Large hair clip
Large sponge
Rug or yarn hook
Scissors or Thining Shear
Seam ripper
Braid binders
Yarn (should be the same color as your horse's mane)
Quic Braid Spray (optional)
Water

Before you begin braiding, make sure that the mane is evenly pulled to the desired length and that the mane is tangle free. Spray on Quic Braid to give a perfect "grip" for tighter, neater braids and fewer stray hairs.


Step 1: Take the yarn and make approximately ten loops of yarn by looping it around your elbow and between your thumb and forefinger, then cut the loops in half. If using braid binders, no additional preparation is necessary, as these come already cut to the right size. The use of rubber bands is discouraged, as these can often damage and break the hair.


Step 2: Wet the mane with a damp sponge and using the comb or braid aid, take a section of hair about one inch wide behind the bridle path. Using a braid aid will ensure that the braids are all of similar size. Pull back and secure the rest of the mane with the large hair clip.


Step 3:Take the section of hair and divide it evenly into three sections. Also take a piece of yarn or braid binder and hold in your finger.


Step 4: Drop the center piece of hair down and braid the hair as usual. If using the yarn, include one piece of yarn with the hair as you braid, twisting the hair tight and close to the neck. Braid close to the end and then tie off the braid with the remaining strand of yarn. If using braid binders, braid each section of hair completely to its end and then secure with the braid binder. tip: Whichever method you use, keep the braid as tight as possible, and pull the mane downwards instead of sideways as you work. This will help ensure the braids lie flat along the neck. Fold over any frizzy hairs at the end of the braid and secure them by doubling the band.


Step 5: Repeat step 3 with the remaining hair, until the entire mane is braided either using the yarn or the braid binders.


Step 6: Next, it is time to secure the braids. If using yarn, once the entire mane is braided, slide the rug or yarn hook through the top of each braid as close to the center as possible. Catch the yarn in the hook and pull through the braid. Make sure the braid is lying flat. Continue with each braid down the entire mane. If using braid binders, turn the braid underneath so the binder is hidden and use a second binder to secure in this position, wrapping several times around the braid. Make sure the braid is lying flat, and continue with the rest of the braids.


Step 7: If using yarn, separate the strands of yarn in each braid, crossing them behind the braid. As you do this, push the braid up against the neck with your thumb. Tie the yarn at the top of the braid into a secure double knot. If using braid binders, no additional securing is necessary.


Step 8: Smooth horse hair gel over the braids to help hold them firmly in place.


Step 9: Step back and admire your hard work! Give your horse a little treat for being so patient.

[thoroughbred_01]

English Style Plaits

For a long time the most popular style of mane plaiting in Australia was the Australian rosettes, instructions for which are given further down this page. However, over the past two seasons or so, the softer looking 'english' style plaits have become very fashionable. Although for Australian rosettes the mane has to be quite thin, for english plaits the mane is still short (around 10cm long) but thicker. Before you plait, the mane has to be clean and freshly brushed. The following instructions are the way I have adapted many other peoples methods to the way that suits me. Thankyou to Heather Bryce for initially telling me how to do them.

You will need:

• A spray bottle of water
• A mane and tail comb
• Rubber bands that match your horses mane (the ones made for manes are the best)
• Blunt ended needle with a not too small eye
• Plaiting thread the same colour as your horses mane
• Hair spray and gel

One of the great things about english plaits is that you don't do very many! Divide the mane up into approx 9 or 11 (make sure it is an odd number) of even sized bunches, and secure with a rubber band. I work from the withers to the poll, (make sure you have clipped a bridle path behind your horses ears of around 7 cm)and do step one to all bunches before then doing step two and three to each plait.



Step One:
Wet each section thoroughly (add gel if you want) and plait down securely each bunch. The very top should be not quite as tight as the rest. When you reach the end and secure it with a rubber band, with the last twist double over the end of the plait, so that the end of the plait is round, and not bristly with hairs. (see photo). This becomes important later. If you are doing a turnout class you should secure the end with thread. Thread your needle with approximately 20-25cm of thread and poke it through the rubber band three times, so that you end up with the needle hanging down underneath the plait. By poking it through the rubber band you are making the thread much more secure then if you just wrapped it around the end. BTW, you always plait on the right side of the neck, although it looks like I have done the left side as Tisca's neck is down as he was eating.

Step Two:
Now that you have the thread hanging beneath the plait, take the needle and poke it through the top of the plait, right at the base of the mane, from underneath. This will have the effect of doubling the plait over. Secure this folded over plait together by stitching down the plait, making sure you end up with the needle once again underneath the plait, hanging out the end. (see diagram - I've used blue thread so hopefully you can see it). If you haven't folded the end of the plait over earlier, bristly bits will stick out the top - which is *not* a good look ;-).
If you want dressage style plaits, this is the stage when you wrap the white electrical tape around the doubled over plait, and that's it. I've never done dressage plaits before, but I'm pretty sure that that's how you do it.

Step Three:
Take the needle and poke it through the top of the plait as you did before, so you are doubling the plait once again. Secure this by stitching through the plait a number of times. You don't have to tie it off, just cut off the end of the thread if necessary. You should end up with a plait looking similar to the photo of the finished plait at the beginning of these instructions. If not, then the mane probably isn't short enough.

Spray *heaps* of hair spray over the plaits to hold them. I normally do step one the night before (covering them in hair spray, putting on a skinny hood (lycra neck cover) and neck rug), and then step two and three the morning of the show. Once you have finished the plaits I've found it isn't a good idea to cover them with a neck rug as this tends to rub them out, although these plaits tend to hold a lot better than Australian rosettes.

Instructions by Leah Clapton. Please don't remove them

Australian Rosettes


It was only recently that I learnt that there was a way to plait a horse's mane, other then the method given below. Although Australian rosettes look great if done well, as I'm not a particularly brilliant horse hair stylist(!), I've found it easier to acheive neat results with the english plaits. However, I have adapted the way I was taught to do Australian rosettes to a method I find much easier.



You will need:

• Special plaiting thread. It only costs around $2 from saddlery stores.
• A spray bottle of water.
• A pull through. A description of one is in the instructions for hunter braids. You can also use a large plastic needle, with a largish eye.
• Rubber bands
• Hair spray.

Step One: First you need a well pulled, or at least thinned and short (approx 10-12cm - that's maybe 4 -5 inches I think) mane. Wash it at least 3-4 days(maybe more) before the show so some of the oil has come back into it - otherwise it is too slippery to plait neatly. Divide the mane up into an odd number (that's the tradition over here - plus the forelock equals an even number). Tisca seems to have a never ending neck, so I do around 25 or so braids. Each section of mane should be around 1-1.5 inches long - less if your horse has a really thick mane. When you divide it up hold each section with those special plaiting rubber bands. Taking one section at a time thoroughly wet it with the sprayer bottle. Make sure the roots are really wet so you don't have all those horrible frizzy bits sticking out while you plait. Plait down normally, making sure you do it really tightly. About 3/4 of the way down add about 25cm of thread. To add the yarn you just lay it across two sections of the plait you are in the process of doing and continue plaiting like the thread is part of your horse's mane. When you get to the end tie off the plait tightly with the thread.

Step Two:
This is when the wonderful US invention, the pull through, comes in. I only heard of these a couple of months ago, and have made one out of a bit of wire that I taped into a needle shape with the end covered it tape so it won't scratch Tisca. I think just using a large plastic needle would be easier! You stick the pull through straight through the base of the plait. (see diagram) Take the ends of the thread around the end of the plait and loop them through the eye of the pull through. Then 'pull through' the needle so the plait is now laying the other way up against the neck (the same side), with a little 'knob' being formed at the top where the plait was pulled through.

Step Three:

After removing the pull through, hold the little knob against the neck and wrap the plait as tight as you can as close to the neck as you can, around the knob. The diagram on the right is supposed to show this. The darker line is where the edges of the plait are touching. This forms the 'rosette'. To make the plait as close as possible to the knob, wrap the remaining ends of the thread (there should still be quite a bit) tightly around the plait and when you come to the end of the thread, secure the whole thing with a rubber band. This should be close to the neck and you shouldn't be able to see it at all.

If you are doing a turnout class you can't use rubber bands, so you would have to tie the thread off to secure the plaits.
Do the entire neck this way (see graphic below of a finished mane)and spray with heaps of hair spray. Do the forelock like a mini tail plait - just a french braid, rather than a 'rosette'.

[P&Tango18]

Ok thanks everyone! This helps alot!!

[gummiponys]

I only do the Continential Braid for my morgan horse, who has a long mane, but I might get a couple inches off it and braid it for hunter and jumper shows.