[shyxpony]

So I have my first dressage show this weekend (yay! ) and I was just wondering if there was a big difference between hunter braids & dressage braids. I've done plenty of hunter shows before & I'm pretty good at the hunter braids but since this is my first dressage show I want to make sure my braids are right! If any of you guys have pictures to show the difference that would be GREAT. Even if you don't, any help would be greatly appreciated!

And just because I feel like showing off my baby here she is:

[shyxpony]

Aww, come on! Anybody?

[Native Winds]

Dressage braids are a bit fatter and spaced out a bit more than your Hunter braids. If your horse has a thick crest make smaller braids, if he has a thinner neck then make fatter braids. Normal neck normal braids. I usualy make my Hunter braids about 1/2 inches or a tad bigger and dressage braids about 3/4 inches. The mane pulled at 4 to 4 1/2 inches. About 20 to 25 braids for hunter (can be as much as 30 depending on your horse and size of the braids). Dressage about 20.
Dressage braids are also usualy bound with white tape. I use white "electrical tape" if its applied properly it wont pull hairs when taken off. I am sure there are other things to use to bind with white.

Make sure the top of the tail is nice and shaped well. It looks better in combination of the braids.

[shyxpony]

Originally Posted by Native Winds

Dressage braids are a bit fatter and spaced out a bit more than your Hunter braids. If your horse has a thick crest make smaller braids, if he has a thinner neck then make fatter braids. Normal neck normal braids. I usualy make my Hunter braids about 1/2 inches or a tad bigger and dressage braids about 3/4 inches. The mane pulled at 4 to 4 1/2 inches.

Dressage braids are also usualy bound with white tape. I use white "electrical tape" if its applied properly it wont pull hairs when taken off. I am sure there are other things to use to bind with white.

Thank you!

[MissCriss]

I wouldn't say dressage braids are USUALLY bound with white tape, because I haven't seen it being done at local dressage shows here in AZ in a long time. Usually I just see people using rubber bands the color of their horse's mane. Some people use thread, but I don't see that as often either. I rarely see them now, but my guess is that they ARE a dressage "thing".

I agree with Native Winds though.

My take on it is that dressage braids are spaced farther apart and are more of a ball shape (button braids) and are more fashionable when they're thicker.

I COULD be wrong though.

But here is what I picture to be more dressage-y braids:


And here is what I consider to be more hunter-ish:


And your baby is gorgeous .

[Native Winds]

I was going to add that tape does not nessesarily need to be used and button braids (which I hate to do) are also used in Dressage. When I used to braid for a charge Button braids where not in my list of styles.

THe two pictures above are good examples. The dresssage one has thicker braids and the Hunter braids are flat and much smaller. I have a picture of a horse I dressage braided for a parade and I have 16 braids in. 17 including the forelock. Then I have a picture here that I did for a hunter and if I counted correctly there are 24 braids, 25 including the forelock.

Wish I could post them.

[MissCriss]

NW, why do you hate to do button braids? That's so cool that you had a job braiding.

With button braids, don't you just braid a piece of hair and twist it into a ball then wrap a band around it?? That's how I my braids.

[shyxpony]

Originally Posted by MissCriss

And your baby is gorgeous .

Aww thanks =P And also thank you for the pictures & information. I think the braids with the tape around them look great, but since I've never done them before I think I'll go with the button braids.

[MissCriss]

You're welcome shyxpony!

Tape looks really cool on blacks and bays . They are used with the button braids I think.

NW, yes you should post pics .

[royalrox]

I could be wrong, but don't you not do the last part of a hunter braid when doing for dressage, like the finishing knot that makes it lay nicely on the neck, then of course they are larger...