Braiding a horse with a thin mane?

[mbrick1]

I plan on showing with my horse Louis in the adult amateurs at WEF pretty much the entire circuit (12 weeks long). The only problem is, he has an EXTREMELY thin mane, especially toward the top, which basically just stands straught up. I’ve been working on growing it out over the summer, and it’s decently long, but it just hasn’t thickened out much and I am worried on how he is going to last being braided that much.

Does anyone have any tips/ advice on how to make his mane last as long as possible? I can only imagine toward the middle and end of WEF that his mane (especially at the top) will basically be non existent if we keep braiding.

Also since we’ll be showing multiple days throughout the week, is it better to keep it in both days before taking it out, or taking out and rebraiding every day? Any advice you can give Louis would help :o

[GoodTimes]

I’m not a professional braider but I do braid my own horses and friends horses. For thin manes or thinner areas I double up the yarn. Definitely don’t braid with waxed yarn, use traditional yarn as it’s softer on the hair and you’ll have less hair breakage over the course of season.
If he rubs at all I’d be taking them out overnight. If he doesn’t then I would just take into consideration when your classes are. ex/ braiding early Friday morning or late Thursday night to show Friday morning and Saturday afternoon might be a stretch. But braiding late morning Friday to show Friday afternoon/Saturday morning might be ok. Lot’s of conditioner when they come out too, anything to keep those hairs from breaking.

Good luck!

[Dutchmare433]

Agree with above–I always unbraid and rebraid every day, but if you’re quite confident that he won’t rub, you can chance it overnight!

[yourcolorfuladdictio]

Don’t forget to wet the mane and let it unbraid itself. Just clip the yarn and then give him a bath and the braid will undo itself as it dries and you will have less overall damage than when you fight them out.

[HealingHeart]

One thing I changed with a thin mane horse, was to cut his mane vs pulling it. It help thickening it up. And years years ago, someone told me that trims promote hair growth, it seems to be true…I do every 5-6 weeks…,

I know the advise is a little late for your show, but food for thought & wonder if others have had the same luck of cutting vs pulling.

[comingback]

I’ve had some horses that I’ve never pulled because their mane is so thin. I usually shorten them with a blade.

Definitely take the braids out each day. That will reduce the amount of breakage.

[Dutchmare433]

[QUOTE=HealingHeart;8462169]
One thing I changed with a thin mane horse, was to cut his mane vs pulling it. It help thickening it up. And years years ago, someone told me that trims promote hair growth, it seems to be true…I do every 5-6 weeks…,

I know the advise is a little late for your show, but food for thought & wonder if others have had the same luck of cutting vs pulling.[/QUOTE]

I always cut thin manes. I’m not sure if it makes them thicker, encouraging growth-wise, but it certainly doesn’t make them thinner! I pull thicker manes, but usually end up cutting the thinner parts to get an even thickness throughout.

[Pandora1087]

I agree with everything everyone is saying. I am a braider, and I use double yarn with thin manes. Do NOT pull it, just shorten it. If you braid yourself, do it as close to the class as possible, and take them out as soon as you’re done. When you take them out, soak the mane, and just clip the knots, let them fall out. Don’t wash the mane, or condition it. If it’s slippery, the braider will have to pull harder to braid.