I come from the HJ world and have always thought you HAVE to have the mane on the off side. However I’m a dressage queen now and have learned that it actually doesn’t matter. Last year my braider did my horses mane on the left side at one show and I was a little annoyed but could understand why she did it. He insists on it being on the left, and the best I can do with training is get it to go half and half. It always flips no matter how long I’ve had it braided before the show. It didn’t affect my scores whatsoever! I’ve been pregnant and have neglected grooming my horses mane for several months. It’s all laying beautifully flat and straight on one side after this neglect, the left side. Should I fight with it again for the next show season or just keep it on that side and braid it on that side? I do rated shows and he is training at 3rd level, we’ll be showing 2nd next year.
My horse’s mane also naturally lies on the left and I don’t bother trying to change it. Having it on the right side is a tradition, not a rule, and won’t affect your scores!
He’s the only horse I ride or braid, so now I’ve gotten used to braiding on the left. I did once brush it to the right and tried braiding there but it felt really weird to my hands!
Oh heavens, the judges definitely do not care! It never even occurred to me to notice. So long as the horse is braided at all and neatly turned out you are fine! Absolutely you should do what is easiest for you and the horse 
In the dressage world the only people that give a crap about the side their horse’s mane falls on are former hunter riders
Leave it left. Embrace its leftness. It just doesn’t matter.
I came from that (hunter) world and even then thought it was silly. All my horses seem to be lefties except for the current “mister excessive hair, overthick impossible mane” who has so darn much hair that even the 1/3 that hangs right is almost too much.
DQ in general is less fussy about things so go to your own drummer. Brown tack is now seen. Blingy boots. Coat -pick a color - so long as not to outlandish. Me - haven’t worn a stock tie in three years, since a stand up collar is good enough. And thank god you dont see that “hunter hair” thing.
The left side is fine. Remember that technically, braiding is optional! From the USEF rulebook:
DR206 Equipment and Turn Out
- Braiding is optional.
I too came from the hunter world. I used to get my horse to and from shows by braiding for the barn. For years since then, once I discovered dressage I bred, trained and showed welsh cobs, I also showed arabians. You now what I do? I roach. Between the cobs who I could braid a full mane on each side and still have mane left over and the Arabs who would rub out have their mane reaching through the fence I ended up going rogue. It was the smartest decision I ever made - no stress, no mess and all have nice necks so no one ever notices or complains. I’ve ridden to FEI this way 
Doesn’t matter. No one cares. You can even roach if off if you want!
Also from the rulebook::
DR121 Saddlery and Equipment
7. Braiding of the horse’s mane and tail, however, is permitted.
So, braids on either side are okay, roached is okay, a running braid is okay, and unbraided is okay, although rarely, if ever, seen.
I think I just might braid the silly horse’s tail next show. :lol:
this! LOL
I respect tradition and love to see a beautifully turned-out hunter, but I swear, I am so thankful that in dressage we have far more important things to worry about than what side of the neck the mane lies on or whether or not we even need to braid at all. That being said, I love my horse’s mohawk. I can’t imagine anything easier unless I were to roach it.
And I love that in dressage you can get away with a lot fewer braids than hunters! And even coming from the h/j world, I never could master the hunter hair. So I never bothered.
I do 10 or 11 big ol’ jumbo braids on whatever side I can get the mop to stay on. I don’t even pull it short anymore. I leave the hair thick and poof the braids up. I only use rubber bands, no sewing in. So fast compared to the hundred Hunter braids.
I prefer it on the right, and worked for one trainer who was militant about it, but everyone is right- it really doesn’t matter.
Ditto! I tend to end up between 5 and 9 braids depending on the horse. My new horse(17h) looks best in 7. I know how to do bands and sewn, but I’ve switched over to Quick Knots which are just so nice to use. They look like sewn, without the hassle or time. We refer to them as my horse’s paper clips. I wish they were more reasonably priced for what they are, but I have found that they’re re-usable multiple times as long as you are careful to bend them back into shape as you take them out.
Another vote for anything at all that’s reasonably tidy.
Anybody that cares about which side it’s on (or gods forbid how many braids there are (and in that case is it the “always odd” rule or “geldings odd, mares even” rule?)) is almost certainly not your judge.
I will add one thing - if you want to try braiding the tail, do it at home first! We had a kid years back who braided the pony’s tail for the first time at a show. Pony held it stiff, and off to the left, for the whole test. Definitely hurt their scores.
How do you do 5? I just can’t seem to do it neatly with the base that wide. I usually have each section just wider than my pulling comb, 8 or 9 braids total.
Agree. I would say don’t braid the tail for dressage. A tail that swings softly and rhythmically is a nice sign of a supple relaxed back. Braiding can cause them to carry it stiffly or clamp it, plus it just looks kind of weird in the dressage ring.
As for manes, left or right doesn’t make the slightest bit of difference. Roached may get noticed but wouldn’t affect the judges’ overall impression because it’s not distracting. Unbraided manes and sloppy messy braids are distracting. Avoid.
My curly mare has such an outlandish mane, i would like to show it off…somehow or another. We’re not showing (yet) but i’ve been wondering how i might do hers. Her forelock is a thing of beauty…but her head is so pretty that i guess i won’t mind seeing it braided off her face. I’ve also been wondering, just yesterday actually…i was mucking the barn wondering… if at shows there are show groomers available, like at dog shows, that you can hire to braid for you?
Having come from the Morgan horse world, i’m aesthetically conditioned to the right ('Morgans dress to the right), and if and when my Mustangs come into the ring, they will go to the right (come hell or high water!) because i want to show their brands
