I personally love a pinwheel, but my horse is done basically by the braider’s schedule, and from what I can figure out it is pinwheel on medal days, tucked or wrapped on hunter days. With my horse’s fake tail though, the pin wheel helps blend where the real tail and fake mesh.
[QUOTE=Nickelodian;7124018]
I am loving the colored yarns personally. My braider does my gray horse in lilac
And my black horse in a deep purplel[/QUOTE]
About 10 years ago I saw a lot of 1st year green horses at Devon with colored yarn in their braids. Mostly navy or hunter green, and not just on black manes. I liked the look so much that I did my solid black horse in navy for quite a while (I braid myself). I haven’t seen the colored yarn braids much for a while- I’m glad it’s making a comeback!
I saw purple in 2 chestnuts manes last year at my medal final!
Could someone explain how to tuck the tail braid under and/or do the wrap around? I never knew there was something besides the pinwheel.
I hate wraps and won’t do them. Pinwheel for conformation and classics/Derbies, tucked under for regular performance classes.
I’ve done navy in my black horse’s mane for the past couple of years and LOVE it! Like someone else mentioned, it’s much easier to see when ripping the braids out and it’s almost impossible to tell it’s navy instead of black when you get more than a couple of feet away.
Last winter I bought hunter green and a deep purple yarn to use in both the black horse and my chestnut (dark mane, not flaxen). Unfortunately, due to a broken leg I haven’t been able to make it to a show yet this year, but I’m dying to use them! I have both a mint green and a lavender shirt to go with the manes so they’ll be fun to use.
I love subtle colored yarns in manes. It’s fun and makes taking braids out so much easier. I’m toying with getting a dark purple for my chestnut mare since I usually default to a lavendar show shirt but I’m not sure if that’s too bold.
One of our bay childrens hunters goes in black yarn that has this rainbow colored sparkle stuff running through it. You can’t see it from far away but up close it’s really cool.
[QUOTE=Indy;7126016]
One of our bay childrens hunters goes in black yarn that has this rainbow colored sparkle stuff running through it. You can’t see it from far away but up close it’s really cool.[/QUOTE]
I saw some sparkle yarn in braids at a show last week. First time I’ve ever seen it, as far as I recall. I certainly noticed it as the horse was going around the ring, so it is visible from more than a few feet.
My rock star pro braider wanted to put blue yarn in my LL pony at Devon (black mane). Oh… I wanted it but I know the handler would have had a stroke. THIS YEAR perhaps…
I love subtle colored yarns in manes. It’s fun and makes taking braids out so much easier. I’m toying with getting a dark purple for my chestnut mare since I usually default to a lavendar show shirt but I’m not sure if that’s too bold.
A friend of mine has used a darker purple on her chestnut and it’s beautiful. I say go for it!!
Our braider is doing light blue (black mane) for my DD’s horse, they’re showing in our HJA hunter classic tomorrow but he will have his usual navy for the medal on Saturday.
[QUOTE=Pennywell Bay;7127053]
My rock star pro braider wanted to put blue yarn in my LL pony at Devon (black mane). Oh… I wanted it but I know the handler would have had a stroke. THIS YEAR perhaps…[/QUOTE]
I did baby blue in a gray pony’s white mane for Devon LL. Why not!? 
I loooooooooooooooooove navy in a black mane. I think that looks SUPER classy. I am a fan of colored yarn but only when it’s dark in a dark mane (dark burgundy, dark green etc. ). I don’t personally care for it in lighter colored manes unless we’re talking a cutesy color for a leadline pony or similar.
I used to braid for myself and would try to pick up a few others if I could just for a little bit of side cash (I was 16, after all). One thing I definitely learned though was that, more important than being a “good” braider was starting out with a well-pulled mane. It’s about 300% easier to make a mane look fantastic when the pull is solid. I would usually just price myself as an amateur - my braids definitely didn’t hold a candle to the pros up close, but from the ring they still looked neat and nice, and I was often 30-50 bucks cheaper than a pro, so lot’s of people were willing to make the swap. But back then Braids went a lot cheaper in general.
What does a mane go for these days?
Around here, $45-50 for a mane, $30 for a tail.
[QUOTE=vxf111;7127086]
I did baby blue in a gray pony’s white mane for Devon LL. Why not!?
I loooooooooooooooooove navy in a black mane. I think that looks SUPER classy. I am a fan of colored yarn but only when it’s dark in a dark mane (dark burgundy, dark green etc. ). I don’t personally care for it in lighter colored manes unless we’re talking a cutesy color for a leadline pony or similar.[/QUOTE]
I was thisclose… Next year!!!
