Braiding in jumper seat Medal

[onlyTBmares]

How strictly required is it to brain for the EMO insurance/USHJA jumping seat medal 3’3” class? I would like to do that this summer but I really dont want to add another $200 in braiding. Yes, I could do it myself, but he has a monstrously huge bay mane. Like think of the biggest thickest textured mane and double it . I have limited time off (gotta work to afford to show) and already clean stalls, groom, feed at the shows to keep my bills down. So after working a 50+ hour work week in the off e and 10 hour days at the show, adding a couple more hours is just……not worth my health and sanity. Can I do it still or will I just get eliminated? Or will I just pin last no matter how nice my round is? I can probably live with the latter but not the former.

ETA: I currently only do the jumpers. Horse has done some Maclay and USET in his past, we would probably make a good pass at this class if I manage to not pull/kick at the combos

[MHM]

It’s not required at all. I believe the only division in the H/J section of the USEF rulebook that requires braiding is side saddle. So you would not be eliminated for skipping the braids.

That being said, at some shows you might be the only one without braids in, depending on the level of competition.

[onlyTBmares]

@MHM it isn’t required in hunters??!! I didn’t realize.

Do you think that, if my turnout was otherwise excellent, a judge would mark me down? I’m watching 20 go at Desert circuit on cmh and what I’m seeing is everyone braided….but also lots of rails, refusals, missed leads, swaps, and adds. So if I don’t do one of those things (no promises, all things I’ve been known to do) I could theoretically pin in the class unbraided?

[MHM]

@onlyTBmares

So if I don’t do one of those things (no promises, all things I’ve been known to do) I could theoretically pin in the class unbraided?

Theoretically, yes.

[Tini_Sea_Soldier1]

Could you do it? Of course. But when the “look” and turnout is what is being judged, and it’s equitation, I think you do what you can to follow the trends.
If nothing else and horse is doing other jumper classes that weekend, at least do jumper braids, but typically they’re all braided and with fake tails in the equitation at the bigger A stuff.

In the hunters, I rarely see them unbraided. I’ve known 1 or 2 that didn’t braid and I think that’s generally bc horse has an issue and they get prior permission.

[MHM]

Nobody needs permission to show without braids, unless they’re doing the side saddle division, which specifies that the horses must be braided.

Most people who are doing it seriously will braid. But again, it’s not a requirement under the USEF rules.

[lintesia]

My horse might do one or two Performance Hunter rounds on the first day of the show (we rarely do the division) and I don’t bother to braid. He still places (quite well!). This is at rated shows.

For the Jumper medal, the class is run on one day so if you decide to braid it’s just one day. Would that really cost $200? Alternatively, try the class unbraided and if you love it and decide you need to be more competitive, braid the next time. And I would think jumper braids would suffice. The horses that are fully decked out with manes and tails are probably doing other eq classes that day.

[Tini_Sea_Soldier1]

FWIW, we never braided for the performance hunters or USHJA unless they were doing the green incentive or if it happened to fall on the derby day. Pro classes or warmups aren’t typically braided classes.
In Cali, I’d think braiding might actually be closer to $200. East Coast seems to be closer to $120-140 for mane and tail per day.

[onlyTBmares]

I think a mane and tail runs about $200 in this area. But that’s a good point that I can try it and see how it goes. I’m in the PNW and the class isn’t super competitive anyway. I’m genuinely not so into ribbons but I would hate to lay down the round of my life and get pinned behind someone with two rails, a missed lead and an add over a hairdo ! Again, not saying I’m going to, I’m more likely to be the one doing two strides in the in and out and the falling off while going off course, at least I think you don’t have to wear white!

[MHM]

@onlyTBmares

at least I think you don’t have to wear white!

You most definitely don’t need to wear white for any equitation class.

Some people might be wearing white anyway if they happen to be doing a jumper classic on the same day, just so they don’t have to change clothes in the middle of it.

[ZuzusPetals]

“So it’s the in-and-out, roll back to the Swedish, lead swap, change clothes, long line to the triple…”

[skydy]

There are people who can answer you with more knowledge than I have now, I’m not up on the EQ fashions, but are you riding only in the Jumper seat medals?

Roaching his mane, if your horse has an attractive well muscled neck, is an easy solution. I can’t imagine that it would work against you in a jumper class and it shouldn’t in the EQ Hunter section of the competition.

[outside_leg]

On a multi day show, most competitors will be braided for the Jump Seat. On a one day, none will.

In either case, the adults and juniors are usually combined. If you’re an adult riding against the Big Eq kids, chances are you’re going to have stiff competition and braiding (or lack thereof) won’t make the difference in placing. But consider whether you want your first impression to be more casual than your competition.

FWIW, I braid at multi day shows for the Jump Seat, and not at the one days.

[Renn_aissance]

@outside_leg

On a multi day show, most competitors will be braided for the Jump Seat. On a one day, none will.

This is the answer.

I see your horse’s mane and raise you my horse’s mane. He is Irish. He has the hair coat of a family which has spent generations standing outside in the blowing rain loving every minute. His crest is wide and he has more mane than a Shetland. It is thick, it is coarse, it is somehow slightly elastic. He is 15.2 1/2 and I put 50+ braids in it.

What I mean to say is that if you use this as an opportunity to learn to braid this mane, even if no one else has their hairs twisted, you will learn to braid anything, and have $200 back for the next farrier appointment. Don’t bother with his tail, he doesn’t jump with it.

[skydy]

[blondewithchrome]

Jumper seat medal runs in our jumper rings in our area. You see some kids big eq horses who will go back to hunterland who will do medal/maclay later that day, braided like hunters. You also see others who ride their jumpers in the class not braided, but still turned out for equitation (tack, attire, etc). It does not seem to influence placing from what I’ve seen. This is at Premier and National rated multi day, multi ring shows.

[mroades]

Judge here. You will not be penalized for nor braiding for the Jump Seat Medal. Are you thinking of qualifying for the finals? If yes, you would want to braid for that class, so you might want to do it once to make your horse is ok with it!

[onlyTBmares]

Thanks @mroades (and others). I did a Karen Healey clinic last weekend (see my other post) and pretty much forgot about this discussion.
The finances would not allow making it to finals, although I would love to be invited to the prom! I saw a video of him at the Mcclay regional finals braided so he’s had it done before…my guess is he was a nightmare.
I’m probably only doing one rated show this year and I looked this class up it up. Last year there were actually 7 adults in the class! I think I’m just going to get him polished to the nines, do the class, and if I find myself with the resources to show a little more in the future I’ll figure the braiding out.