Braiding tips for recognized show

[luckycricket123]

I always braid for a show. I just got my ride times for this weekend and they’re super inconvenient for braiding.

I’m trailering in a young horse - this will be his first trailer in show. He’s got a good brain, but I think it would be a lot to ask to have him stand tied to the trailer to braid and the trip is a bit far and his manes a bit too thick to expect the braids to stay in it I put them in at home with rubber bands.

I hate his thick mane, I’d love to roach it but I don’t love the way his neck looks naked.

I tried to use a mane thinner and I didn’t feel like his mane got any thinner. I’ve already been double banding the braids, but short of sewing them in the night before (which is also not an option with my schedule) I can’t figure out how to put in braids that will stay in. Any ideas?

[2tempe]

You could just not braid. It’s not required . Make as tidy as possible and go on in the ring.

[Gardenhorse]

@2tempe

You could just not braid. It’s not required . Make as tidy as possible and go on in the ring.

I agree with this. But if you feel like you have to braid, what about just doing the braiding at home, but not actually finish rolling them up until you get to the show. I feel like rolling the braids up and finishing them is a lot quicker than the actual braiding. Or do you think even the braiding part would come out during the trailer ride?

[luckycricket123]

I’d love to skip the braiding altogether! But I’ve never seen an unbraided horse at any of the recognized shows I’ve been to and I’m always just trying to blend in.

It’s worth considering rolling them up when we get there, and if that’s still too much for him I’ll just pull them out and go in au naturel.

I know I’ll score better with a relaxed horse and the braiding shouldn’t impact my score anyways

[Gardenhorse]

@luckycricket123

I’d love to skip the braiding altogether! But I’ve never seen an unbraided horse at any of the recognized shows I’ve been to and I’m always just trying to blend in.

Yeah, I understand. I do usually braid for recognized shows to keep my trainer happy. But if the choice is braiding or giving a young horse a good first show experience, I’d certainly go with the latter.

Good luck at the show!

[BrokenArrow]

If they’re available where you live, Quick Knots are the best thing on the planet.

Quick Knot 100 - EQ Saddlery

[Feathered_Feet]

I don’t understand - why can’t you braid at home before you trailer over? I’ve braided at 5 am before for an 8 am ride time. Can’t you just get to the barn earlier? If one comes out in the trailer and you have to fix it at the show grounds, so be it, but surely you could do it at home over a hay net while he’s finishing breakfast?

[endlessclimb]

Plus, if the ride time is that early, presumably the OP isn’t in an area where it’s sweltering at that time of the morning. Throw a sleazy over the braids for the ride over so there aren’t little hay pieces all over it.

If it’s his first show, I’d expect you to need to be there stupid early anyways to let him walk around and see all the things.

[Foxglove]

Regardless of when I braid, I put a neck Sleazy over the braids to keep them tidy until it’s time to saddle. I also braid and wrap the tail in a leg wrap to keep it tidy (all the little pokey hairs lie flat that way).

I have never braided and left the braids in over night --my ancient trainer from forever ago said that braided horses don’t sleep well as they know they are showing the next day. Probably a myth, but as I said, I just never braid and leave over night. However I ALWAYS braid at home (unless it is a multi-day venue) --so much easier with horse in familiar cross ties, the music on, and a comfortable temperature –

[luckycricket123]

It’s not his first show, just his first experience not being stabled at the show. But yeah I do expect to need to do a lot of hand walking

He’s done well trailering out for lessons and clinics, and he’s also been fine with the show atmosphere but I think the combination might give him the sillies until he can get moving and settle in.

It’s not really an issue of how early I am willing to get up - I’ve had much earlier ride times than this. I just don’t think my braids will stay in! And I don’t want to get up at 5 just to have my braids completely trashed before my ride time anyway.

[gallop_jump]

I have a dramatic ottb with the world-record for thickest ottb mane and forelock. Even drugged, he acts like I’m trying to kill him while pulling his mane, so it doesn’t get done. He braids up nicely when I do 16-18 braids, finish the braids with bands, then tie yarn to the bottom and pull them up through and alternate right/left sides of the braids when coming around before back through. I pull the needle through the button 6 times, 3 on each side of it. Doesn’t take me any longer than 100% bands and lasts on the trailer ride there, dressage, stadium, and trailer ride home. I do cut my yarn when I’m packing and prepping the day before so that saves me time at dark o’clock the next morning. Nifty tip too, I put a mark on my braiding comb for how wide I want each section of hair (I freehand when I get down to the last 1-2 braids by his withers) but it makes it quicker when sectioning and banding.

[MsM]

A few ideas. On my antsy old horse, I used to section and loosely braid the night before., leaving the braids down. Then I would braid the next morning while he had morning hay. The old braids made it a lot quicker since the sections were established. I did the full job, but you could leave them down if you wanted to put them up at the show. Use lots of Quik Braid and they should be intact! And at least big dressage braids are easier!

If you are good at it, another option is a running braid. Usually used for long manes, but if you are good at keeping it snug to the crest you can do a shorter mane and it goes quickly!

[luckycricket123]

This seems like it could work, but I am having a hard time visualizing. Is there a youtube video I can watch and follow?

[outerbanks77]

I have braided my horse on the trailer. Obviously this might not be a feasible or wise option, depending on the horse and the trailer, but it worked for me. She was a lot calmer standing on the trailer with hay in front of her than tied to the side. I have a 2-horse slant with no mangers, so with the head divider out, I could safely get her braids in after we ventured around the show grounds and lunged to get the crazies out.

[Mersidoats]

I always braid before I leave, either the night before (for stalled horses) or the morning of (for horses who live outside). I do the big puffy button braids and I sew them in with yarn. I do anywhere from 7 to 13, depending on how much coffee I’ve had and how much I care at the moment. Lol. I would just not braid, but my coach would have a coronary.

These were done in two sections: I braided her down the night before, and then picked out the shavings and sewed them up that morning. They stayed put through the trailer loading fiasco, trailering, panic attacks in the stall, two classes, and her hose-down.

These were done the night before. This picture was taken after my class. She has a thelwell pony mane that I refuse to pull. Moral of the story: if you must braid, sew them in.

[IPEsq]

Why can’t you sew them in in the morning? I don’t think it takes significantly longer than bands.

[luckycricket123]

I’ve never sewn in braids before and I don’t feel like I have enough time to learn and practice!

Seems like I might just need to get over it because my braids will look bad either way

[luckycricket123]

If anyone has a youtube video I can follow or a recommendation for supplies for sewing in braids, I’d appreciate it

[IPEsq]

This is a good video on how to sew them in -

How To Plait a Mane

[Pezanos]

I learned how to sew-in 2 hours before my class at a recognized show. Never going back. WAY easier for a fat mane and more secure, esp. with waxed thread. I follow this except for most of the time I fold under the “tail” of the braid when I band.

How To Plait A Mane | Nags to Riches Equestrian

I also pre-load a whole bunch of blunt rug needles with waxed thread and have them stuck into my apron front so I can just grab one and go instead of making my horse wait for me to thread the needles.