Does anyone have a video source for the cobra braids that are popular in dressage? My mare needs some work on her neck and I think some cobra braids will thicken it up a bit.
I found this video but I don’t think it’s quite right.
I use big blue plastic needles that I get at Walmart for safety reasons, but use this method. It is very important to make sure the left and the right sections of your braid are exactly the same or else your bumps won’t be equal. I tend to make them just a bit bigger than the middle section.
Unless the horse has a double mane, I do not pull the mane if they get dressage braids. It is much easier to do them with a thick mane all the way through. I cut it with the scissors on a 90 to 45 degree angle to the mane and then make the edges a bit less blunt with a razor blade since the mare that gets them events as well.
I find they do not look good on a horse with a pencil neck. The neck needs to be properly muscled. If the horse has a thinner neck, I take smaller sections and then braid it normally and push the rolled braid up into the neck and then sew off like in the video.
[QUOTE=CatchMeIfUCan;8336028]
I use big blue plastic needles that I get at Walmart for safety reasons, but use this method. It is very important to make sure the left and the right sections of your braid are exactly the same or else your bumps won’t be equal. I tend to make them just a bit bigger than the middle section.
Unless the horse has a double mane, I do not pull the mane if they get dressage braids. It is much easier to do them with a thick mane all the way through. I cut it with the scissors on a 90 to 45 degree angle to the mane and then make the edges a bit less blunt with a razor blade since the mare that gets them events as well.
I find they do not look good on a horse with a pencil neck. The neck needs to be properly muscled. If the horse has a thinner neck, I take smaller sections and then braid it normally and push the rolled braid up into the neck and then sew off like in the video.[/QUOTE]
I believe this is the video RHRT used when she was learning to do the braids. She created her own video of it, and one key part missing from this video is leaving it loose enough to really have the hooded effect on the top. IF you want that, you have to leave it loose enough to have the bumps. And while I just use a large upholstery metal needle, CatchMeIfUCan is right in all the various observations. 
I’ll ask RHRT if she can get over and post her video!
ETA:
They are easy! I did these almost one-handed. I woke up that morning and couldn’t lift my right arm, but even without much use of that arm still managed to braid. It was also only my second time ever braiding. Not perfect, I am very critical of them… but not so bad…
https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/11695953_10100537531823716_5761984309222118240_n.jpg?oh=b824a858cec0c17e8e2753c5277a0fa5&oe=56A76108
I should update my video as I have some new techniques…look for a new video in mid-October!
[QUOTE=right horse at the right time;8336180]
I should update my video as I have some new techniques…look for a new video in mid-October!
http://youtu.be/ZeXIdgNbpHo[/QUOTE]
This is the video I learned from. Now my braids are always perfect. Thanks for making that!
[QUOTE=Mirakel;8336198]
This is the video I learned from. Now my braids are always perfect. Thanks for making that![/QUOTE]
Oh YAY!!! That makes me happy :).
I hope Honeylips dsn’t mind me sharing, but she sent me this a few years ago and my braids have been stunning since!
I leave the mane naturally thick and about 1 hand’s width long (4-5 inches).
I section it into 7 sections (1 braid per section). So each section is about 4 inches wide across the top of the mane.
Then I use a tiny bit of hair mousse (not quick braid). Put the mousse mostly at the top so the loose section still stays neat and doesn’t have flyaway hairs.
The first cross over as I start the braid is loose and makes the “hood”. Then I braid down tight the rest of the way. I braid down as far as I can but keep the braid the same width - once the mane starts to narrow in the braid - I stop the braid.Fold the loose end up underneath and rubber band it closed about 1/4 or 1/8 inch from the bottom. So I end up with a braid about 4 inches long and the same width all the way down.
I turn it under twice - but no more (if you need to turn it under more - then the mane is too long). So the braid sits at the bottom of the hood. I don’t pull it up or down. Just turn under once, twice.
Then I sew them in. This is the hardest part to expain.
You need about a 6 inch piece of yarn per braid.
Thread the yarn and go from bottom side of the turned underpart (try to go through the rubber band area each time as that really anchors the braid) and up out thru the top of the hood in the middle. Don’t tie a knot or anything - just pull the yarn thru with a tiny tail (1/2 inch) left on the under side. Then sew back and forth top to bottom to top - about 6 times - so you end up with the needle/yarn at the bottom. Then cut off the threads so you can see the little tails at the bottom.
Thats it!
No knots, no tying, just sew up and down and up and down until it is secure.
They are a flash to take down as well.
I love doing Cobra braids and used RHRT’s video as my guide – though SVV’s explanation is excellent. I use waxed thread. Secure, easy in, easy out.
The only thing easier would be if I roached my horse’s mane off!
[QUOTE=ThreeFigs;8336403]
I love doing Cobra braids and used RHRT’s video as my guide – though SVV’s explanation is excellent. I use waxed thread. Secure, easy in, easy out.
The only thing easier would be if I roached my horse’s mane off![/QUOTE]
Which is what I did with my personal horse :winkgrin:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205325630317621&l=9b8b086177
Thanks! I have been doing a french braid for years and I am rusty.
I love the videos and Honeylips’ explanation. Maybe I should try tonight!
[QUOTE=CatchMeIfUCan;8336461]
Which is what I did with my personal horse :winkgrin:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205325630317621&l=9b8b086177[/QUOTE]
I think roached manes look so nice and neat. Maybe next year Figs will sport the “Flattop” look. thanks for the photo and inspiration!
Okay… I practiced a little tonight… 2 questions…
1 – how are we securing the loose strands at the end of the braids, when we tuck it up into a rubber band? I cannot for the life of me get it to look good.
2 – is there an up and close anywhere of the threading the needle/sewing?
I’ll have to upload my end product… it was okay… definitely need more practice… the braids looked kind of lumpy at the end.
If I can get a helper I’ll try to make a video.
I braid down until it starts to narrow. Then I turn the loose ends UNDER and put the rubber band around the middle of the small loop that I now have. Then the nonbraided hair is i nicely tucked up under the backside of the braid.
[QUOTE=beowulf;8344630]
Okay… I practiced a little tonight… 2 questions…
1 – how are we securing the loose strands at the end of the braids, when we tuck it up into a rubber band? I cannot for the life of me get it to look good.
2 – is there an up and close anywhere of the threading the needle/sewing?
I’ll have to upload my end product… it was okay… definitely need more practice… the braids looked kind of lumpy at the end.[/QUOTE]
I use two rubber bands at the bottom and go around a few times then loop the end and go around a few more times. I cut a long piece of thread, thread the needle, double it up, tie the end in a knot, and cut the ends off very close to the knot. I start from the top and go to the bottom and then back and forth twice.
if you youtube search “diamonds in the rough plaiting” it should bring up the guide i did.
similar to honeylips by the sound of it.
problem with those cobra braids is that the mane has to be pulled to a specific thickness and length.
and they aren’t as pretty close up.
for braiders of horses other than their own, we don’t get this convenience.
The Cobra braids will only work for a few of the horses I do.
I like thick poofy dressage braids on my own horse. So cobras won’t work for my guys either.
There is an easier way to band off the braids that tucks up the lose hairs better. It makes a nice sturdy “butt” at the end of the braid. Like honeylips described. but I also sew mine up differently than catchmeifyoucan.
I do 10-12 sewn in braids plus forelock in about 25 minutes.
I’ll have to have someone video me banding one off.
[QUOTE=purplnurpl;8345424]
problem with those cobra braids is that the mane has to be pulled to a specific thickness and length.
and they aren’t as pretty close up.
for braiders of horses other than their own, we don’t get this convenience.
The Cobra braids will only work for a few of the horses I do.
I like thick poofy dressage braids on my own horse. So cobras won’t work for my guys either.
There is an easier way to band off the braids that tucks up the lose hairs better. It makes a nice sturdy “butt” at the end of the braid. Like honeylips described. but I also sew mine up differently than catchmeifyoucan.
I do 10-12 sewn in braids plus forelock in about 25 minutes.
I’ll have to have someone video me banding one off.[/QUOTE]
Am I misunderstanding? Otherwise…
?? Not at all. I can do cobra braids on any horse’s mane as long as it as at least 5 inches long.
And they ARE thick poofy braids…did you watch the vid I posted?
I don’t ever pull my horse’s mane. I prefer if other manes are NOT pulled.
And I think they are just as beautiful close up.
The other question…I don’t do anything at the bottom of the braid and I don’t have any issue with them poking through. Not sure why or why not.
[QUOTE=ThreeFigs;8336403]
I love doing Cobra braids and used RHRT’s video as my guide – though SVV’s explanation is excellent. I use waxed thread. Secure, easy in, easy out.
The only thing easier would be if I roached my horse’s mane off![/QUOTE]
Yay! Fun
[QUOTE=purplnurpl;8345424]
problem with those cobra braids is that the mane has to be pulled to a specific thickness and length.
and they aren’t as pretty close up.
for braiders of horses other than their own, we don’t get this convenience.
The Cobra braids will only work for a few of the horses I do.
I like thick poofy dressage braids on my own horse. So cobras won’t work for my guys either.
There is an easier way to band off the braids that tucks up the lose hairs better. It makes a nice sturdy “butt” at the end of the braid. Like honeylips described. but I also sew mine up differently than catchmeifyoucan.
I do 10-12 sewn in braids plus forelock in about 25 minutes.
I’ll have to have someone video me banding one off.[/QUOTE]
I had the same feeling when I saw this as right horse at the right time. I find them easier to do on all types of manes, and I can do them on super thin, too long, crazy manes. The mare that gets them has the worst mane I have ever encountered. The best mane is a thick one that does not have thin ends that is longer than you would normally have it. The one I roached has a double mane and cobras were pretty much the only option. I did more braids on him (9-10) than the bay because his mane was so thick
You can make them pretty close up - you just have to make a nice braid.
Also, if a horse tends to have flyaways, I use this creme on the hair before I braid. Another thing you can do if they are really bad throughout the braid is to zigzag a rubberband all the way down the braid. This also gives the braid more structure if you need it for a thin mane.
I usually only do 8, especially on the crappy mane. You need more hair to make them look good. Takes me 10 minutes. I can do it while someone is tacking the horse up :lol: That’s how I did the ones in the two links above. I did not use the locking creme, which explains the flyaways. I always forget to take photos when I am done!
If anyone is ever in Florida, I am happy to come and teach you how to braid!
