Do you braid for a one day?

[runNjump86]

Either an event that was always scheduled as a one day, or an event that was changed to a one day?

I’m not the best at braiding and for some reason I have a mental block about it…it makes me nervous to do so. So I just pay someone to braid. My horse isn’t a huge fan but tolerates it well with the exception of his forelock. If it’s not tight enough he tosses his head. If it’s too tight he pins his ears and makes ugly faces, so lose-lose. At our recent show I paid one of the younger girls to brain my horse. Poor thing spent 40 minutes braiding just to pull them out ten minutes after our ride. I truly don’t see the point. While I get that it’s tradition and all, my horse is well-groomed and shiny (although he’s usually sweaty by the time we ride as he’s a Super Sweater), my tack is spotless, and I’m always turned out appropriately. Would not braiding for a one day truly be such a terrible thing?

[bornfreenowexpensive]

unfortunately most braid…especially for Prelim and up. I’m less consistent at Training level but you will find that most are braided. So it depends on how comfortable you are being the odd one out. I’m fine with it. I just keep their mane short.

Below that…it depends on the show. Some most will be braided…others not. I love the shows that discourage braiding.

I think it’s one of the reasons most eventers get good at braiding…and not putting in a lot of braids! But it is one tradition that I’d be happy to see gone!

[beowulf]

I used to hate braiding but I just started doing it once or twice a week, after every ride in the summer (when I had more free time).

I enjoy it now, so I do like to braid for shows. I don’t judge people that don’t but I do like my guy to be turned out to the hilt… I figure I am paying (and paid) so much dang money to get to that point that I better look our best, if I can.

[Lusoluv]

I don’t braid for a one day show.

[Larbear]

@runNjump86

I paid one of the younger girls to brain my horse. Poor thing spent 40 minutes braiding just to pull them out ten minutes after our ride. I truly don’t see the point.

This is why I no longer braid…I roach (it’s a long roach) my horse’s mane. I think it looks neat and tidy, less stress to the horse and a hell of a time saver :D.

When I used to braid (and my braids were pretty good) I used to challenge myself to see how few braids I could get away with. :lol:

[Jealoushe]

We pretty much only have one day shows here, I always braid. It takes not even 20 minutes, and I love how it shows off their neck and completes the look.

[Rnichols]

I’m doing a one day in September and was wondering the same thing. I think it looks much more neat and polished. But I can’t braid worth a darn - between working 40+ hours a week and being a new mom, I can barely fit in the time to tack up, ride and put my horse away…let alone practicing braiding. Honestly I would be quite content if it became the “norm” to not braid, especially for the lower levels.

I’m going to fork out the money to pay one of the girls to braid at the one day. ONLY because my coach might rip me a new one if I showed up to dressage warm up unbraided.

[Janet]

At Training and below, I only braid for championships.

[soloudinhere]

I braid for everything. It takes maybe 20 minutes and really conveys that you put some effort in instead of just showing up.

[CorazonLock]

I’m running Roebke’s Run in 2 weeks, a one day, at starter level and I’m not braiding. Neither is my friend. We simply don’t have the time the day before because of work, and at that low of a level and going for the experience, I feel like braiding is frivolous. However, I probably will try to braid for BN if it’s a two day.

[tbchick84]

Unless I can braid the day of the show, which is almost never, I don’t bother anymore. My horse rubs them out overnight and they look like complete frayed crap once I put them back together. It looks better if he just has a nicely pulled mane.

[Lord_Helpus]

At an unrecognized event and if you are competing lower than Prelim, there is no need to braid.

[Highflyer]

For recognized events I usually do. I braid with rubber bands and often skip the forelock, especially if I’m using a bonnet. It really does only take about 20 minutes, even with a super thick mane.

[Beam_Me_Up]

Never for unrecognized events, usually for recognized, but I have skipped some N/T braids when my schedule was challenged.

[Mango20]

I do not. I never will for unrecognized. We went to two recognized at training this spring. At the first one, I didn’t see anyone else in the dressage warmup without braids. I was a little self-conscious about it. At the second one, it was pouring rain, so I didn’t really notice. There were several riders wearing raincoats or something other than a traditional jacket while riding their dressage tests, though.

[bambam]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Actually “I” don’t ever do it- if I can easily get one of my awesome friends to do it, sure, I like how it looks but if not, oh well, no biggie. Not worth stressing about IMO.

[mountainhorse]

Yes, braid. Practice it consistently until you can get it done correctly (the right tightness) and quickly. Don’t leave it until the show to get it done-try braiding every time you ride until you get it down.

[Cheap_Trick]

@Larbear

This is why I no longer braid…I roach (it’s a long roach) my horse’s mane. I think it looks neat and tidy, less stress to the horse and a hell of a time saver :D.

YES! I love the look of a nicely roached mane. Not all horses can rock the look, but luckily my guy looks especially handsome roached.

[asterix]

For those of you who say it takes 20 minutes or to “practice” until you are good at it…gotta say, I am a grownup running a nonprofit startup and I DO NOT have spare time to learn to braid. If I had learned when I should have, then, yes, I’d probably do it. But it takes me forever and looks pretty ratty. My horse is rocking a fabulous long roach and it suits him very well.
I LOVE not having to either pull or braid. I plan to show recognized dressage probably later this year and my dq friend informs me that I will definitely stand out, but that there are horses showing at higher levels than I ever will with roached manes.

[Badger]

If you don’t braid, please have your horse’s mane plenty short and tidy. I scribe a ton and judges have commented off-the-record how distracting a too-long unbraided mane is. It definitely stands out and looks sloppy and unprofessional and lackadaisical compared to the majority of competitors who are making the effort. Not the impression you want to give. A super short or roached mane still can give a tidy impression, a long mane bouncing and flopping does not.