Help! I need instructions for a super easy forelock braid. Huge red mare is not interested in watching me struggle to do nice French forelock braid.
Her forelock is long and thick and I’m not pulling it.
Any and all tips and “recepies” appreciated.
Just do a normal braid. The braid police won’t notice 
Do a normal braid, not too tight. Fairly soon before riding and take it out afterwards, just in case it causes a headache.
Put a fly bonnet on her.
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The easiest forelock braid is a fly bonnet. 
I cannot French braid to save my life, so I just do a little regular braid, twist it together, add a bonnet, and voila!
(Until I have to take the bonnet off for the TD and then have the walk of shame back to the barn with his little fluffy nub sticking out. But I’ve learned to live with it…)
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I don’t braid and do a bonnet most of the time - last show my mare had something weird going on with her left ear (I suspect water in it at her bath, and it just irritated her all weekend) so I did a 2 minute french braid. I agree that from your description a plain 3 strand braid should work just fine. My mare has too many fuzzies so the french braid is necessary on her - but otherwise I’d go plain braid when braiding, too.
My gelding has a very long and somewhat thick forelock. I french braid the top just using the outside hairs, then gather it all and regular braid the tail. Then I fold that braid in half and tuck it underneath. It’s not quite as neat as I’d like yet, but hopefully will get better with practice.
I think a lot of them look kinda goofy with the forelock braided so I just leave mine loose most of the time. Brush it and tuck it under the browband to keep it neat.
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Well, I have taken the fly bonnet route lately. But another easy fix is do a regular 3-strand braid. Then roll it up in a ball (from the underside) and push a bobby pin up through the center and bend out the ends. It’ll look like a nice fat button braid, all neat and tidy
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I don’t mind it loose (even though people say it’s a stallion thing), but under the browband looks funny to me.
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So I was always taught that a braided mane and unbraided forelock was to indicate that the horse was a stallion. I always give these horses plenty of space in the warm up (at recognized shows, when they are usually braided).
That is not to say that you can’t or shouldn’t do this. Heck, you may even get more space in the warm up!
Cut the bridle path further forward (/make it longer–forward) to make the forelock thinner… In addition to any of the above options.
You could get a bunch of dippity do and plaster it so the forelock faces backwards toward the normal mane (it could be incorporated into your regular braids. Then just make up a fake little forelock braid from her mane or tail that you can glue to where the forelock braid should go. Ha ha. Well just a thought.
Traditionally, yes. But there are no rules around it so I say do what you like! FWIW the horse I left unbraided had been gelded late so he did look quite stallion-y! LOL
Opposite problem here…both of the PRE geldings I show have thick manes and tails but wispy thin forelock hair. I don’t braid it and push it ,to one side under the bridle piece
Did a test run yesterday… mare was very patient but I am cheap at braiding
Mukluk- I have always thought that Velcro Braids would be a great invention- hog the mane and just add the braids before the show! Easy Peasy!
Silly auto correct that was meant to say crappy not cheap
LOL Click on the 3 dots on the right side below your post and you can edit.
If you want a roached mane, it is perfectly legal (and even looks reasonably neat) to just go into the ring that way. No need to do Velcro braids. I have seen it done.
