French braid/running braid help.....

[lorilu]

HI all. I use a french braid for showing. Bravo has a wonderful mane, not too thick, and about 8 inches long - except right in the middle of his neck. Really thick there and TWO cowlicks also! The braid always come loose right there - whether I add from the top, the bottom, or both… and I DO pull everything tight, I DO have my hands working over the very top of his neck… I DO use QuickBraid (and never wash before braiding, and never anything slick). I DO tie him short after braiding, but as soon as we begin work, it loosens (and not because of over bent or overly deep warmup, either).
I almost wonder if there is a way to add a rubber band in the middle, or to sew a piece of yarn into the braid after it’s done, or just add yarn into the braid in that area to add more “bite”?
Has anyone added a second row in just one area of a braid?

Anyone have a secret to share? TIA

[RedHorses]

Yes, you can add yarn to help stabilize the French braid. But do recognize that the middle of the neck has a large amount of telescoping going in normal movement and if you manage to create a tight, unslippable braid it is likely to irritate your horse.

Experiment - perhaps short sections of French braid (4-6") tied of and using the tail as one of the three sections of hair to start the next braid would keep things looking tighter. Or tie yarn round the braid every 4-6" after you finish. Or do it a bit looser through the middle of his neck and tie with yarn in several places.

[Anna.m]

Instead of yearn I would suggest a waxed braiding thread. It will grip and hold the hair better. Also extra firm hold hairspray. I will braid and hairspray, then after the competition I will rinse all the hairspray and quick braid out of the mane.
You can also thin that section of mane if it is too thick. If you don’t want to pull it, use thinning shears.

[lorilu]

Thanks to both of you. Had not thought of tying off then adding the tail into a new section of braid. And waxed thread - of course. Makes sense.

[MzCarol]

I have two horses with long manes - one is extreeeeemely thick and the other is more thin. This is the braid style I use and it works really well because since the braids are interlocking they don’t have to be as tight. Super easy to do…

First braid…braid about 1/4 of the hair. Band. Use hook to pull tail up through top middle of braid (at crest). Now you have a ‘tail’ from that braid. Go to braid #2. split hair into 3 sections. To the middle section, add the ‘tail’ from the previous braid and then braid 1/4 of the length like before. Pull tail up through again and that tail becomes part of braid #3.

It looks super beautiful. Some horses, no matter what you use, have slick hair and braids just don’t stay tight. This works great as, I said before, they are interlocking so don’t pull loose.