Is there a 'neatness' rule for USEF dressage shows?

[ram10]

I had to choose between time spent braiding vs warm up at a recent show – we were doing Opportunity classes, so no points to be gained so we skipped braiding for the first class. The judge noted the lack of braids in the comments box on the test. There is no rule that says that braids are required but he wrote that there a ‘neatness’ rule. I could not find it and was just curious if this rule really exists. Any ideas? The mane was a bit long and flew about but other than that, the horse was well-turned out.

Thanks.

[Dressage_Art]

No, there is no such points and you can show without braiding the mane. Judge’s comments were out of line that time, her/his personal bias. Next time, try a different judge.

[fooler]

This is the only ‘neatness’ rule I found in a quick search:
General Rules - GR801 Section 1
CHAPTER 8
CONDUCT OF LICENSED COMPETITIONS
SUBCHAPTER 8-A ATTIRE AND EQUIPMENT.
GR801 Dress.

1. It is the tradition of the competition ring that riders and drivers be correctly attired for the class in question, that attendants be neatly dressed and horses be properly presented.

However under Dressage Rules the only mention of braiding is:
DR121 Saddlery and Equipment.
Last three sentences under Section 7
. . .Any decoration of the horse with extravagant items, such as ribbons or flowers, etc. in the mane, tail, etc., is strictly forbidden. Braiding of the horse’s mane and tail, however, is permitted. False tails are permitted
and if used may not contain any metal parts.

Italics are mine.

I did not check the FEI rules, which override USEF rules.

Edited to add under SUBCHAPTER DR-2 DRESSAGE SPORT HORSE BREEDING. I found this rule:
DR206 Equipment and Turn Out.

1. Braiding is optional.

[SillyHorse]

@Dressage Art;5086533

No, there is no such points and you can show without braiding the mane. Judge’s comments were out of line that time, her/his personal bias. Next time, try a different judge.

Ditto. The judge was way off base with that remark. I would let show management know the reason I wouldn’t be entering another of their shows if that person was judging. Most show managers want to know about this kind of stuff.

[alibi_18]

In Canada Dressage rules:

ARTICLE E 4.1.10 BRAIDING MANES
Manes should be braided.
• White or black braiding tape is permitted.
• White, black or brown thread/wool/elastic bands are permitted.
• Any decoration of the horse with extravagant items, such as
ribbons or flowers, etc. in the mane and tail, etc., is strictly
forbidden.

[ram10]

Thanks Fooler. She/he must have been talking about the ‘General Rule’ and I only looked in Dressage Rules. I wasn’t actually riding and was part of management. The person riding my horse won’t ever ride for this judge again altho you can’t always pick who you ride for a a multi-judge show. The horse rode later in the day for the same judge and did, to my eye, a fairly similar test and got a 7 point higher score. So despite the judge telling me that she/he didn’t count down for turn-out, I think she/he did. I will admit that the mane could have been neater if we weren’t going to braid. We just ran out of time!

Thanks for the feed back.

[doccer]

that sucks that you didnt have time to braid … Good on the judge for saying something :yes:

Unless she marked you down points in your test (which would’ve been a reason to be upset)… that is completely a judges discretion to mention braiding.

It’s an unwritten rule i guess… you’re at a show… you braid lol hell, i braid for schooling shows and events too (where else do you learn right)

but to the OP you dont sound do upset about it… and neither would i. One class sans braids wont kill one judge :yes:

[pintopiaffe]

There’s not braided, and then there’s bohemian loose mane…

Many breeds show with a long, full mane.

I think short and neat is one thing, but otherwise, braid or roach.

I ADORED the season my stallion was roached. NO braiding time. And I love braiding, and actually used to do it for a living when younger. But in the fall, it doesn’t even get LIGHT out until 0630 or so… I loved not having to get up early and braid in the dark.

It would never occur to me to braid at a showground in such a way that I would have to choose between braiding & warmup. Either at 00:dark:30 if we’re staying over, or at home before we leave if we’re trailering in. I guess except maybe a french braid, which I do put in at the last minute so the horse isn’t too uncomfortable for too long.

As to a ‘rule?’ The unwritten rule is you never get a second chance to make a first impression. And yes, judging is subjective, “impressions” do count.

[oldenmare]

Having scribed for literally hundreds over hours over the past 10 years (last count was 300+ - many of those put in at regional championships) - I have only seen one or two judges comment on a less-than-desirable turnout.

Those comments were 100% because the turnout was DISTRACTING from the ride.

One time was when the horse was brought in still muddy - obviously had not been groomed - for a championship class. Right…

Second was when rider’s hair was flying all around her head - and it was very distracting AND emphasized the bouncing of her head and rest of her position issues.

SOOOOOOOO - my guess is that if the judge felt compelled to mention it - then you should take note.

Of course - that is free advice with no strings attached, so you are welcome to do with it as you please.

[ram10]

It’s not as if we planned to not have enough time to braid but things happen sometimes. Mostly I was just interested in the existence of the neatness rule as the TD said there wasn’t, the judge wrote that there was and others in the office commented that her/his comments were a bit harsh.

I was not upset, just a compulsive rule follower and I knew there was no braiding rule. And I won’t show in front of that judge without braids!

[bossmare18]

I can guess who worte the comment. That particular judge has several of those types of things, that aren’t against the rules, but to that judge it is considered rude. They can take off points however they please. If you had harsh comments from that judge, you should have seen my test from that judge a couple of weeks ago. This time that judge was much kinder in comments, although my horse was much more relaxed.

It is not required that we braid our horses. I always do as it is part of showing at recognized shows. I have considered growing my horses mane out, as it is gorgeous. However, I don’t want to do anything that can cost us points. We already stand out for color reasons.

I have personally known someone who had an early ride time at a Raleigh show several years ago and didn’t have time to braid. No comment was made by the judge. She scored well over 70%. Training level high score for the show for that ride. She did braid after that class, before her next ride.

[CHT]

Was it an international judge? Perhaps were they are from, or at the shows they are used to judging, braiding is more of a requirement.

Everyone braids or roaches at the Gold shows around here. Some didn’t braid at the last Bronze/Schooling show, but they stood out as being slightly sloppy. Braiding was by far the norm.

I mention this as i was in a show with a US judge who was not familiar with some of the rule differences between Canada and the US and is caused some confusion when the freestyle music malfuntionned!

[pintopiaffe]

Sorry, of COURSE you didn’t mean to have that kind of conflict.

I was more musing on the days when I as a braider would arrive at the barn at 02:30 or so, to get four or five horses done before the trailer left at 0530.

I actually had never heard of braiding at day shows until posting here. It just wasn’t anything we ever did. Other than maybe throwing a tail in.

I didn’t mean to type it that way. :lol:

[meupatdoes]

[QUOTE=ram10;5087168]
It’s not as if we planned to not have enough time to braid but things happen sometimes.[/QUOTE]

Haha, don’t sweat it.
I also try to braid for EVERY show but the key word there is “try”.
Sometimes it’s not in the cards.

On the days it isn’t, I forgive myself by remembering the time I got up at 4:30 in the dead of winter to braid, with fingers positively ACHING with cold and barely able to see the mane for the frozen fog of my breath, TWO horses in 40+ hunter braids EACH for a stupid-a$$ local show, only to receive a phone call from show management just as we were putting the ramp up that the show had been cancelled due to excessive ice in their driveway. My literal response was, “WHAT?!! I JUST BRAIDED TWO HORSES.”

I am sure you have a braiding karma story you can turn to to comfort yourself on your off days and hang any judge who tries to gripe about it. If not you are welcome to borrow mine, I think there is enough braiding karma there to last a few people. :lol:

[quietann]

sympathies to all with tales of braiding woe. My mare (a Morgan) has a long, full mane as is traditional for the breed*** so I do a running or French braid. If you’ve never done a French braid, they are quick (10 to 15 minutes) and pretty easy…

…until your horse decides that it MUST have that tasty bite of grass and puts its head down, and the braid mostly falls out. Happened to me during warm-up for our first recognized show, and like the OP, I chose more warm-up over braiding and showed her with only the first third of her mane braided. (like this.)

In any case, I will braid for a recognized show, always… and at this point, assuming we ever get back to showing, her mane is long enough that it would interfere with the reins if I didn’t braid it.

*** However, I went to a Morgan breed show recently and was surprised at how very, very few horses had a long, full mane. Most of the “hunter pleasure” horses had short, pulled manes in hunter braids. Yes, a long, full mane can be a PITA, but but but …

[leilatigress]

DD has been showing at SCHOOLING SHOWS all summer and pony has not been braided once. I was told it is a HUGE no no for the Intro A&B KIDS to have their pony/horse main braided. Adults can or not depending on their mount’s mane.

[joiedevie99]

[QUOTE=leilatigress;5088254]
DD has been showing at SCHOOLING SHOWS all summer and pony has not been braided once. I was told it is a HUGE no no for the Intro A&B KIDS to have their pony/horse main braided. Adults can or not depending on their mount’s mane.[/QUOTE]

I’m sure it varies greatly depending on the schooling show and area. Around here, I rarely see an unbraided horse at a schooling show (even kids in intro) or clinic, and certainly never at a rated show.

[meupatdoes]

[QUOTE=leilatigress;5088254]
DD has been showing at SCHOOLING SHOWS all summer and pony has not been braided once. I was told it is a HUGE no no for the Intro A&B KIDS to have their pony/horse main braided. Adults can or not depending on their mount’s mane.[/QUOTE]

This “huge no no” generally comes from the other parents, who don’t feel like braiding but would feel shown up if somebody else actually did, so rather getting up a little earlier on show day or just telling their little pumpkin to deal with the fact that other people might be braided even if pumpkin’s pony is not, they tell the other parents that braiding is a huge no no.

When in fact the judge will not care either way.

[doccer]

@meupatdoes;5088412

When in fact the judge will not care either way.

point in case the judge DOES care :yes:

ps - to the op shit happens, it’s all good. If i ever show near you, we can share a bottle of wine

[oldernewbie]

Braiding optional at schooling shows and clinics in my neck of the woods. I would never go unbraided at a recognized show, but was in the same situation as the OP at a schooling show earlier this year and showed my Arab with mane flowing. Nary a comment. Braided him for his second class 'cause we had the time.

Granted, there are schooling shows and then there are schooling shows - if I were going to a bigger, fancier one I would expect to see most of the horses braided. But, I haven’t been to a fancier one yet, so can’t comment on the reality. That’s next year’s project!