My turn for a stupid question........

[sk_pacer]

WTF is with those 4-5 fugly clunky braids that people put in manes now? They ain’t pretty and sure look like they would get in the way but riders seem proud enough of them to add a ridiculous bow. Which leads to why do people braid the tail into a rat tail from the end of the tailbone on? Looks stupid and dangerous. And the last one - why don’t people use mud knots anymore, particularly barrel racers since a tail can pick up 20 pounds or more of mud in a wet arena? All questions prompted by Stampede, and the mud knot by so many riders from arena personnel to barred racers and ropers plowing through that slop with the poor horses’ tails dragging through that crap. At least one of the Stampede staff had a horse with so much mud in its tail that it was clamped tight by the weight.

When I chased cans, tails were tied up in the mud. We still tie tails in the mud when we race. It seems people have either forgotten how much mud and water weight a tail can hold or just dont give a rats ass anumore or love washing muddy tails. I think probably the middle option, since the few oldtimers that were around the arena did stop to tie tails before it went from wet to slop.

[Trakehner]

They can keep long manes from interfering with the rein handling, make it easier to find ticks on the neck. Or, some of us like the look of a braided mane but don’t want to bother with small braids.

I call em’ “Buckwheat Braids”…Otay!

[Wellspotted]

I think the current phrase is “dreadlocks.”

I would dread getting hit in the face by a row of them!:lol:

[SuckerForHorses]

I braid in the larger braids so my horse’s mass of a mane doesn’t get in the way of the reins during schooling work in the ring (or running barrels). I do the larger ones because it takes less time, and I think the little ones get in the way just as much as a non-braided mane because there are so many its just like a regular mane.

I don’t do anything with the tails.

[Gnalli]

For our association, braided tails are a no no. Don’t know why, but the speed horses are not allowed to have braided tails at all.

[altermeup]

I want to learn to do a mud knot, but don’t know how. I’ve braided and folded the tail up in mud, seems to work. Big clunky braids are easy, keep me from grabbing a handful of mane when I get my reins, and doesn’t fly up like loose hair will.

[LJStarkey]

Are you talking about roper braids?

They’re to keep the mane out of the reins, rope and keeper. Barrel racers like them, too, because again, they keep the mane out of the reins.

[sk_pacer]

Roper braids, huh?? I remember when ropers all roached the manes or at least kept them short, same with tails, always hock length. I still think the braids look weird. Guess that’s because i am old!!!ROFL

altermeup - ask and ye shall receive. Split the tail at the end of the tail bone, tie an overhand knot, and above the knot, wrap each half of the tail around the tailbone, one half going clockwise, the other anti-clockwise. When you reach to where you have a 8-10 inches of hair left, pull it all together and split into three and do a common braid right to the end. Tie another overhand knot in that last bit of hair (don’t worry, it comes undone easy) and feed the braid into the wrappings, making a couple of turns through. It SHOULD stay without any help but until you get lots of practice, give it a couple of zorches of black tape to hold everything in place.

One day, if I can get someone to manage the camera, and it ain’t 900° in the shade, will tie the old man up, and do a mudknot with pics.