Braiding

[PaulaM]

OK, this is just to satisfy my own curiosity. When do you braid your horses mane? For any show, only for recognized shows, never, depends on your mood? Oh, if you did pick "Other" please explain.

[rugbygirl]

For recognized shows, I have to suck it up and make a million button braids. On a double mane. Ugh. Looks OK.

For fun or schooling shows, running braid with excessive hair gel to make it stay in.

For clinics or lessons, just leave it loose in summer, but I braid it into big chunky working braids in winter to reduce sweating under her winter coat.

[TBrescue]

I braid for shows only, not clinics.

[Anselcat]

Never. It's roached, and it's beautiful.

I do braid his forelock for all recognized, and some schooling, shows.

[TobySocks]

other. my friesian-X's long mane is always braided when I ride, actually it's just pretty much always braided period ;)

[FriesianX]

Well, my FriesianX has a long mane, so I french braid it all the time - it is a quick, easy thing to do. And the darn thing is so long, if I DON'T braid it, there is hair everywhere - and especially when we're working in the double, the last thing I want is to have hair in my hands too ;) I'll admit, I have roached a few horse's manes in the past, and that was REALLY easy, no fuss, no muss, no braids :D

[laurabug]

i braid for any show i go to, even if it's just a schooling show. it just looks more professional that way. and i usually get up real early in the morning to do it so i dont have to redo braids as often. but for clinics or lessons i don't bother.

[quietann]

Not there yet, but I plan to braid Feronia's mane for any show we attend. She has a full Morgan mane so I will need to explore my options... the French braid comes out too easily; I could try a crest braid or even scallop braids on her.

[AccidentsJustHappen]

i braid for every show. I think it gives you that look. I am big into showing respect to the judge, your trainer, and your horse and in my opinion there is no better way to show your respect by going the extra mile and braiding, it shows that you are taking the show and their time seriously. Even if its a training or fun show.

[Sancudo]

I braid for any show- even at schooling, b/c they usually have photographers, and I might want a nice pic for an ad or something.

[merrygoround]

Only with a gun to my head for recognized shows. .........dealing with a double mane takes way tooo many aspirin and so many buttons that I feel I'm way back in the 1800's. :( :(

[exvet]

I braid for every recognized show and those clinics where it is stated that it's required. I have also roached my horse's mane in order to get out of braiding. Of course when I braid for shows, it's not just one horse, usually at least 2-3.

[Coneleganta]

Only for recognized shows. I have never braided for a schooling show (ones around here are really for schooling young horses or green riders, not actually a competitive environment.) and I have never in my life audited/ridden in a clinic with braided horses... unless it was a demo or something...

[exvet]

and I have never in my life audited/ridden in a clinic with braided horses...

It was required in the USDF Adult Clinic series that I rode in. It was also required in the GMO sponsored clinics that I've ridden in. The riders have been given dress codes to abide by for both horse and rider in some of the "bigger" name clinics and/or organization sponsored clinics/symposiums. Trust me if it had not been required my horse would have gone in au naturale.

[Sabovee]

Never. It's roached, and it's beautiful.

I do braid his forelock for all recognized, and some schooling, shows.

Word.

All of my horses are roached. I braid their forelocks for all clinic and any shows. :)

[J-Lu]

At symposia and such at our barn, everyone braids. At bigger name clinics at our barn, many riders braid their horses to look neat. At more regular clinics, I guess the scent comes off the rose and almost no one braids. :)

That said, I was once given a, umm, polite talking to by a GP level clinician about what would be the expected turnout at his clinics (he took me aside). He never said "you should do this", he said "this is what is expected and what most people do", and it included braided or at least very very neatly pulled mane.

[J-Lu]

Word.

All of my horses are roached. I braid their forelocks for all clinic and any shows. :)

ditto. nice to have those extra hours on the Friday before the show or the day of the clinic. :)

[jcotton]

I braid & tape for each day of show, take it out after last ride of day. Next day, re-braid & tape. Regardless of 2-day show or 3 or 4-day, such as championships.

[kahjul]

For any show, but never for a clinic.

[SillyHorse]

Never for schooling shows or clinics, but for recognized shows, yes, because I think my trainer might have kittens if we tried to go unbraided. :lol:

[unbridledoaks]

I'm different :) I enjoy braiding, I braid for eveything really, even for sale photos.... LOL!! My friends are always entertained needless to say.... :lol:

[neVar]

usually not schooling shows (though truthfully i don't do em on texas so that's why *L*)

Clinics- depends- if it's a symposium style (aka cindy coming up) then i DO.... but it depends on his mane- i probably won't this year- he's rubbed out the bottom half of it!

[flypony74]

Braid for recognized shows only.

[whitewolfe001]

I braid for everything... recognized show, schooling show, clinic. I rather enjoy braiding, I guess I can understand if people don't want to do it if they hate it.

There is no way I'm going to spend so much time, effort and money on horse endeavours and not put my best foot forward. You can't have a second chance at making a first impression.

[Kimberlee]

I braid for shows, and tend to do rubber band braids for clinics. It shows off the horse show much, and then you can use a clinic video for a sale video.

[FEIwannabe]

Never - my mare's mane is roached :winkgrin: