Your Favorite Braids ?

[vanillabean]

I would love to see everyone's best/favorite examples of dressage braids, on any horse. Close ups would help!! I need something to aspire to with braids. Also, I need motivation to not hack my gelding's mane off :-)!
It seems like everyone does them a little differently- thin/fat/standing up/against the neck/etc. I want to see what really works!
TIA!

[honeydoozy]

Don't do it! Don't do it!

Step away from the implement... :winkgrin:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n121/honeydoozy/buttonbraids.gif

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n121/honeydoozy/Untitled-2.jpg

[mandalea]

I like button braids :)

Their not really buttons, because I fold them in half a couple of times, so they sorta look like a cross between buttons and hunter braids.

These aren't the best pictures, but they're the only ones I have.

Will get some next weekend at my CT :)

http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w222/mandaleacalico/Taffy/

[horsechica58]

This isn't my horse, or my personal braid job..but these are what I do on my horses and what kind of braids that I prefer :)

http://www.jewelbraids.com/images/kahuna_small.jpg

[caddym]

I used to be one of those hunter show braiders who ran around all night with a piles of yarn spilling off my belt.

I do dressage knots. Bascially you tie the braid in a simple not and then tuck the end around. they look really cool and stay. I'll try to find a picture.

[vanillabean]

This isn't my horse, or my personal braid job..but these are what I do on my horses and what kind of braids that I prefer :)

http://www.jewelbraids.com/images/kahuna_small.jpg

Those braids look stunning, but they also kind of look like hunter braids with tape on them? Like they are folded instead of rolled. Interesting. They really show off that horse's neck.

[vanillabean]

I used to be one of those hunter show braiders who ran around all night with a piles of yarn spilling off my belt.

I do dressage knots. Bascially you tie the braid in a simple not and then tuck the end around. they look really cool and stay. I'll try to find a picture.

Me too, and I can put hunter braids in fairly quickly, but now I feel like my dressage braids could be better. I haven't heard of knotting them, would love to see a pic.

[caddym]

I don't have any pictures of mine on the internet. I sart showing mid-may, so I'll take a picture for you then. But the braids are really easy - especially if you are used to yarn.

make a braid (dressage size, not hunter size - I use the full pulling comb as a guide.) When you are done with the braid make a loop by bringing the end up to the top (almost like you would with a pull through) then bring the short end over the top and through the loop. Then with the yarn I secure the braid and hide the ends.

I love these braids they are quick, I don't need a pull through they look REALLY COOL and they stay. I've even left them in over night and they look just as good the next day.

I've seen this type of braids in the pictures I see from europe

[anchorsaway]

I don't have any good ones up, but I ALWAYS braid with thread instead of yarn. The braids stay in better and I feel like I can pull them a lot tighter than I can with yarn. :yes:

[Rival]

Any ones I don't have to do myself! (ha ha)

[bort84]

Oh, good thread! I was going to post one like this, haha. There is quite a variety in dressage braids, and I'm kind of wondering what everyone likes best (fewer braids or more? taped or not? bigger or smaller? rounder?)

Currently, I'm sort of digging the big "cobra" type braids - only 8-9 and the braids almost create a wavy line (cobra-esque) along the neck. Like the kind Anky puts on her horses. I know some people really don't like this type though.

Oh, also, I've heard of some people using a "knot" technique instead of the double folding technique to get the buttons. Would anyone care to share some pictures of those? If I have some free time, I'd like to give them a shot.

[pintopiaffe]

I use scallop braids mostly. No real reason other than I like them.

He's a little fuzzy with winter coat here, but you get the idea:
http://www.innisfailte.com/images/dance.jpg

another, showing how the braids go more clearly:
http://www.innisfailte.com/images/braids.jpg

They tend to look like a french/running braid from a distance, but don't have the tightness/pulling out problem.

I may be frenchbraiding this year. So far I'm too lazy to pull. ;)

[JustTheTicket]

Here's a couple of examples of my work: :)

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=52142893&l=1f7b904a09&id=13961763

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=51951609&l=cb0fadffd8&id=13961763

[doccer]

I'm nostalgic... I love the taped braids...


http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=2393298675&h=uSiY2&u=T0WQ8

They can even be dressed up ;) It just happened that the show was on canada day :) so horse got to be fancy!

[Ambrey]

I use scallop braids mostly. No real reason other than I like them.

He's a little fuzzy with winter coat here, but you get the idea:
http://www.innisfailte.com/images/dance.jpg

another, showing how the braids go more clearly:
http://www.innisfailte.com/images/braids.jpg

They tend to look like a french/running braid from a distance, but don't have the tightness/pulling out problem.

I may be frenchbraiding this year. So far I'm too lazy to pull. ;)

Oh, I love those! How do you do them?

[dressagedevon]

Does anyone know if there are you tube videos of someone doing a button braid? I haven't had to do it myself for a long time, and then just did hunter braids. So I need to brush up on this. Thanks

[arbeegirl]

This is how I braid. I use rubber bands...fold the braid up, pinch the top and wrap the rubber band around making sure you have the bottom of the braid. I think I put 9-10 braids & doing it this way, it is fast. Works best if the mane is left a little longer. But not too thick.

Hopefully this link works...

http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/photo/albums/braids-1

[GreekDressageQueen]

Here's a decent youtube video. The girl gets in the way sometimes, but it's the best I could find.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq2aWYcn00I

[purplnurpl]

Problem with the braiding tape is that your horse better be 100% steady in the bridle otherwise you are just screwing yourself out of points.

[Ambrey]

What looks nicest on... really thick necks?

[spaghetti legs]

Hogging!

gotta love the trojan/war horse look.

[merrygoround]

Sorry no photos, but I like buttons, cause they are tough and stay neat. They turn out differently on differently horses. :)

[doccer]

What looks nicest on... really thick necks?

on thick necks... braids that lay flat on the neck.

Braiding can help 'fix' a horses neck lol skinny necks? braid up so it gives the illusion of a thicker neck... thick neck? braid flate on the neck so it doesn't add thickness anywhere.

Long neck? don't put alot of braids in (10-12) make the braids thicker... short neck? put in a ton of braids - illusion of longer/shorter neck.

OR mix and match to whatever you need

A good braid job can fool the eye ;)

[doccer]

Problem with the braiding tape is that your horse better be 100% steady in the bridle otherwise you are just screwing yourself out of points.

But you'll look pretty doing it :D lol

[Beasmom]

Are dressage knots also called rosettes? I've done what I call rosettes on my mare and they look spectacular. The description for doing dressage knots sounds just like the way I used to do rosettes.

[octoberine]

Any chance anyone else has photos of the "dressage knots"? I'm interested in trying them, but the description has me a little baffled and I think seeing photos would help! They sound neat, and if they stay in really well ...

[tempichange]

I do a long running braid every day:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v401/tempichange/Sinari%20Poulin%20Clinic%2008/P1030903.jpg

For short manes (few and far between) I do buttons. Sorry no photos of those.

[Beasmom]

Octoberine, I will try to remember to shoot photos of "dressage knots" (or what I think they are...) in progress. I will be braiding my gelding for the first Sunday Series at Autumn Hill and may try the "rosette" braids this time.

If you're going to be at that show, maybe we can contact each other and I can show you "in person" how I do it.

[LarkspurCO]

Goeslikestink posted a really good link to a video on plaiting with bands. The groom shows exactly how do a beautiful job without thread or yarn.

http://www.horsehero.com/1180/competition-turnout-and-travel/1716

She also has some other links on plaiting and braiding on her links page:

http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=178116

[unbridledoaks]

I like the button braids :)

[mandalea]

What looks nicest on... really thick necks?

On The Pony, when schooling, or at a schooling show, we do a french braid, making sure it stays along the crest, and doesn't taper down, to keep her mane out of the way (thick and long), and for recognized shows, we do about 7 - 9 big fat buttons. Little ones make her neck look even bigger, which we don't want, and supper massive ones look odd.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w222/mandaleacalico/Libby/P3290264.jpg?t=1240827386

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w222/mandaleacalico/Libby/P3290267.jpg?t=1240827472

(Haven't got any of buttons, but will have on saturday :))