Braided tail without the braided mane?

[Dakotawyatt]

So, doing my FIRST show in 13 years this weekend! It's a local show, but it's at the GA Int'l Horse Park, which is a super nice facility. I'm showing in one jumper class, and a hunter division. I've seen braided manes without the tails, but is it stupid to do a braided tail without the mane? Reason being, I'm pretty darn good at the tail ... the mane, I haven't done in a LONG time, AND I used scissors to shorten it instead of pulling, because my boy does NOT enjoy a mane pulling. Really want to look sharp since I don't know how many of these I'll get to! Opinions?:winkgrin:

[valencia]

I think that would look kind of dumb, personally. Sorry haha.

[Rescue_Rider9]

Think about how silly somone would look with a super nice ready to go to a christmas gala dress on and then there hair looking like a rats nest....

[superpony123]

HUGE no-no! just wait for the mane to be braidable again, and then go ahead and braid both mane and tail. but until then, it's a huge no to have a tail braid without mane braid. and it does look a little silly.

[joiedevie99]

Yup- braided tail without mane is a definite no-no. Even cut manes are braidable- so long as it isn't miles thick. In fact, a cut mane will probably look better braided than left loose. In the future, there are plenty of good ways to shorten manes on horses that you can't pull. I've been pretty successful with a pulling comb and clippers. However, most prefer thinning scissors or those mane combs with built in razor blades. No need to resort to scissors.

[lauriep]

Most horses don't enjoy a mane pulling, but ya know what? It is something that a hunter has to deal with. Any braider will tell you that it is nearly impossible to put in nice braids if the mane is blunt. And most of the shorten only tools leave it somewhat blunt. If you have enough length to pull it, that would be best. If it is thick, it is the only way, IMO. If it is thin, you can get away with just shortening it, IF you can get the ends tapered as if it was pulled.

But no, never unbraided mane and braided tail!

[relocatedTXjumpr]

Dude, stopping stressing over it!!! You're giving yourself waaaay to much to worry about!

Plus, I don't want to have to get up at 3am so we can have him braided for his first class!

[Across Sicily]

No!! If you are going to do anything, leave it all unbraided. Braiding just the tail is a HUGE faux pas.

Braiding with blunt ends is NOT that hard... I do it all the time. Use some Quik Braid and you are good to go.

[Ready2Ride]

awe, this is disapointing :(
I was wanting to do the same with my haflinger. one of the Haflinger breed traits is the long usually double flaxen mane, so I keep all of mine natural. I know some haflinger owners do running braids or the diamond braids, but I really like it all loose and flowing, although I do put it all on one side just for shows. So for a haflinger in an open show would it still be a faux pas to braid only the tail and leave the mane loose?
here's a pic, it's actually quite a bit longer now, and usually not as messy looking and whiter for shows. lol
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh42/flyingd/Masters%20Highlight%20and%20Misty/Successsmall.jpg

so yay or nay to the braided tail and loose mane if otherwise she is clipped and cleaned nice and not looking like a pasture potato.

[Noctis]

HUGE HUGE HUGE Faux Pas....No matter HOW small the show...

[joiedevie99]

Nope- not on the Haflinger either. Never braid tail unless mane is braided. Personally, I think a long mane left loose is a faux pas in any non-breed show. It distracts from the clean, neat appearance that is required. Put a running braid in so the judge can actually see the horse and rider instead of a puff of hair that flaps at the canter.

[tullio]

I was always taught that you braided the tail only when the mane was braided. However, I feel your pain - even when I showed a lot more, I was really only passably good at manes. But...I do really great tails (I think it's my short attention span.... oh look, a butterfly!)

The solution I found is to trade with someone else (preferably someone good at manes!) - they do manes, you do tails.

Failing that, if you still want to braid the tail, start practicing those mane braids ;) Good luck and enjoy the show!

[TheOneandOnly]

Personally I would get a good laugh if I saw that around here. And I think if you tried it you would find yourself getting quite a few funny looks. Let it all go for this show and start working on that mane even if it means a little ace or a twitch.

[klmck63]

awe, this is disapointing :(
I was wanting to do the same with my haflinger. one of the Haflinger breed traits is the long usually double flaxen mane, so I keep all of mine natural. I know some haflinger owners do running braids or the diamond braids, but I really like it all loose and flowing, although I do put it all on one side just for shows. So for a haflinger in an open show would it still be a faux pax to braid only the tail and leave the mane loose?
here's a pic, it's actually quite a bit longer now, and usually not as messy looking and whiter for shows. lol
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh42/flyingd/Masters%20Highlight%20and%20Misty/Successsmall.jpg

so yay or nay to the braided tail and loose mane if otherwise she is clipped and cleaned nice and not looking like a pasture potato.


The kid on the haflinger is super cute and well turned out and the horse should be too. Clip his fetlocks for starters. If you AREN'T doing and breed shows with him you should really probably pull his mane (or use those thinning sheers to give it the pulled look) and braid it for shows, small or not. If the show is big enough to require show clothes instead of schooling attire then it's big enough to braid for. If you do breed shows as well then you should probably do a running braid and braid the forelock for any h/j shows you go to. That being said a running braid and a braided tail would look pretty silly as well.

NO braided tail without the mane in proper hunter braids and the fetlock/muzzle etc. clipped. A braided tail is the 'polish' on an otherwise perfectly turned out horse so adding the polish without doing the rest of the turnout looks goofy.

[Ready2Ride]

thank you! she is clipped now. I had left her fetlocks because I was mistakenly told that the feathers was one of the haflinger breed traits and should be left- that is untrue, so now they're gone. We do the haflinger breed shows, so the mane will have to stay long. I will try braiding the mane for her next show. They are just small unrated shows. Not very many braided horses. I guess I won't be braiding her tail anytime soon. lol
glad I found out here. I'm learning as we go!

[bizbachfan]

to Original Poster: I wish we could trade I am great at manes terrible at tails. I would use a razor comb and thin it out and then Quik braid as suggested. You can also pay someone. Otherwise leave both unbraided. I don't like the look of cut mane, try pulling it enough to make it look more natural if you can. Have fun!

[PonyHunter70]

So, doing my FIRST show in 13 years this weekend! It's a local show, but it's at the GA Int'l Horse Park, which is a super nice facility.
Yes, its at GIHP, but it is still locally rated, so no one will be braided anyway. No need to worry about braiding.:cool:

[Jsalem]

In a word... NO

Have fun at the show!

[toomanymares]

A braided tail without a braided mane is not the way to go. If you're uncomfortable braiding the mane, just neaten it up and make sure it lays flat. That is totally acceptable for a nice local show. Practice your braiding and try not to cut your horse's mane. Other posters had great tips for this. Good luck at your show and let us know how you do!

[Dakotawyatt]

Lol, thanks guys! I won't braid the tail, promise!:winkgrin: No worries on the mane, I'm good at doing the cut thing to make it look pulled; I use the scissors like you use a razor, so no blunt ends on my boy! It's nice and short, every long hair or whisker has been removed, and he's getting a nice, thorough bath tomorrow after schooling. Cleaned and spit shined everything leather tonight, so I think we're ready to go. In the mean time before our next show, I will practice mane braiding so next time we can be rocking the braids.:yes: I'd rather not do it all if it's not perfect ... thanks for the advice!!!

[bizbachfan]

good idea, most judges say braid perfectly or not at all, good luck and have fun