[hr]

We took my daughter's horse to a local show this weekend, and after we got there, I decided to throw in some quick braids, ie a few very large braids. To my surprise, he really looked good with the big braids. He has that classic old-fashioned hunter look, and these braids just went along with that look. Anyway, got me thinking that he would look really good in the old-fashioned big button braids, the ones that look like balls. Can anyone point me towards a thread here on COTH, or somewhere else that will show me how to do them?

[shadowanne]

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

[Wizard of Oz's]

The video shadowanne posted is pretty much how I do mine, except for the dancing in the arenas part, who has enough extra energy at horse shows for that?

[Celeritas]

That's how I do mine too, except get those scissors AWAY!!! Use gel or hair spray to tame the wispies, DON'T cut them if you want to keep the mane braidable!

[BAC]

I find button braids so unattractive and unflattering.

[Lori]

I LOVE button braids, especially on ponies. I am not a fan of the 100's of teeny braids look.

[PinkBoots]

I find button braids so unattractive and unflattering.

Maybe to you, but us jumpers would look a little silly with hunter braids in a GP class.
I believe the thread was asking how to do them, not what your opinion was on how they looked. Some people just find every opportunity to be negative.

[S A McKee]

Maybe to you, but us jumpers would look a little silly with hunter braids in a GP class.
I believe the thread was asking how to do them, not what your opinion was on how they looked. Some people just find every opportunity to be negative.

I'm with BAC. Button braids are ugly. If the OP is doing Hunters then button braids should be avoided at all costs, no matter what the show rating is.

Please post pics of well known US GP horses in button braids.

Oh, and I thought GP jumpers were all about performance not silly braids. With that in mind please post pics of yourself in a GP class ( with or without button braids).

[BAC]

Maybe to you, but us jumpers would look a little silly with hunter braids in a GP class.
I believe the thread was asking how to do them, not what your opinion was on how they looked. Some people just find every opportunity to be negative.

For your information, the USET jumper team horses competed for many years with what you are now calling "hunter" braids. Making a distinction between hunters and jumpers is a relatively new concept, and hunter braids are much more flattering to most horses than those fat, lumpy button braids.

[LetsRide]

What kind of braids are these?

http://vimeo.com/48756844

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doeuj...hannel&list=UL


Flexible's look a little different than Antares.

[goodlife]

Please post pics of well known US GP horses in button braids.

No dog in this fight, but here's
Reed:
http://d1engbabf2cb77.cloudfront.net...na2_080412.jpg
McLain:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/...81e7d82219.jpg
Beezie:
http://global.fncstatic.com/static/m...madden_640.jpg
Rich:
http://theequestriannews.com/wp-cont...R_Flexible.jpg

(I actually have it on good authority that Flexi goes in giant sized hunter braids that are tied like, well, normal hunter braids for lack of a better description).

There's your Olympic team in button braids.

Now back to our regularly scheduled argument-I mean-discussion.

[hr]

I absolutely love the look of good hunter braids on a hunter. But we were at a schooling show, and there was an award for best turned-out pair, and the horse and rider looked good, and I had the time, so I threw in some braids. Just didn't bother with a lot of tiny braids, did about 15 bigger hunter braids. And since he is a big TB with an old-fashioned hunter look, and he wears a breast-plate which just adds to that look, the bigger braids reminded me of old hunt scene prints. The rider wore her new shadbelly for the Derby. And they did win the best turned-out pair award!! Wish I knew how to post her photo from facebook.

[PinkBoots]

No dog in this fight, but here's
Reed:
http://d1engbabf2cb77.cloudfront.net...na2_080412.jpg
McLain:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/...81e7d82219.jpg
Beezie:
http://global.fncstatic.com/static/m...madden_640.jpg
Rich:
http://theequestriannews.com/wp-cont...R_Flexible.jpg

(I actually have it on good authority that Flexi goes in giant sized hunter braids that are tied like, well, normal hunter braids for lack of a better description).

There's your Olympic team in button braids.

Now back to our regularly scheduled argument-I mean-discussion.

Thank you!!

[laughATTACK]

Maybe to you, but us jumpers would look a little silly with hunter braids in a GP class.
I believe the thread was asking how to do them, not what your opinion was on how they looked. Some people just find every opportunity to be negative.

Idk - when Carlos Boy was still doing the GPs, I think he looked very handsome with his mane in hunter braids!

[gypsymare]

What kind of braids are these?

http://vimeo.com/48756844

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doeuj...hannel&list=UL


Flexible's look a little different than Antares.

I love button braids and think the modern style of braiding a hunter in teeny tiny braids is rather silly and over the top, but it is the current fashion.

What's even sillier is Rich Fellers facial expressions in that video. HILARIOUS! I just hope he doesn't bite off his tongue...

[BAC]

I think the braid jobs on those GP horses are unflattering, especially Antares' whose fat lumps just accentuate his thick neck. It gives the impression the braider just wanted to finish quickly and get it over with. More braids would create a much more attractive look IMO, and show off their necks much better.

[FLeventer]

I love button braids. 15 mins to do a mane, they stay in, and look flattering.

I also like large hunter braids as they are pretty quick to do and they are easy. I hate how they make some necks look. But they can make some necks quite nice. Depends on the horse.

Tiny hunter braids are tedious, unattractive on many necks, and a pain in the but to put in and take out. Takes me 45 minutes to do a full mane. I can do three full manes of button braids in that time.

I think the button braids on Antares look very attractive with his neck. Show off that handsome thick neck. Better then some of the upside down hunter necks that make me cringe. That paired with mini braids is just a nasty look.

[LS]

OP, here's a good reference book for several types of braids, including button braids.

[poltroon]

This is a book with different braiding styles:

http://www.amazon.com/Braiding-Manes.../dp/1580176992

The way I do button-like braids is to tie them in little medallions. Basically, you braid down as for a hunter, tie the braid in a knot, and then pull the yarn through like a hunter braid, tie underneath like a hunter braid, then a final tie on top.

It's a more european/british look, and you can do lots of small ones or fewer large ones.

[Addison]

Nice GOODLIFE!