(Almost) no forelock: plaiting ideas?

[spookypony]

Finally starting to think about getting the Ballerina Mare out to some dressage again: I had trouble sitting to the canter for a long time due to a hip flexor injury (or: why not to try to ride 80k in a dressage saddle with really long stirrups), but it seems to be getting much better!

Anyway, her mane, which was looking a bit ratty, appears to have grown in lovely and even, and it appears that her tail, too, will become white(ish) when subjected to a sufficiency of "Dirty Beastie" and "Diamond White". However, her forelock is almost non-existent! A few sad straggly tufts, which resist braiding in any sensible fashion. Do I just ignore them? Why won't she grow a proper forelock?

 

[EventingMum]

One of ours has never had a proper forelock, plaiting it was a nightmare, the plait was always miniscule and consisted of more plaiting band or thread than hair. I took great care when unplaiting not to pull any valuable hairs out and tried many different things including Megatek but nothing has made a difference - sorry not to be much help.

 

[CrazyMare]

Instead of cutting a bridle path, I pull a bit of mane forwards to bulk out the forelock

 

[spookypony]

Instead of cutting a bridle path, I pull a bit of mane forwards to bulk out the forelock

Splendid idea, seems so obvious! Will see tomorrow if her mane is long enough to have a bit pulled forward.

EventingMum, thanks for the commiserations, however!

 

[rara007]

Either just make it into a bunchy, or if she's super sensitive just leave it- my friends has been to all the big dressage shows with his barely there forelock loose

 

[DirectorFury]

I think you can get fake plaits if there's not much mane there. Either that or extensions!

 

[Hoof_Prints]

I had one with a thin wispy forelock and a thick mane, i grew the mane really long at the top near the ears, then french plaited it down from where a bridlepath would start (so you still get the neatness of a bridlepath) and then rolled up as normal at the front, looked great

 

[spacefaer]

You can buy fake plaits, made up of your own horse's hair. Horse I used to ride rubbed her mane out with sweet-itch and the owner had plaits made up, from hair she took from her tail. You can sew or band them to what little hair is left

Here you go
http://horsehairextensions.com/false-plaits

 

[CalamityJ]

I made a fake plait for one of my horses who spent the journey to the competition taking it out and stamping on it! From then on I just left the small amount of hair he had loose.

 

[Arniebear]

My boy has a forelock but i cant french plait (useless excuse for a girl!) and im really lazy so i cheat massively and stick a fly fringe on!!

 

[spottybotty]

Instead of cutting a bridle path, I pull a bit of mane forwards to bulk out the forelock

Thats what I do, its like a comb over and I do a tiny french plait ,its very fiddly but it can be done . I do exactly the same as Hoof_Print.

 

[spookypony]

Yay, thanks for the awesome ideas! If it ever stops raining up here, I'll have a girly plaiting day with her, end see what you all think!

 

[SaffronWelshDragon]

If it's an outdoor test, how about using a fly veil?

 

[spookypony]

If it's an outdoor test, how about using a fly veil?

Is that allowed now?

I was giving her a face rub tonight when she came to interfere with my removing the SP from the field, and noted that there's pretty much nothing there at all, forelock wise. Perhaps I can just ignore it?

 

[SaffronWelshDragon]

Yep, BD allow them for outside tests only. Saf hates the flies and will shake her ears without it on a warm day. I just keep it on for each summer show as a precaution now.