Clydesdale with full tail, in hand showing = HELP

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Tizzy

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I am taking my young Clyde to a show and he is doing the in hand class only. Only problem is he has a full tail so how an earth do I go about 'doing it up' for this show? Can I leave it down and just put the sprig/ribbon in?

I am not cutting or shaving it so need to know what's acceptable with a full tailed Clyde and in hand showing rules.

Thanks!
 
Are you showing in an actual heavy horse class ? If you are then try and contact the local heavy horse society and see if anyone would be willing to plait his mane and tail for you or at least show you how. Don't worry that he has a full tail, we have a shire filly with a full tail and she will never have it shaved or cut short. Her tail is plaited up and she has sprigs, ribbons etc. My daughter and I are quite new to this too but have had great support from our local heavy horse community and have been shown how to plait although this takes a lot of practice. Our experience so far is that they just need people to show and support the heavy breeds so help is there to encourage that. If you are showing at a local (not specifically heavys) show then just plait the top of his tail. Look up Heavy Horse World as they have a wealth of books and dvd's that may help.
 
Thanks for your reply.

Yes it's a specific heavy horse class and I have tried contacting the Clydesdale horse society and asking for their help but they told me there was nobody in the Essex area they could recommend apparently. So if been left at a bit of a loss ad to what to do or who to ask.

Trying to find videos on how to plait the tail with a full tail is also next to impossible. The only videos I can find are of the docked tails.

My boy also has a bend in the end of his tail which was an injury sustained as a foal and has healed that way so I'm hoping its not going to affect things.

I've tried contacting everyone, from the event planners, up to the CHS and I still haven't had a full answer.

This is my first attempt at showing and I'm starting to wish I'd not bothered as its caused me nothing but stress:-(
 
Thats a shame, they should be more encouraging. It is difficult to explain the whole plaiting thing. Another suggestion is to contact the Shire Horse Society. Clydes are turned out in almost the same way so they may be able to help. Look up shire groups in your area. If you are on Facebook I know there are HH groups and specific plaiting and turnout groups that may help you to find help nearer to you. I don't do Facebook so I'll ask my daughter later if you like. Don't give up I'm sure help is out there.
 
There are some on youtube but they are American and they don't plait in the same way as here. It is really difficult to to find detailed video help. Tizzy, could you get along to a show before your event and talk to those with heavys? Percherons and suffolks have long tails plaited up so that may help.
 
I've hunted all over YouTube but the only tail plaiting if seen is the ones with the docked and shaved tails. This is my fist attempt at showing and I wasn't told it would be this stressful haha.

The show is In a couple of weeks and there is no shows hat I'm aware of in this time.

I have the shire horse facebook page I think, so il go and ask on there.

I've got the hand of the main plaiting and flights, but its just the issue with the tail. Does it have to be a specific plait design or can you plait it however providing its all pulled up and done up with the sprigs etc?

Il be heading down the yard today to tie him up and play about with the tail and see what I can do with it.
 
Try "Matthews Clydesdale & Shire horses" on facebook, sorry no idea how to link. They sell all the gubbins for turnout (whitener, sprigs, ribbons etc) and show themselves so perhaps can advise you
 
Tail sprigs are not too difficult. You will need some raffia which you can get for now from a florist supplier or Hobbycraft if there is one near you. Take a small section of tail hair from each side at the top of the tail, about 3cm wide then divide this in two. You will need another person to help you at this stage. use the same amount of raffia, soak it in water for a few minutes.
You now need to do a four way plait for each sprig. Hold the two pieces of hair out sideways and get your helper to lay the raffia across it. You then cross the hair over the raffia and repeat with the hair then raffia upwards until it is about 6 inches high (this can vary, as the idea is to make the horses hind quaters look big). Keep everything tight and tie off with a piece of raffia. Repeat on the other side. You can put a flight in each one by twisting the wire around this will help them to stay up. The raffia will shrink as it dries so that will help too. You then create a tail bun by taking a section of hair under the sprigs and plait this upwards then loop it up and through widing around to shape a small bun (think a larger version of a light horses mane plait). This can be tied with a shoelace. I'm not sure if Clydes have jug handles so don't worry about that until you can find out. If they do that would sit on top of the bun. Next plait the rest of the tail in a nomal tail plait. when you get to the end of the dock continue with a normal plait, keep every thing tight, until you reach the end of the tail. Now roll this up and sew or tie in place. Tie some matching ribbons around the bun and to hide ties or stitching. This may help with the tail bun this.http://www.aussieheavyhorses.com/ASSETS/tails/TailPlaiting.html. It is difficult to explain so I'm not sure if all that made sense.
 
My dilemma too - but you can get around it and present your horse in a traditional look.

First carefully comb out every tangle in the tail -

Place a folded piece of strong string down the centre of the length of the dock - loop at the bottom - just as you might do for a normal tail plait.

Divide the hair on the dock into 3 for half the length of the dock. The centre piece hangs down and you elastic band the two sidepieces out of the way for now.

Starting halfway down do an underhand plait as per a normal tail plait - over the top of the string.

When you get to the end of the dock bone, stop and secure the end of the plait.

Now you have the rest of the tail hair hanging down, divide this into three and plait tightly, secure with an elastic band.


Fold upwards and place an elastic band around the plait at the height of the start of the tail plait. This is just a security measure in case you pop other elastic bands.

Now place the plait in the loop of string and gently pull the whole plait under the tail plait.

Secure by stitching through the outer and inner plait.

Now at the top you have the two side pieces and the remainder of the tail plaited. Ensure that you have sufficient bands around this plait where it comes out from behind the tail plait.

Undo the exposed plait - you now have three bunches of tail hair.

Plait them together.

Feed the end through the base of the plait, making a loop, then wrap the remainder of the plait around the loop securing with an elastic band or ten! I actually use a boot lace the same colour as the tail so nothing comes undone.

Finally decorates with tail sprigs and bow.

The pictures below are of my Clydesdale mare who has a full tail. In the first picture - my first attempt with the plait on the outside - I now have it on the inside

RearoftheYear1.jpg
WishawSerenityJan2010010-2.jpg
 
I have just spoken to the lady who's family I bought my boy from (they have bred and shown Clydesdales for over 40 years) and she told me she is sure its tail down with sprigs and bow. She is double checking and getting back to me.

40ac84c4d7a0ffc8b54b8b954e300ae3.jpg
 
Well that will make life easier. Perhaps it's a different turnout for youngsters ? I have seen foals shown with just a bow to match their mum. Good luck with your show anyway and let us know how you get on.
 
I've actually found a book at home ""Showing the heavy horse"" by Edward W Hart. It says young clydesdales up to and including two year olds are shown with a long tail. Three years and over and they are plaited. How old is your boy?? I wish I'd been able to locate this earlier it's a wealth of information.
 
scrat said:
I've actually found a book at home ""Showing the heavy horse"" by Edward W Hart. It says young clydesdales up to and including two year olds are shown with a long tail. Three years and over and they are plaited. How old is your boy?? I wish I'd been able to locate this earlier it's a wealth of information.
Click to expand...

Depending on how old the book is the would probably be assuming that the tail had been docked and would have insufficient hair length to plait up - needs to be a reasonable length to be able to plait.

Thanks though Scrat - I'm now on the hunt for this book.
 
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