Do you always plait for unaffiliated dressage?

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Palmer712

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I got over excited by the sunshine on Sunday and gave my boy a bath and tidy up. His mane is all pulled and trimmed and looks great, but it is a thick warmblood effort so is a nightmare to plait! Can I get away without plaiting on Saturday for unaffiliated stressage?
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You can get away with it but I always try my best to plait (Pony and growing out hog manes!). Personally I can't afford to go to a show and get a couple of % lower as the judge subconsciously thought we were sloppy, or actually coun't see the outline due to the mane fuzz. It depends how much you care about the impression you make not only to the judges but also trainers/people who may have oppertunities for you really.
 
I always plait - I think the judge has given up their time to be there for you and it is disrespectful to not even bother to plait - I like to be turned out as well as possible even for unaff.
 
I always plait for dressage - I think it's a respect thing in all honesty. If people have bothered to put on a competition for you, then I think you should put in the effort to turn out properly.

Where would you draw the line? Would you go in jeans and a jumper, or always wear clean jods and a jacket?

The only exception is for breeds that show untrimmed - then dressage shouls be done as they would be turned out for the show class - eg M&M should do dressage 'au naturel' but still turned out as if for a championship show.

Hope that helps..........?
 
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I always plait - I think the judge has given up their time to be there for you and it is disrespectful to not even bother to plait - I like to be turned out as well as possible even for unaff.

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ditto above.
 
Well I never plait for unaff dressage. Didn't used to plait for affiliated either
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I make sure my horse's mane is pulled and very neat and tidy and we always look smart and well turned out though.
 
I never plait for unaff local dressage - mainly because I cant
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and the person who used to plait for me has left the yard now
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Bob's mane is always pulled very short so we always look very well turned out - it has occurred to me that I had better learn to plait before doing affiliated stuff though
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I've always plaited for everything in the past, except evening dressage where I just can't physically get it done in time.

However, am taking my baby to her first test this weekend and she has a horrendous mane. It looks awful but she tries to kill you if you pull it (literally, had me squished against a wall, thought I was going to run out of breath...
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) so she will either have the worst wildest most ugly plaits you've ever seen, or she will just look wild and unkempt full stop. It's her first proper show so I don't want to wind her up anymore than she will be already; and I'm mildly nervous about the whole thing. I don't need plaiting stress to add to it
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That said, once she is in the swing of it and I know she will be decently behaved, I will go back to plaiting for everything except the evening ones.
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I agree it's respectful, and also that, consciously or not, judges will disapprove if you don't.
 
I dont think I could physically go and do dressage without plaiting! I have to wash my horse too before I go which takes about 45 mins. Personally I would rather see someone attempt to plait even if they arent good plaits than to see a mane unplaited.

I guess its personal preferance but i feel its respectful towards the judge and the organisers to make the effort.
 
I don't plait. Round here it seems that out of a whole class there are usually one or two people who do, but the rest who don't. My horse is clean (he has no white but I still have to bath him because he thinks he's a hippo), I am presentable and my tack is nice and shiny. Doesn't seem to affect the results.

I agree plaiting looks better and if I had the time I might but I think as long as you are clean and tidy then you are showing respect to the judge.
 
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I always plait - I think the judge has given up their time to be there for you and it is disrespectful to not even bother to plait - I like to be turned out as well as possible even for unaff.

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What she said ^^^^^^^
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Never plaited chloe, she would go mad if you started prep at home and since she was part native I went with it.
Mac always plaited nice TB type mane
Atty pait other wise his long spanish mane gets in the way.

As long as your clean and smart and in the correct tack I don't think plaits matter too much.
 
Well a view from the judges point of view here!

I don't even usually notice if the horse is plaited or not and no judge worth their salt should mark you down in any way at all because of being unplaited. It is not required in the rules and personally I would be more likely to notice bad plaits then a neat unplaited mane.
 
I always plait, I think I am a bit old school (I am old enough tt remember when you plaited up for PC rallies!) I just would not consider my horse turned out correctly if he was not. I also wash white socks and the end of his tail, regardless of the weather! But as I said - maybe I am just old school
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Thanks for all the replies - unless my times are really early I think I'll plait - haven't done it since the end of the eventing season last year so could take a while! He does look good plaited, just need so many cos his mane is sooo thick.
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I'll let you know how I get on (with piccies if I can work out how to load them by then!)
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there was a purpose for plaits in dressage which was to show off the horse neck. i have to admit that seeing someone beautifully presented as they come in always puts me in a better frame of mind as i start judging, because as someone has said we are paid for being there and i think if a person has bothered then its only right that i should apprieciate it. on the other hand its isnt going to change their marks!
the trouble is that short manes are one thing but long flowing ones are distracting and iou cant always get a proper view of the neck on both reins so maybe under those circumstances you are doing yourself out of a mark or two by not doing it.
 
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