Do you plait for unaff. dressage?

[Delta99]

???

 

[ForeverBroke_]

QR - Yep, but I haaaaaaate doing it.

 

[spookypony]

Yes. I like being well-turned-out, and I think it's respectful to the judges and other competitors to make an effort.

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

yep you should always plait (unless a M and M) as it is respectful and gives a better over all picture of you and your horse! (thereby giving a better impression on the judge = hopefully better marking!)

 

[stacey_lou]

Ditto SpookyPony I like to plat and show that I have made an effort

 

[dopeesophee]

no
cos i cant plait...
soo i keep it neat and pulled...
and shes missing some mane at the bottom, so it looks worse plaited

 

[CrazyMare]

I plait whenever I go anywhere competition wise

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

Yes I plait my girl up, it looks nice

 

[miss_c]

No, but I have a native!

 

[DW Team]

Yes always plait for competitions. Like horse and rider to be well turned out.

 

[only_me]

Yes, I always plait.

Bad manners not to, and it shows off the horse's neck.

Plus, the more you practice, the better it gets!

 

[Delta99]

thanks guys, havent done unaffiliated for years and only taking the horse to see how he behaves...

 

[kirstyfk]

In summer always. But I have to be honest in winter it depends were we go. However, I always make sure that my horse has a pulled mane and tail and I am dressed smartly.

 

[Birker2020]

Yes always without fail. My horse has benefitted from it too, as he used to be a nightmare to plait and I used to have to lightly put a bungee on him from his bit to his girth for ten minute sessions of plaiting and when you did his forelock I used to have to twitch him. Gradually with patience, consideration and time he is brilliant now, although is still a little funny at having his forelock plaited. I can now plait him completely with bands in about 25 minutes flat whilst he is eating his net and he rarely fidgets.

 

[Molineux]

Yes always - Dressage you need to be smart and your horse needs to look the part, not with a mane all over the place!!

 

[Stacie_and_Jed]

My groom would not let me leave the yard unless he was platted and turn out to the highest standard!

 

[Riz]

[ QUOTE ]
My groom would not let me leave the yard unless he was platted and turn out to the highest standard!

[/ QUOTE ]

PMSL - I need to get a T-Shirt with "Stacies Groom" on the back

And she's quite right - I wouldn't let her leave the yard for dressage without him plaited and gleaming

 

[cavalo branco]

Not always, no. It makes diddly-squat difference to your marks and I think the judge would rather you learnt the test and worked in properly

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Sometimes but not always, depends how much time I have and how scruffy (in which case I'd plait) or neat (in which case I might not), my horse's mane is looking at the time. Infact as my horse has quite a scawny neck and a sticky-up mane I think he can look better unplaited as his mane then makes his neck look much thicker. Infact I think that the times he's won dressage classes are when he's been unplaited, don't think he's ever come 1st whilst plaited!

 

[Evelynmary]

We're grey so depends how much time is spent washing! Don't think it makes any difference if care is taken with other aspects of turnout. Think Judges prefer to see accurate test and best possible test.

I think a hairnet is more important!!!! Couldn't believe some competitors last weeekend ........! Guess I'm old fashioned.

 

[lilym]

I have a welsh cob and a hogged cob - so no, i don't plait!! I am not ruining my welshies mane ( as he shows as well) just for a dressage test!!

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Not this weekend since my YO (who now plaits for me) is away in Spain

Althought I'm not that concerned since I read replies from dressage judges on here saying that they actually didnt notice if a horse was plaited or not, as long as it was clean and smart