do you plait on the day or the night before?

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blood_magik

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as title :)

got my first show with B next weekend and I'm trying to decide if I should plait the night before or get up really early.

I'm pole picking the day before, which doesn't help. I'm hoping it will finish at a decent hour so I can at least bath him.

also, if you plait the night before, do you roll them up? I was going to pop a hood on him but I'm not sure if it will wreck the plaits if I roll them.
 
Either or - depends how early I have to get up!

I plait, and sew them up then put a Snuggy Hood on if I'm doing them the night before.
 
If its an early start then i plait up (and roll up) the night before and put on a lycra hood overnight, i always spray a little quick plait spray over the plaits before putting hood on and it sticks all those little tiny stray stands to the plaits :)
 
I always plait the night before and then put a hood on. I actually find the hood tidys away any straggley bits as it presses them all down.

Good luck and enjoy..! :-)
 
Usually the night before unless its a late start. They stay in & still look good if I sew them in or use super strong bands, plaster them in gel & put a fly rug with neck cover on xx
 
Dee O'Dorant said:
It depends how early the start is. If I plait the night before I don't tend to roll up.
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Snap, I bunch and plait the night before if it's an early start but NEVER roll up as if they rub they could rub off the whole plait, whereas if it's plaited but not rolled and they rub, you'll just have to replait one or two :0)
 
I'm supposedly pole picking until 7pm the night before but I should be able to get away earlier. :o

the show starts at 0930 and it takes 40 mins to get there so we'll probably have to be ready to load at 0830.
I suck at sewing plaits so I'll have to practice on the poor thing tomorrow after I've pulled his mane. :o
 
It depends on how your horse is to plait if he/ she is a pain in the neck and tries to push you around and eat you then i suggest doing it the night before. Even if your horse is good to plait it is one less thing to stress over and you and your horse will be more relaxed on the day. :D
 
Depends on leaving time. In your situation I would probably do it the night before.

If I'm turning him back out for the night then he gets a neck cover on, if he's in I just leave them.
 
Always the night before, and then chuck on a snuggy hood :) Never had issues whether he's been banded in or sewed, despite some hard core rolling on his behalf (he lives out!). It saves so much stress in the morning as he's a bit unpredictable about how relaxed he is- somedays he's cool as a cucumber, others he's sky high and a bit nutty!
 
I always plait up the morning of the show but i am rather anal about turnout. Ideally in horsebox as it saves you have to chase them around the stable.
 
Always on the day, just wouldn't be satisfied with them if they were done the night before, I also think they would be a bit uncomfortable overnight. Its not like us sleeping with a plait in, the plaits we put in a horses mane are pretty tight.
 
Well it's looking like it'll be the day of :o

I'll have to beg my groom (aka Dad) to wash him the night before and chuck his hood on overnight assuming it arrives in time.
I swear he makes it his mission to roll in as much poo as he can overnight :rolleyes:
 
I usually plait the night before unless i'm not leaving early in the morning. Most of them stay in and doesnt take much to band the ones which have popped out.
 
I tend to plait my own horse on the day - he is completely non-stressy and mum loads up the trailer etc while I plait, so it doesn't really take much longer.
However, the eventers all get plaited up the night before as if you try and plait in the morning they get all razzed up because they know they're going out! Sew up plaits and hoods on top, all stay in nicely :)

I've had plaits stay in for about four days, and still look neat (after my rearranged hand incident, so I was struggling to unpick them; I don't normally leave them in that long :o)
 
feel a bit 'fake' replying here as I'm not by any means a proper competition rider :p anyway, I always plait up on the day. Helps me get into the 'zone', and I have a horrible grey hoss who loves to roll and muck about, which always causes plaits to come out or at the very least become untidy! Means an earlier start, but I actually prefer that, helps us both get ready, and also ensures plaits can be as neat as poss! (or maybe I'm just terrible at plaiting :D)
 
I usually plait the night before. I usually have an ungodly hour start, long trip to get any where, and it's just one less thing to think about!

Lots of hair spray, sewing the plaits in and a stretch hood keeps them in place :)
 
If early start then plait nite before & roll up in morn- having 40min journey 2 yard wud make it a ridiculously early start 2 do it in morn!
Or as I'm doing at the mo stick 2 SJ & no plaiting- simples!!
 
Usually do it in the morning if its just mine. When I had a few to do for work & an early start, or when I plait for friends I've mainly done it night before.
 
Llanali said:
I don't, I go showjumping :p
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Lol my prefered option too!
But when I do plait I do it on the day if time but I don't believe in times before 6am so I often do plait the night before; hairgel, tight plaits, sew and then hairspray, they will stay in for days like that if necessary (not that I would).
I never plait the forelock the day before as I think its better for the horse to leave it and one plait hardly takes any time.
 
it depends on the time you have in the morning, and the horse

I prefer to plait on the day. doing it the night before wouldn't work for me as my horse is likely to rub them out.

I do always put the bunches in the night before though, and occasionally (if I am leaving at some ridiculous hour) I will plait them but leave them un-rolled as it can really save sewing time in the morning.

Another time saving tip for sewing is to buy lots of darning needles with big eyes. then you can get the needles/threads all cut and threaded onto the needles the night before.


If it was a showing show, I would always plait them in the morning as they look tidier and I would always sew them in. For dressage/eventing I use bands. For me it takes about the same length of time either sewing or banding.

Also plaits look tidier if they are put in with a damp mane (washed not just a damp brush) holds the tufty bits out of the way!
 
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