Finally I'm starting to believe we may be ok for Royal Cornwall!

[Queenbee]

So the last three days I have focused on leading practice, day one we got the turn nailed finally, and started trotting, day two he was responding to my body not the whip so as I started to run, so did he... Day three (yesterday) we started working on really trotting out and elongating his paces... He is doing incredibly well now he has finally caught on to what I want from him.

So today I went up and suddenly decided to have a dummy run in plaiting. Anyone who has heard me moaning about the subject knows how much I hate it, plus I've been having kittens over the whole rug rub issue. One piece of advice I learnt whilst you tubing on the subject was that the makings of a well plaited mane is all in the prep and the pulling. So I was very diligent and really thinned out the upper part of his mane a week or so ago to match the thickness of the lower part...

Now, I used bands not thread to practice, didn't use much tension in the plaits (was more concerned about him having a good experience) I didn't use water or gel and I couldn't even find my mane comb so I used a tail brush, in addition his mane had been lagged with mane and tail spray.... As a result I'm really quite pleased with the outcome...

My main aims today were:

To see how he behaved (incredibly well!)
To see how many plaits he would need.
To remind myself I can do it!
To see how he looks plaited
To check that the plaits will look ok and even... Ie to reassure myself that the rubbed out mane is no longer an issue and that the pulled mane is even thickness all the way through....

Here are the results:

Before:

After:

I know it's messy, with wispy bits etc, but as I said it was more of a dummy run to see how he would look and how he behaved, we are having another run on Wednesday... Playing around with position of plaits then, in these pictures he has 11 plaits, I may try him out with 9 on Wednesday and see how that looks too.... Any comments welcome!


Oh and a fab result... Royal. Cornwall show rang today and they have had a cancellation so Ben can have a stable... Yay!!!

 

[jrp204]

He's looking lovely and you've still got nearly 3 wks to go

 

[kinnygirl1]

I think plaits look great! I love his muti coloured mane. How did you decide which thread colour for the multi bits? Ben is looking really well. Good luck at the show. x

 

[Queenbee]

He's looking lovely and you've still got nearly 3 wks to go

Thank you!!! He is having another bath this week... Well, I'm bathing legs and tail and hot clothing the rest... The coat is finally shifting... The mane will look good plaited, the tail is half pulled... He is looking fitter... We really are getting there! For someone who hasn't really shown in ten years and only ever did local level... I'm really quite proud of myself for not caving under the nerves and worry of it all and am starting to feel excited and positive about it

 

[zigzag]

Try and put the middle plaits slightly higher to improve his neck, it looks a bit poor when he is standing up.

What class are you entering?

 

[Queenbee]

I think plaits look great! I love his muti coloured mane. How did you decide which thread colour for the multi bits? Ben is looking really well. Good luck at the show. x

Thank you to be honest I haven't decided on thread colour yet... For the dummy run I just used what I had which was black, and I only used bands. I've got the black and the white thread for when we do it for real, and will just have a play around and see what works best, although looking at the mane plaited, I think it will probably be black thread, there seems to be more black in the 'mixed plaits and I can just sew to the black mane.... Will have to see how that goes... May practice that on Wednesday!

 

[Queenbee]

Try and put the middle plaits slightly higher to improve his neck, it looks a bit poor when he is standing up.

What class are you entering?

Yes I will thank you . I didn't really worry too much about position today... But can totally see what you are saying . Think it will be easier to do that when I'm using thread and a bit more care with the plaits!

I'm entering him in the Skewbald and piebald inhand class.

 

[Queenbee]

Cheeky bump

 

[Athena055]

He looks lovely!! Well Jel that you can plait that good! I think 11 suits him but thats my opinion!

 

[rowan]

Good luck at Royal Cornwall show Queenbee look forward to hearing how you get on, we are showing there on the Friday x

 

[Queenbee]

He looks lovely!! Well Jel that you can plait that good! I think 11 suits him but thats my opinion!

Thanks Athena, yes I think 11 looks quite dandy, I feel that 9 may be a bit to spaced out, but will check. I agree, with gel, spray, needle and thread and a bit of positioning... It should look good enough. I was so worried about the area that had been rubbed.... Seriously happy that it looks as good as it does, I had visions of spiky threadbare mane and plaits starting from halfway up the neck!

 

[AmyMay]

The plaits should sit higher up to improve the neck. He's looking grand tho.

 

[jrp204]

What day is your class?

 

[Queenbee]

The plaits should sit higher up to improve the neck. He's looking grand tho.

Thank you AM . I am so please with his progress, I'm amazed at the difference in this last month. Yes, going to set them higher and also starting to strap his neck to help build the muscle as much as is safely possible in this last haul!

What day is your class?

Thursday... now I have a stable I could go Wednesday and stable overnight, but I think aunty g has a full box going up on Wednesday so uncle r and I are going up for 8am so he has the entire day to settle, class is at 2.30.

 

[Lolo]

If you plait above him, upwards and then roll them it gives them a hooded appearance and helps bulk the neck up a bit He looks grand though!

 

[Queenbee]

Good luck at Royal Cornwall show Queenbee look forward to hearing how you get on, we are showing there on the Friday x

Thank you . What class are you doing on Friday?

 

[jrp204]

Thursday... now I have a stable I could go Wednesday and stable overnight, but I think aunty g has a full box going up on Wednesday so uncle r and I are going up for 8am so he has the entire day to settle, class is at 2.30. [/QUOTE]

Sounds good, we are showing on Thursday so hopefully will be able to come and cheer you on.

 

[Queenbee]

If you plait above him, upwards and then roll them it gives them a hooded appearance and helps bulk the neck up a bit He looks grand though!

Thank you . I must admit this is how I normally do it, i normally jump on a stool, plait tight, keeping the tension and plaiting upwards... Today I just did it off the ground and kept it quite loose, I didn't know how he would react to it as he hates his mane pulled so I imagined he would be a terror so didn't want to be flung off a stool! He was an angel... Flung his head a couple of times for the last two plaits but other than that I don't even think he realised I was doing it. so yes next time there will be a stool involved so I can get some height to those plaits

 

[Queenbee]

Thursday... now I have a stable I could go Wednesday and stable overnight, but I think aunty g has a full box going up on Wednesday so uncle r and I are going up for 8am so he has the entire day to settle, class is at 2.30.

Sounds good, we are showing on Thursday so hopefully will be able to come and cheer you on.[/QUOTE]

Yay . What class are you doing?

I can't believe I'm relaxing and getting excited! I've been a bundle of nerves for the last month, I never thought I'd start to relax and enjoy it!

 

[jrp204]

We will be in the sheep rings, Texels are on first at 9ish, then the suffolks at 11.30.

 

[Queenbee]

We will be in the sheep rings, Texels are on first at 9ish, then the suffolks at 11.30.

Ahh, good luck . Did you go DC with them?

I can't believe that I will be showing Ben at RC and ten days later it will be a year since I said goodbye to ebony... Going to go up to my old yard and pop a rose where she was PTS and then up to my ex's parents farm and pop one where she rests.

Silly I know but really want to do it.


Just amazing how much has changed in that time and also how quickly it seems to have gone!

 

[justabob]

You need to improve. Your horse looks like it should be shown at a local show.

 

[rowan]

Thank you . What class are you doing on Friday?

Showing two of our Shetlands.

 

[Casey76]

Ever heard of constructive criticism justabob.

Plain old criticism is plain old nasty.

 

[Queenbee]

You need to improve. Your horse looks like it should be shown at a local show.

Gee thanks, you are polite aren't you?! Yes I know I need to improve, and if you think he will be turning up to the show looking like that you're mistaken. He needs his tail finishing, his feet will be rasped, his mane will be properly plaited (this was a test run, not to look nice and not to plait up to standard) his face and feathers need sorting, he is still moulting, he needs lots of stain remover...

I posted a picture of some loose plaits done in 10 mins, paying no attention to style or smartness, finished with bands not thread and not gelled... I made all that abundantly clear in my op. I never said that this was how he would be turned out at the show.

 

[Queenbee]

Showing two of our Shetlands.

Ah yes my friend is taking hers.

Good luck

 

[jrp204]

You need to improve. Your horse looks like it should be shown at a local show.

That's helpful! IT IS A DUMMY RUN! I can assure you that on the day he will look totally fab,

No, we didn't do DC but we did pay it a visit to see how to turn out the Suffolks as its our first year with them.

 

[Carefreegirl]

Jeeze how rude !!!

Good on you QB - you deserve to be there as much as any other person !!

P.S 7 plaits

 

[Queenbee]

That's helpful! IT IS A DUMMY RUN! I can assure you that on the day he will look totally fab,

No, we didn't do DC but we did pay it a visit to see how to turn out the Suffolks as its our first year with them.

Ah, did you see the novice riding horse class? My friend came fifth with her baby horse . And my other friend was there with her Charolais... Gucci did really really well too x

Ha ha, aunty g won't let Ben be anything other than perfect.

Jeeze how rude !!!

Good on you QB - you deserve to be there as much as any other person !!

P.S 7 plaits

Thanks hunny . I really don't think I can stretch to 7 plaits, the hair isn't very long, it all had to be pulled and thinned to match the rubbed part, but I will try it out and see. Ideally i did want to do less, more chunky plaits but I have to work with what I have which is/was a very thinned and rubbed mane. I may be able to stretch to 9 but 7 is pushing it I think.

 

[maisie06]

You need to improve. Your horse looks like it should be shown at a local show.

How nasty!! QB pays her money and takes her chance just like anyone else, so bloody what if she is stood down the line, as long as she enjoys her day and the horse goes well what business is it of anyone else? Shows like Royal Cornwall still need the support you know, and it's not like she has to qualify to be there. If you can't say something nice keep your trap shut.

The local shows seem to be dying out anyway and all round our way are qualifiers for god only knows what these days and have terrible judges and the judging is political, I would rather go to Heathfield as at least you get a decent judge who knows what they are looking at...

Typical attitude of a certain element of showing people.

QB go and enjoy your day.