How long does it take you to plait?! Grrr.

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kit279

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So. Today.

No. of horses to plait = 2
No. of elastic bands wasted = millions. True estimate prob 50.
No. of times wished I had remembered plaiting cotton = 289.
No. of blue fingers = 2.
No. of hours late = 1, ok maybe 2.
No. of times had to redo stupid plaits = 23.
No. of plaits that fell out or looked duff = 11.
No. of expletives directed at fidgety horse = too many to count. Especially when attempting to French plait forelocks.
No. of times I wished I had smaller horses or longer legs = 438.

I need help. How long does it take you to plait your horses mane (I had such a nervous breakdown I couldn't do their tails) and what do you do to speed up the process?!

(I can currently be contacted at nearest mental asylum)
 
It depends on the ponio - little section b, half an hour, dressage horse 20 mins, bloody minded youngster - up to an hour and a half. Usually about half way down the neck I swear I'm giving up horses, never competing again etc etc - never happens though
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You'll be fine - practice is key - I used to have a hunter you could plait in 10 mins - I still wonder why I sold him.....
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I'm useless it takes me about 45mins to do a dodgy job, although if I've actually managed to thin George's bushy mane it is a bit easier. Thankfully he doesn't fidget too much!
 
if using rubber bands - 1 minute per plait. using a plastic clothespeg to keep the rest of the mane out of the way, and not bothering to divide the whole mane up first, but just doing it as i go and fiddling the last 2 or 3, speeded me up by miles!
if sewing, about half as long again.
i only sew for 3-days now though!
 
around 15mins, with bands, normally 12 or 14 (including forelock) like kerilli, i dont bother with dividing it up first, just play around with the last few to make it work
 
With my old horse, about 1/2 hour. New youngster, hours! He has a very thick mane, which I have been pulling yards out of for the last six months but it still looks like a veg patch! So I get on the box, dampen the mane, make a section, and he moves backwards. I get off the box, move it backwards, get back on the box, make half a plait and he moves forwards! AAARRRGGGHHH! And if there are flies to add to the equation then I'm there for the day! A friend has been showjumping him (he was bought for dressage for me!) and I'm secretly quite glad if he wants to be a jumper because then I don't have to plait him!
 
Have you tried the sticky white tape over the rubber bands Kit? Very cheap, very fast, hides a multitude of sins and can be redone at the drop of a hat. Maybe not quite "proper" but I think the end result always looks fabulous especially on darker coloured horses.
 
30 mins from start to finish all stitched, no bands and no dividers. Including a French braid forelock.
 
umm , about 45 mins , i sew my plaits in as hubby likes to twiddle while waiting for dressage lol , got new horse first ODE today so i,m just off to tackle his hedgey mane , so for him with fag and coffee break bout an hour i hope
 
1 min per plait with bands- so for Sol its 15 mins and Red 10. Its about double that if Im sewing.

I do a couple of other peoples horse- they take about 30 mins as im a bit more fussy!
 
It used to take me an hour but with much practice i have got it down to 30 mins ( this is with bands ). My girl has a very long neck and depending on how quick i need to be its anything from 15-19 plaits.
 
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