How to plait up a Gypsy Cob's long forelock?

Orchardbeck

Orchardbeck

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Hi all - have just taken a lovely traditional gypsy cob on loan, who has tremendous feather and mane...he has been shown successfully in the past so I am loathe to clip him out totally, but I need him to be tidy for dressage, hunting etc.

His mane is LONG! I can sort it by putting it in a running plait but that still leaves his blinking forelock, which even when plaited in a single plait reaches his moustache... He shakes his head to get it out of the way too. Any tips? And can I remove the moustache?
 
Some people fold it back on itself once or twice and then pop an elastic on. However, when I plait my girl's forelock up to ride, I just do what Ester said and tuck it under her noseband. It seems to stay put, and hers hangs just below her lip when it's straightened out, so it's pretty long!
 
JJS said:
Some people fold it back on itself once or twice and then pop an elastic on.
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That's what I do when the need arises. Plait, tuck and plaiting band it.
I would also make double extra triple sure the owners are okay with you cutting/trimming/clipping anything before you do. I once got to watch the outcome of an owner discovering that their ponies loaner had hogged it's previously long and luxurious mane off without asking, and it wasn't pretty!
 
Nasicus said:
That's what I do when the need arises. Plait, tuck and plaiting band it.
I would also make double extra triple sure the owners are okay with you cutting/trimming/clipping anything before you do. I once got to watch the outcome of an owner discovering that their ponies loaner had hogged it's previously long and luxurious mane off without asking, and it wasn't pretty!
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eesh! I can only imagine...

I have never tried the tuck under noseband trick, does it not rub? I guess its not there for long.
 
🤣🤣🤣 at the horror of removing the 'tache...😂 Really, can I not?! It dribbles on me!! No plans to remove anything else other than re clip his beard, he has been fully clipped all winter, although he could really do with another tbh.

Those who incorporate the forelock in to the rest of the running plait, does it not affect the fit of the bridle? He wears a grackle so it is tricky to tuck in to the noseband ☹️
 
no you really cannot!

you can always go for the one bobble look so he can see out?!

23658521_10159503967625648_2035640863796688004_n.jpg
 
Orchardbeck said:
🤣🤣🤣 at the horror of removing the 'tache...😂 Really, can I not?! It dribbles on me!! No plans to remove anything else other than re clip his beard, he has been fully clipped all winter, although he could really do with another tbh.

Those who incorporate the forelock in to the rest of the running plait, does it not affect the fit of the bridle? He wears a grackle so it is tricky to tuck in to the noseband ☹️
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Doesn't affect us, i think i just loosened one of the cheek pieces a hole the first time. I feel your mustache woes! my boy has a massive one, this morning i had to see off a dog out of the field and then for the first time i got the wet muddy tache right in my face :'(

You have to hope for a dry summer as they rub away naturally IMG_1144 (002).jpg
 
Horsekaren said:
Doesn't affect us, i think i just loosened one of the cheek pieces a hole the first time. I feel your mustache woes! my boy has a massive one, this morning i had to see off a dog out of the field and then for the first time i got the wet muddy tache right in my face :'(

You have to hope for a dry summer as they rub away naturally View attachment 29856
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I would have to clip that off
 
Pinkvboots said:
I would have to clip that off
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He is very attached to it, not sure what happened to him in the past but he absolutely will not let you snip it off. I used to try and get it off but its there for a reason, i'm sure the long soft hair (throwing up in my mouth a little bit) feels nicer than a short stubbley brush on that super sensitive spot for him. The bonus is it stops people playing with his muzzle :)
 
Horsekaren said:
Doesn't affect us, i think i just loosened one of the cheek pieces a hole the first time. I feel your mustache woes! my boy has a massive one, this morning i had to see off a dog out of the field and then for the first time i got the wet muddy tache right in my face :'(

You have to hope for a dry summer as they rub away naturally View attachment 29856
Click to expand...
Oh my word HorseKaren, his 'tache is nothing on this one!! His is a miniscule 'Poirot' in comparison! 😁
 
Is it ok just to plait the mane and leave the forelock long? I know I've seen this somewhere. Mabey it's only for stallions
 
Horsekaren said:
Doesn't affect us, i think i just loosened one of the cheek pieces a hole the first time. I feel your mustache woes! my boy has a massive one, this morning i had to see off a dog out of the field and then for the first time i got the wet muddy tache right in my face :'(

You have to hope for a dry summer as they rub away naturally View attachment 29856
Click to expand...
Oh my god, there's a 'tache and then there's Cthulhu :eek:
 
Horsekaren said:
Doesn't affect us, i think i just loosened one of the cheek pieces a hole the first time. I feel your mustache woes! my boy has a massive one, this morning i had to see off a dog out of the field and then for the first time i got the wet muddy tache right in my face :'(

You have to hope for a dry summer as they rub away naturally View attachment 29856
Click to expand...

That 'tash is AMAZING!
 
Is it very thick as well as long? If it's not so thick that it'll look like a golf ball balanced on his browband, French plait at the top, plait down as normal, then tuck the excess as far under the French plait as you can, then roll. I find stitching/quick knots make it sit more neatly than bands. Don't have quite as much forelock to deal with (down to noseband but very thick almost the whole way down) but it works well with my native.

ETA photo link: Forelock
 
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albeg said:
Is it very thick as well as long? If it's not so thick that it'll look like a golf ball balanced on his browband, French plait at the top, plait down as normal, then tuck the excess as far under the French plait as you can, then roll. I find stitching/quick knots make it sit more neatly than bands. Don't have quite as much forelock to deal with but it works well with my native.
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This exactly.....

Fiona
 
Nasicus said:
That's what I do when the need arises. Plait, tuck and plaiting band it.
I would also make double extra triple sure the owners are okay with you cutting/trimming/clipping anything before you do. I once got to watch the outcome of an owner discovering that their ponies loaner had hogged it's previously long and luxurious mane off without asking, and it wasn't pretty!
Click to expand...

OMFG PLEASE DO NOT clip a traddie in any way without the owner's say-so!

I sent my boy off to a certain equestrian college on working livery, and they hogged his mane without my consent. I was incandescent! My post on here at that time got to the "letter of the week" on H&H magazine; to the YM's chagrin, and acute embarrassment. Blood wasn't actually spilt, but JFC, sooohh very nearly.........
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
OMFG PLEASE DO NOT clip a traddie in any way without the owner's say-so!

I sent my boy off to a certain equestrian college on working livery, and they hogged his mane without my consent. I was incandescent! My post on here at that time got to the "letter of the week" on H&H magazine; to the YM's chagrin, and acute embarrassment. Blood wasn't actually spilt, but JFC, sooohh very nearly.........
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Gah! There would have been body parts scattered about if it had been mine! I once arrived to collect my newly-purchased Friesian mare just as the guy was picking up the pulling comb - my screeched "Nooooo" could be heard 100 miles away!
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
OMFG PLEASE DO NOT clip a traddie in any way without the owner's say-so!

I sent my boy off to a certain equestrian college on working livery, and they hogged his mane without my consent. I was incandescent! My post on here at that time got to the "letter of the week" on H&H magazine; to the YM's chagrin, and acute embarrassment. Blood wasn't actually spilt, but JFC, sooohh very nearly.........
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I'm sure you'd have been freed on the grounds of justifiable homicide!

don't want a hairy, then dont buy/loan a hairy imo.
 
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