Is plaiting "amateurish"?

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millreef

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I was reading my Horse mag this month and a very respected horsey person stated that she always pulls her tails as plaiting is very "amateurish". I've just watched Carl Hester in a dressage demonstration and his horses tail was most definitely plaited. Is it just "amateurish" for showing classes and not for eventing or dressage? Bit confused as my tail plaits are pretty awesome:confused:
 
for showing it's definitely is considered to be a bit of a no no to plait rather than pull. My friend who show jumps would never pull or plait a tail and my friend who events isn't fussed either way. I just do what I want as no one ever sees mine!
 
Yes is defo more amateur. Should be pulled properly for showing, not done with clippers ;).
Eventing defo pulled, showjumpers tend to have free flowing tails... and dressage well either free flowing or whatever!
 
Only people that can't plait tails properly call it amateurish! Ok it's a bit of a no go area these days because people are too lazy to learn how to do it properly. I've always maintained that a pony that is stabled can have a pulled tail, one that lives out has a plaited tail as they need it for warmth.

A well plaited tail should be neither here nor there as to how it affects your competition placing. Though I seem to remember a couple of show jumpers and racehorse trainers from years ago saying that they would never allow their horses tail to be plaited as it would feel wrong to the horse and they need their tails for balance. Can't say that I have ever noticed a difference in ability from plaited to unplaited but hey ho!
 
Daisychain said:
Yes is defo more amateur. Should be pulled properly for showing, not done with clippers ;).
Eventing defo pulled, showjumpers tend to have free flowing tails... and dressage well either free flowing or whatever!
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I think clipped tails are hideous and end up looking like a bog brush but I also cant stand manes that have been cut with scissors. I was taught how to pull manes and tails properly, I think it is a skill that is dying out.
 
spottybotty said:
I think clipped tails are hideous and end up looking like a bog brush but I also cant stand manes that have been cut with scissors. I was taught how to pull manes and tails properly, I think it is a skill that is dying out.
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Scissor cut manes do my head it! I can pull manes without much thought but tails have taken me a while to master as I feel bad about doing it. I do it with a mixture of solocomb and proper pulling. That's on my show horses, my racehorses get plaited tails :D
 
Daisychain said:
Yes is defo more amateur. Should be pulled properly for showing, not done with clippers ;).
Eventing defo pulled, showjumpers tend to have free flowing tails... and dressage well either free flowing or whatever!
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Well Daisychain- you obviously havent seen my beautiful tail plaits- nothing amateurish there is assure you!! :p

I do like a nice pulled tail but as I am far too lazy to keep on top of a pulled tail and I refuse to clip tails (like one of our mutual friends ;)) I keep Av's long and flowing!!...and besides, I am an amateur- so why spend my precious time not at work faffing around with Av's wild bush of a tail? :D
 
Not amateurish but not the thing in ridden showing.

Horses in ridden classes should have pulled tails as far as I am aware.

Broodmares are often shown with plaited tails as they may need a full tail in the field.
 
Serenity087 said:
We used to clip our cob tails.

Firstly because their manes were hogged, so plaiting is definitely a no no.

But secondly because if anyone really fancies spending the 3 months necessary to pull a tail the size of a large large tree for showing, then go for it. We, however, did not!
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I have to agree, i spent hours and hours pulling my cobs tail once and did so the next day as well and it looked no different at all lol! Clippers and tail rake for her tail :)
 
Plaiting is an art, and IMHO should be classed as 'true horsemanship'. I find it totally daft that it is considered 'amateurish'!! (refering to ridden riding horse classes). I love a good plaited tail, I plait Megs tail - could not bare to think of ever pulling it! And would probably get kicked in the process if I ever tried, so win win for me really. Stuff what any one else thinks.
 
EKW said:
This is why I much prefer my natives - wash and go! No plaiting, no pulling, no faffing!
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Love it :D...tbh though even though Av is a full TB, I think that she is currently modelling herself on a lovely rolypoly native welsh pony of some description, so I may just start entering her as a Welshy and hope that no-one checks her Wetherby's passport and take your much better approach of wash and go! hahaha!
 
Hmmmm.... well I show rather a lot and plaiting isn't amateurish... it's a rare skill!!! HOw very very dare thee?????

Plaiting must be done to nearly the end of the dock - not many bother going so low - it's hard work.

Pulled tails imo is quite lazy but is the fashion now and I see more and more copying the trend of arab showing and shaving a huuuuuuuuge bradle path halfway dow the neck...

Ah well, what goes around comes around....
 
Well I got it straight from a professional show producers mouth that he thought it always made people stand out as amateurish in the ring as no one who produces a lot of horses would do it (because it takes forever)

I don't mean amateurish as a slant, I mean it in it's true sense. In that it marks you out as not being professional. ie not producing horses for a living.
 
jesstickle said:
I don't mean amateurish as a slant, I mean it in it's true sense. In that it marks you out as not being professional. ie not producing horses for a living.
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Good enough for me!! I am not a professional, I certainly do not produce horses for a living (too much mucking out amongst a lot of other hard work) and thus I plait! :D
 
But surely it shouldn't matter if you produce horses for a living?

I have always plaited my tails, both for showing (At county and local) and when out hunting, and I personally think a properly plaited tail looks far smarter than a pulled one.

It definately seems to be the fashion to Pull them now though- 10 years ago, even the majority of the producers I knew plaited them.
 
Cadfael&Coffee said:
But surely it shouldn't matter if you produce horses for a living?

I have always plaited my tails, both for showing (At county and local) and when out hunting, and I personally think a properly plaited tail looks far smarter than a pulled one.

It definately seems to be the fashion to Pull them now though- 10 years ago, even the majority of the producers I knew plaited them.
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well obviously it shouldn't matter who you are or whether you do it for a living but it's showing :p
 
Well if you are showing your turnout should be appropriate for the class. If you can't be bothered to check the turnout then that would say to me you aren't serious about showing and by default are more likely to be an amateur than a professional.

eg - aren't workers meant to be pulled?
 
Awww I was really excited for a second there, thought you were talking about manes and I was already imagining competing without a 5am start to go and plait a fidgeting TB in the semi-darkness (because if it ain't good enough fr the pros it ain't good enough for me...!) oh well, maybe I'll start a dirty rumour that mane plaits are amateurish... *rubs hands together mischievously*
 
kickonchaps said:
Awww I was really excited for a second there, thought you were talking about manes and I was already imagining competing without a 5am start to go and plait a fidgeting TB in the semi-darkness (because if it ain't good enough fr the pros it ain't good enough for me...!) oh well, maybe I'll start a dirty rumour that mane plaits are amateurish... *rubs hands together mischievously*
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ha. You wish. You need to find a friend who's worked on big yards to plait for you like I did. Much better. She's damn good too, and quick! Mine are neat but they take me forever!

I hope you get this rumour to stick. That would be pretty awesome!
 
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