Local show- plait or not to plait?

xxcharlottexx

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Hi,

I am thinking of taking my horse to a local show this weekend to help get him used to being around other horses. we are usually just happy hackers but I want to enter some fun rides/farm rides with some other horsey friends and he can get quite excitable in new surroundings.

However, for some reason or another (if you have any thoughts feel free!) he has had a chunk of his mane missing for over a year. Used to be from other horses grooming him but it has just never grown back even with a full neck rug on over the winter!

Now he is a TB so he should really be plaited but what should I do and how do I make his mane look less ridiculous!?

His neck is already quite weedy and he does lack top line as his work load has been quite inconsistent ( we ride when we want to :p)

So do I..
Plait, and do a plait either side of the missing chunk
Try to include the missing chunk
or just leave natural (and pull to tidy it up)?

Opinions please =)

IMAG0177.jpg
 
Bummer, maybe try and get some MegaTek on it! But that won't help for the show :rolleyes:. My YO mare has the same issue and she just plaits either side of the gap, it looks fairly silly while the horse is standing there but when she is out and competing you just don't notice at all!
 
Me - I would plait. May not look bad atall and guess he wont be the only horse who has a gap! Nice to get "dressed up" once in a while. You could pull and thin it out a bit more so the plaits are a little smaller when done.
 
If you pull the rest of the mane to be short and thin-ish then you will get smaller plaits. With the missing bit - plait it as much as you can down and then fold it in half once - it "should" look ok if the plait is tight and you are nimble with your fingers. If you are stitch plaiting then band this one and keep the band in until you are happy the stitching will hold then carefully remove the band.

For the future - use megatek and either take off the full neck rug or find one that is quite loose around the neck and doesn't bunch up at that spot.
 
My boy had a gap like this for ages! Hair did eventually come back, now I can't stop it growing ;)
I originally pulled it all to try and neaten it but he still looked ridiculous, so I plaited either side of the gap and it wasn't even noticeable when we were moving about. Have fun at the show!
 
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