Manes!!!

daveismycat

daveismycat

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Help! How do I get my TB mares mane prepared for lovely fat dutch style dressage plaits??

I know I'm aiming for it to be quite long but my biggest problem is that it is thick and frizzy. I'm scared if I pull it I will get a short, thick mane, if I trim it I will get a thick, long mane but how do I thin it out without getting lots of short spiky bits???

Thanks in advance. :)
 
Keep it longish ,and don't thin it! Also -if her mane grows to the left, let it, as you can create more height by bringing the mane over to plait it.
If you look at the mane and think "Arrggh - desperately needs pulling", its probably the perfect length for continental plaits.
 
MY ID boy has a very thick, frizzy mane. I find that if i keep it long, and cut it rather than pull it, then it keeps it nicer, more manageable and less frizzy than if I pull it.
 
DONT PULL IT!

i imagine Pea's is about 6 inches long at present, with all the body of a typical dartmoor afro, and thats how you need it :)

just trim the bottom edge straight with scissors a la SJ'ers.
 
Prince33Sp4rkle said:
DONT PULL IT!

i imagine Pea's is about 6 inches long at present, with all the body of a typical dartmoor afro, and thats how you need it :)

just trim the bottom edge straight with scissors a la SJ'ers.
Click to expand...

Actually both of ours are 7 inches at the moment!!!!!!

Don't pull it, don't ever ever ever use a solo comb and don't thin it. You need a great big wedge of mane at least 6 inches long to get big fat plaits!
 
What do these Dutch style plaits look like? I have a Haffy type with a major affro! We do dressage and have to spend weeks in the spring trying to 'tame' it! thanks
 
Wow I would never have guessed that your boys manes are that long/thick PS and NMT! Could you post a photo or two? I despair of roo's mane to plait as always think its too long/thick - how do yours always look so amazingly neat and tidy!!?
 
I don't do my plaits massively big and poofy - partly because he has a big front end and bigger plaits make him look disproportionate, but also he likes to rub and bigger ones are easier to rub out!!

I do mine like this, has about 6" of mane, never thinned or pulled, just cut straight across the bottome
3C41A93D-9C84-43F1-8CA4-35EA42AF7512-426-0000003274F84EC8_zpsdf60e0d2.jpg
 
will get pics up later but generally:

mane needs to be between 5 and 7 inches to be able to do them,and thick. if its not thick it will need to be longer and you will need to do 3 roll ups, not just the normal 2.

average horse will give you 6 or 7 plaits, 8 only if its 17HH plus.

damp well and plait UP, and then after the first couple of cross overs, gently pull the two sides of the plait (at the base of the neck) out, to create the *hood* the plait sits in when rolled up.

plait remainder as tightly as possible.

when you do the first roll up, dont put your needle right against base of neck, needs to be 2 cm ish up and roll to that point, to allow room for it to sit on top of the neck.

ditto second roll.

fix by sewing from side to side through bottom of plait, so a stitch across the base of the plait repeated several times, then push needle up in to plait, out through centre and just go back and forth through centre a couple of times too.

easy when you have the knack.

like how NMT knows the exact mane measurements!!!!!!!
 
Prince33Sp4rkle said:
will get pics up later but generally:

mane needs to be between 5 and 7 inches to be able to do them,and thick. if its not thick it will need to be longer and you will need to do 3 roll ups, not just the normal 2.

average horse will give you 6 or 7 plaits, 8 only if its 17HH plus.

damp well and plait UP, and then after the first couple of cross overs, gently pull the two sides of the plait (at the base of the neck) out, to create the *hood* the plait sits in when rolled up.

plait remainder as tightly as possible.

when you do the first roll up, dont put your needle right against base of neck, needs to be 2 cm ish up and roll to that point, to allow room for it to sit on top of the neck.

ditto second roll.

fix by sewing from side to side through bottom of plait, so a stitch across the base of the plait repeated several times, then push needle up in to plait, out through centre and just go back and forth through centre a couple of times too.

easy when you have the knack.

like how NMT knows the exact mane measurements!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Same as this, but my horses manes aren't quite that long, just a tad shorter, but very thick. And I start the top of the plait loose and then tighten the end up later, to get the extra oomph at the top.

Great read though, how everyone does their plaits!
 
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