need some serious showing turn out tips/plaiting!

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clairefeekerry1

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in 2 weeks i'm doing my first showing show with my horse i've had 1 year. so far we've stuck to SJ and XC so no need for major turnout/plaiting.
he's a connie x tb and the only thing that seems connie about him is his mane and tail!!!! going to do a riding club horse class, and sports horse class at a reasonable sized show. where the hell do i start??? his mane crest is very to one side if that makes sense so when i try to plait him they lie loads to one side and ends up with bulge the other side, plus i cant seem to keep his tail plait tight enough so looks very loose!! cant have a pro in to do it as were leaving stupidly early in the morning. also, what ahould i wear? hacking jacket or show jacket? it says judge will ride so i've had lots of different people ride him to get used to it. any help /tips??!!!!
 
I think your worse off than me! could you not do the lazy thing and shave his dock? (I've seen alot of people do that). Your not the only one who hates plaiting, Mine are always ****.
 
Good luck - this sounds exciting! Try to get his mane as thin as possible as this will make the plaiting easier. Why don't you either get a pro to come and give you some tips re. plaiting manes/tails or get them to do it the night before if he is going to be in. Ideally you need a brown tweed coat, but I am sure it won't matter(or take both and see what everyone else is wearing). You should expect to do a couple of laps of the ring in trot and canter and possibly gallop down one of the long sides. Sometimes you do this on both reins. The judge will try them in all paces either on both reins or just one.
 
One of the liveries at the yard im at has a horse with a bush of a mane, she usually thins it as much as possible, wets it and puts gel on so its practically flat against the neck, plaits it and puts a lycra hoodie on (mare looks like a burglar :D) Then there perfect for morning and it holds all day.
 
I love plaiting! The secret is a good mane and tail, and pull them tight! Thin and pull the mane about a week before you want to plait it. The thickness affects the plaits more than length but try not to have any wispy ends.

If it's nice and short (i.e. About 3 or 4 inches) it'll take about 15 mins to do whole mane and forelock.

Forelock should be French plaited from bridlepath. Mane plaits (odd number) should be roughly worked out first by putting bands around sections. Plait them down (don't roll them up yet) but keep them VERY tight - whenever you cross a strand, pull the whole thing tight. When they are rolled, any loose sections will bulge and not look as good. Once they are all plaited down, then you can roll/fold them up. I use bands but thread looks better.

The tail is more tricky to get to look good. Take very small sections (about 5 mm each time) and, again, pull the whole plait tight after each addition.

Jazzy when I plaited him for the first time. Took me about 45 minutes in total. Tail had to be redone on the morning though as he rubbed it. I also rolled the plaits in the morning, as if they are folded and then fall out, they become baggy!


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normally you wouldn't plait a tail when showing, it should be pulled but if you can't pull it I guess plaiting is better than leaving it natural.

With the mane wet it before plaiting then plait it tight this will stop the plaits from flipping over or coming out.

You ideally would have a tweed jacket, navy hat with flesh straps, shrit and tie. Don't panic about jacket navy will be fine and hat to match of some sort will be fine. Shirt and tie a must as are gloves pref dark in colour. Long boots and beige or canary jods NOT white.

Check the shedule for what bit your horse can have. Ideally in a novice classs you would have a snaffle and in an open class a double bridle or pelham with two reins. No boots, martingale or flash straps. I would put quarter marks on his bottom if you can do them if not don't worry.

You want him moving on a little more than you would for dressage and watch out for the steward who will point you in the right direction to change rein and gallop if required.

Most of all smile and enjoy yourself!
 
Tail plaiting's outdated....pull or rake it [raking it's easier :) ]

Thin the mane out a bit,but leave it long enough to plait easily. Quick-braid is FANTASTIC and gods gift as far as I'm concerned lol...any horse's mane can usually be solved by it :)
 
I plait my TB's tail. i'd never pull or rake it as it then just looks like a bog brush when it starts to grow back. I'd much rather just take the plait out at the end of the day and have a nice natural tail. If i couldn't plait i'd just bandage it wet to flatten it.
 
For manes, I use bryl cream! Divide into sections, bryl cream section then plait! Stays in all day. Also used to sew them in to make sure.

For tail, Go with pulling.

As for attire - I think for riding horse it is blue jacket and blue hat, yellow shirt, some form of tie, yellow gloves and beige jods.

If you were entering hacks or hunters, tweed jacket.

Not sure on sport horses, maybe blue again. Check the British show horse website. Local showing, I dont think it matters as long as you look presentable.

Good luck!
 
asterid said:
As for attire - I think for riding horse it is blue jacket and blue hat, yellow shirt, some form of tie, yellow gloves and beige jods.

If you were entering hacks or hunters, tweed jacket.

Not sure on sport horses, maybe blue again. Check the British show horse website. Local showing, I dont think it matters as long as you look presentable.

Good luck!
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other way round - navy for hacks, tweed for riding horses. For sport horses tweed would be correct.
 
clairefeekerry1 said:
WOWZERS!!!! that tail plait is out of this world compared to mine. jeez, i have alot of work to do!!!!
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It HONESTLY isn't that hard!!! Just take little sections (that's the secret) and just pull the plait tight each time. It's kinda like sliding the plait together, but pull it evenly both sides, or it'll go around the side of the dock!!!
 
Another plaiting tip - section up the mane first before you plait - rough measure on my horse is the length of a mane comb + 3 notches. That way you get even plaits. If you want to make your horses crest look bigger - push the plaits higher up almost to the top of the crest, if he is already showing a large crest and you want to make his neck thinner, then have your plaits lower down. If you section the mane off the night before then stick an old pair of tights/stockings over the top and secured by more plait bands, it will cut down a lot of work in the morning. As for tail pulling - whats the difference between maintaining a pulled mane and a pulled tail? I also choose to trim my horses beard, ears and heels. And without sounding off to the OP who suggested you could just pull your mane and go unplaited - you can't! not for showing, unless you have a M&M which you don't. If you really want to make a big effort, then use bands to section the mane and secure the bottom of the plait and then sew them in. I only do this if I venture into showing because I am lazy but have to admit that the plaits are a lot tighter/more secure if I sew them in. I absolutely draw the line at not using any bands at all but thats because I lack the skills to secure a plait using just thread! and have a great time, ask the judge (nicely!) for tips on how to improve when you have finished and remember that showing is subjective - so your horse is always No 1 to you..!
 
Eriskayowner said:
Thanks Hanna I love plaiting - I did 8 horses in one morning before 8 once, in about 2 hours. I would travel, but maybe not that far!
;)

X
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:O:O thats a record haha! I cant even do one mane in 2 hours, my fingers just cramp up and they become all loose and one side is always tighter. Do you do it professionally? maybe you could do a bit in your local area for some extra money :D
 
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