Plaited Tails

Laura1234

Laura1234

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Afternoon all, just wanted to get peoples feeling on plaiting tails? I can plait my boys tail, and it looks rather nice in my opinion, and was planning to do this for our ridden class in a few weeks (riding club horse class), but after using the search on here, I am not sure this is correct - should it be pulled instead? I have tried pulling his mane, and he HATES it, so have to use other methods to tidy, which does look okay actually. So, I can either continue to plait, or I can, what is it called - rake?? the tail. Could someone post pics of their plaited and pulled tails and comment on which is best for this class, thanks.
He is a 16h TB by the way, if this makes any difference?
 
*watches eagerly, having been told that a plaited tail eventing, and for dressage, looks "hopelessly unprofessional"*
 
I used to plait my show hunters tail till he rubbed it out by sitting on the back of the lorry while travelling :mad: Then we used one of those rake things to pull it. (he would have killed us otherwise)

Only plait the tail if you can do a tight neat plait. Otherwise it looks awful in the show ring. Most people pull nowadays as it's easyer.
 
Technically I riding horse should have a pulled tail, mine is a hunter and has a pulled tail. Can not stand hunters with plaited tails! Think pure,light TBs look alright with plaited tails though.
 
If you cant plait it pull it -easy option!!!!!!!! I can do both, and tend to plait everything. Who says what is right and wrong for any class. A well plaited tail will outshine a badly pulled one every time .Plaiting classes run weekly,any takers????????
 
The black and white answer is always pulled for showing. No exceptions (apart from natural state m&ms) :)

But for riding club horse, if you'd rather just plait, you shouldn't get marked down for it. That class is more forgiving than the more classic show classes like show hunter and riding horse.
 
I hate pulled tails.....would much rather see a very tight braided tail instead,it looks professional and shows there butts off as well :D
My Lad has a gorgeous tail and i wouldnt pull it for anything!!
 
Hate pulled tails. Think they just look like the horse has sweet itch.

Also, they NEED their tails - mine use their to stand with their bums to the wind. And pulling it hurts.

I always plait. Takes 5mins with a bit of practise. And if you loose the class on having a plaited, not pulled tail then you need to find a more sensible disapline to compete in ;)
 
I can't believe people are saying it MUST be pulled! I hate pulled tails with a passion, it takes ages to get it right and ages longer to keep it looking smart. A pulled tail ideally needs to be touched up almost evryday before it grows to the 'bristly' look. A natural tail can look lovely plaited, and then be ready to serve its purpose of protecting the horses bottom in the normal state! Its not natural to pull hairs out, most horses hate it.
If your just doing a few shows and a few classes please keep to plaiting, you will regret it if you pull it.
As for hunters with plaited or pulled, its easier to keep clean when the tail is plaited and put up! Looks lovely too.
 
I like a well plaited tail. I always plaited, rather than pulled, Squizz's tail and Jenny always did very well showing him in workers and riding club horse.

I plaited Jazz's tail for his first dressage competition in July.

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Ruthnmeg said:
I can't believe people are saying it MUST be pulled! I hate pulled tails with a passion, it takes ages to get it right and ages longer to keep it looking smart. A pulled tail ideally needs to be touched up almost evryday before it grows to the 'bristly' look. A natural tail can look lovely plaited, and then be ready to serve its purpose of protecting the horses bottom in the normal state! Its not natural to pull hairs out, most horses hate it.
If your just doing a few shows and a few classes please keep to plaiting, you will regret it if you pull it.
As for hunters with plaited or pulled, its easier to keep clean when the tail is plaited and put up! Looks lovely too.
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I agree with you and everyone else who hates pulled tails! I practised as a child for ages to get my plaiting perfected and I think a beautifully plaited tail not only looks fantastic but also shows a far greater level of expertise than a razored 'bog brush'!
 
Gosh Eriskayowner, that really is a work of art!
Thanks for everyones opinions and views, it is a very individual thing after all, and no set rules, well not for local level shows it seems. As it is a low level, I think I will plait, as I can do it very well, and he really hates being pulled, so can't have done that anyway, would have to have used something else to cut it, or he would try killing me. He will happily stand and be plaited, so going to go for this for first show. I will see if the judge has any opinions on it and report back, hopefully with pics and a big grin on my face for completing my first show....... at 32 years old!! :rolleyes: (This could be why I want to plait, as I feel like a big kid!!).
 
If you can plait it, then plait it.
I love plaited tails, but then I'm not into showing, the most I'll be doing is taking L to a few classes as the show is in the next village.

Pulled tails are fine if done correctly, the bog brush rake jobbbies you see make me cringe.
 
For anything other than very local showing - always pulled. Plaited tails went out of fashion many years ago and now do indeed look very unprofessional. They are bulky and immediately say 'that's an amateur' to a judge, I'm afraid. The opinion within judges is that if you were stuck between 1st and 2nd, they were totally equal, but one had a plaited tail and the other a pulled one, the pulled one would get given the nod.

There is nothing neater than a neatly pulled tail - just have a look at some of FMM's horses for good examples. If your horse doesn't like pulling, you can achieve a good look with a special tool.
 
teagreen said:
For anything other than very local showing - always pulled. Plaited tails went out of fashion many years ago and now do indeed look very unprofessional. They are bulky and immediately say 'that's an amateur' to a judge, I'm afraid. The opinion within judges is that if you were stuck between 1st and 2nd, they were totally equal, but one had a plaited tail and the other a pulled one, the pulled one would get given the nod.

There is nothing neater than a neatly pulled tail - just have a look at some of FMM's horses for good examples. If your horse doesn't like pulling, you can achieve a good look with a special tool.
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I don't think plaited tails look unprofessional, in fact I'd call it a piece of art, and it DOES show greater expertise. As for being out of date, well, as they say about fashion, what goes around comes around. Who'd want to delibrately hurt their horse pulling hairs out, and if using a 'tool', well hay - thats cheating so no expertise there!!

ETS, most show jumpers have a natural tail, 99% endurance horses do too and you don't get a race horse with a pulled tail! They manage just fine, so why should 'everyone else' have to pull?
 
I hate pulled tails, its like anything really, if you're going to do it you have to keep it like it, they look terrible when they start to grow out.

I much prefer a well plaited tail, it takes practice, I find I can do them on horses but I can't do a french plait on a human, I reckon its cos heads are round !
 
I don't pull, it hurts my mare and her tail is put to good use keeping flys and wind off. I don't like using a tail rake or anything similar as I really don't like the look of the results. I must admit that I don't much care that I look like an amatuer - I am. That I might look unprofessional? Don't much care about that either. I pride myself on always taking time to prepare both of us well for whatever we are doing. Those who take my plaited tail as a judge of professionalism can reasses when we do well in our class! If we don't then they are free to make their own conclusions!!
 
Never a follower of fashion
Cuffey always had his tail plaited for coolness XC and for WH
He has always had as much turnout as weather allows and a full tail keeps flies off the nether regions in summer and shuts the wind out in winter.
 
Trust me, it DOES look unprofessional in the showring - you don't see plaited tails at HOYS, you won't see them at the BSHA Champs which are shortly upon us and you don't see them at most county shows except when people who don't really know what they're doing enter, and believe me, judges notice. If the horse is a world beater than it'll probably win, plaited tail or not, but most judges would say "You're tail ought to be pulled, not plaited." Pulled tails are an awful lot neater and make the backend look better. Same as having the tail short enough - I cringe when I see people enter the ring with a tail that's nearly touching the ground, the difference that can be made by lobbing it off to the hocks is incredible!

I know that a few years ago it was seen as an amazing talent, and it probably still is within riding club circles (and there's nothing wrong with that!), but for affiliated showing it is not correct. It's all part of showing - correct turnout. Racehorses need to run fast and jump well, show horses need to go well and look good.

I know some horses who don't like it, but I also know others who are completely unbothered, and I have a couple who seem to very much enjoy it for whatever reason.

Basically, at local level you shouldn't get marked down for it and you can do as you want as long as it looks neat. At affiliated level, it ought to be pulled.
 
E - that plait is brilliant! I need lessons.... :cool::rolleyes::D

I prefer a natural tail, which is then plaited when one wants to look 'smart'. Dizz's tail is nowhere near as thick as her mane so I'm growing it out to balance her up :).

Nothing against those that pull a tail, but I don't like the look and I don't like that the horse does not have its natural bum protection when in the field.

Thank heavens I'm not into showing! Another reason against it. A plaited tail, when done properly (just like a pulled tail needs to be done properly), looks smart and neat and professional, so 'having' to have a pulled tail in the show ring seems, to me, to be the same as having to have a horse so in 'condition' that the fat rolls are wobbling as the horse moves.

Just my opinion folks :D

*Puts tin hat on and flack jacket, the pink one with lace, and prepares to be shot down*
 
MrsMozart said:
E - that plait is brilliant! I need lessons.... :cool::rolleyes::D

I prefer a natural tail, which is then plaited when one wants to look 'smart'. Dizz's tail is nowhere near as thick as her mane so I'm growing it out to balance her up :).

Nothing against those that pull a tail, but I don't like the look and I don't like that the horse does not have its natural bum protection when in the field.

Thank heavens I'm not into showing! Another reason against it. A plaited tail, when done properly (just like a pulled tail needs to be done properly), looks smart and neat and professional, so 'having' to have a pulled tail in the show ring seems, to me, to be the same as having to have a horse so in 'condition' that the fat rolls are wobbling as the horse moves.

Just my opinion folks :D

*Puts tin hat on and flack jacket, the pink one with lace, and prepares to be shot down*
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I agree!
I show, well kinda, WH for me - in fact my avator is during a county show and I DID have a plaited tail - as always, and I came 4th out of 24. It obviously didn't matter to the judges that day. Iam proud to be an amatuer!!!
(Can you tell that this is one of those things that I just have to have a big opinion about! - normally I don't bother to shed my thoughts, but this subject, as stupid as it seems really gets to me!! lol)
 
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