Plaiting foals!?

[k9h]

Sorry for dumb question.

How do you plait foals!?

OK I know how to plait grown up horses but foals, never had too!

I would feel mean doing them as tight as I do for a horse & a days hunting or competing.

So would you do the rosette plaits where it is lose on the crest but then the actual down plait is tight?

I think I best be having a practise!

 

[brighteyes]

Ours was plaited as a foal, then not until a Pony Club dressage comp, some five years later. Now working in a rounded outline, he went absolutely crazy, as the plaits pulled and obviously upset him to the extent a rodeo performance was necessary. Fortunately, he'd settled by the time he had to do his test!

I have to say I wondered if you'd got one that wasn't moving correctly in front!!!

 

[AmyMay]

What class is it being entered in? Because if it's hunter broodmare and foal classes it should be unplaited.

 

[k9h]

It's futurity so to be plaited sadly!

 

[AmyMay]

Bugger

 

[k9h]

Thats what I thought! lol!

Thanks for trying though!

 

[lucydelaroche]

Just wondering where in BEF Futurity rules/guidance it states foals had to be plaited? The only reference I could find to plaiting was this one on factsheet 3

Ideally, horses should be plaited, mainly so that the evaluators can see the shape of the neck and withers. If your horse is intended for endurance, long plaits or a running plait will be fine. In all cases though, a tidy mane will be fine.

 

[Gingernags]

Hope you don't mind me adding another question, I'm having to "pull" my yearlings tail as one of the fillies has got at it and it was resembling a bog brush at the top and was unplaitable. (I say pull, I use a razor comb as I do for my mare as I hate actually pulling and I get it just as neat...)

Anyhoo, how far down the tail would you "pull"? I've only done a few inches so far to tidy the top.

Ta and apologies again for the mini-hijack...

 

[CrazyMare]

I plaited mine like my mare, rosette style plaits - five of them. I kept them slightly loose at the top, then the length tight.

She didn't bother at all - so much so, that I managed to sew them in.

 

[irishdraught]

I have a foal entered into the futurity. I will not be plaiting her as I don't think it is fair for her. She will only be 7 weeks old and will have enough to cope with by travelling there in the first place.
I am sure she can be evaluated sufficiently without being plaited. It is not as if her mane is that long to start with.

 

[k9h]

Well I did it!

Horrid! The foal was a star & stood whilst being scratched! But her mane or should I say fluff!!

Anyhows! This was the result!

 

[Maggie2]

Very neat indeed, I'd give you the job!

How did you get on?

 

[k9h]

Thank you!

My friends mare & foal
She got a 1st premium! Woohoo!! Was the 2nd highest score of the day before they left!

 

[Maggie2]

brilliant, well done.