Plaiting for eventing

RachelFerd said:
I think my concern is that, although dressage judges will never comment on it on sheets, or even to writers, its hard to say if it does/doesn't create some bias within the judging.
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Even if it does, I should think it still creates less bias than the many things judges do openly grumble about to writers: e.g., where the rider rides before the bell rings, making the same mistake that ten other riders have already made, having an obese horse, having a fly veil on, rider not showing the writer their number etc.

When there's so many things to put a judge off you, I can't imagine that plaiting makes any real impact on your mark.
 
I frequently don't plait for BD - Arty doesn't have much mane anyway (spotty genes) and although I can plait it often it just doesn't seem worth it. I certainly don't for any kind of jumping and if I was to event her I wouldn't bother either
 
I bought a native so I didn’t have to plait! Which is just as well as he gets very excited and loses the ability to stand still once he realises we’re off somewhere…

I used to do a running plait in my non-native.
 
I’d not bother & see what happens. The orange idiot was like this (old owner admitted he’d been plaited up too tight once and was now very mane shy). I couldn’t scissor it, thin it, pull it & certainly couldn’t plait it. I could only brush it with a specific brush after copious amounts of detangler and he’d still hate every second! I used to ask permission from the hunt secretary to not plait and they were always ok with it when I explained why, surely if I could convince them BE should hopefully be ok about it
 
BallyJ said:
If we all make a pact then it'll become the new norm?! 😁
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This totally! We cant afford to event these days, but Id totally do this. If I can ever afford to in future, then I wont be plaiting!

OP, theres absolutely no rule to say you have to plait for BE. Its just tradition but the dressage judge should absolutely not frown on it when its not even in the rule book!
 
tda said:
So glad I have natives, no plaiting required. 😁 I'm really surprised by the bruising thing, but shouldn't be, I always got headache after wearing a high ponytail
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Its funny because the ONLY time Ive wanted to plait was when I had a native, the mane gets all tangled in your fingers, drove me nuts!
 
I like to leave their manes quite long. With the last horse I competed (low level dressage) I used to put a short running (Arab) plait in from just behind the bridle so the mane was held back from his cheeks and it looked like I had made some sort of effort. I also plaited his forelock out of the way. I liked the way it looked and will probably do the same if I ever get back to competing.
 
You know, I’d just assumed it was in the rules! I used to be terrible at plaiting. I’m still slow but better. I do quite like how smart they look but will def remember not to pull tight at the beginning although old school tutorials often encouraged that iirc.
 
So for plaiting, I think the key is to let the mane grow a bit long and do scallop braids, for dressage, anyway. I did them all last year with my horse and they were beautiful, relatively quick, and pretty fool proof for me. In case anyone wants to get into different braiding to find something easier
 
I got stopped by a dressage judge at an unaffiliated competition once to ask why I hadn't plaited. She did it before I started the test, too, which was bang out of order. I replied that it wasn't in the rule book. A friend of mine suggested I should have said "oh I'm terribly sorry but I didn't have time after I'd finished my ambulance shift late".
 
I've told this story on here before but I still find it funny!! Friend has a cob who was originally hogged but then she grew his mane out. I had arranged to meet her at a dressage comp and she was late. She arrived, got pony out whilst I was asking if she was OK as she looked flustered. She picked her bucket up to show me several plaits in the bottom on the bucket!! She had started plaiting, they looked awful so she got the clippers out and clipped them all off!!
 
Fern007 said:
I've told this story on here before but I still find it funny!! Friend has a cob who was originally hogged but then she grew his mane out. I had arranged to meet her at a dressage comp and she was late. She arrived, got pony out whilst I was asking if she was OK as she looked flustered. She picked her bucket up to show me several plaits in the bottom on the bucket!! She had started plaiting, they looked awful so she got the clippers out and clipped them all off!!
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😂😂
 
claracanter said:
We should make a pact that as H&H forum members, we will not plait for competitions from now on. This way we will not only be making a statement but it will be easy to spot fellow members in the warm up 😀
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Hmm. Racing can be excluded from this because its a £30-50 best turned out prize in each race and I like winning them 😂😂
 
I've known dealers take in a new horse and pull its mane all on the first day in one go, no wonder some horses don't like their mane pulled or touched. I had a pony like that, and really plaiting didn't suit her at all.

I didn't know it wasn't in the rules - that interesting. Maybe learn to do a running plait if the mane is long, just to keep it out of the way?
 
So in honour of this thread, I didn’t plait for eventing dressage today.Got a dressage score of 32 which I was really pleased with as it was only my second test of the year. Infact, someone in the warm up commented on my lack of plaits and how great they thought it was as it really is unnecessary. Onwards and Upwards
 
claracanter said:
So in honour of this thread, I didn’t plait for eventing dressage today.Got a dressage score of 32 which I was really pleased with as it was only my second test of the year. Infact, someone in the warm up commented on my lack of plaits and how great they thought it was as it really is unnecessary. Onwards and Upwards
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The non plaiting revolution is starting!! Not having to plait, really would be bliss.
 
The only times my gelding has ever gone out and not "performed" whilst jumping is when he is plaited. Seems fine plaited on the flat but I'm convinced there is a link with his jumping. He is foot perfect whenever he is left au natural
 
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