Plaiting tips and tricks

[HannahJ]

What are your best tips and tricks for nice neat plaits?

I'm attempting my first dressage test next weekend and would like to look presentable but so far my plaits haven't been too good!

Thanks

 

[Orangehorse]

Plaiting really is a case of practice makes perfect. In the old days when we could spend a whole afternoon just messing around with the horses, we could practice and practice. Now it is all more of a rush! You get more nimble and your fingers stronger the more you do.

To start you need a thinish, level mane. (People will scream, but as my horse has a thin mane, I can shorten it using a Solo Comb.) I found it best to divide up the mane with a comb into uneven plaits, you can judge when to leave a little more/less mane, damp the mane or use some of that Lynn Russel stuff, and put a rubber band around each section. If using a needle and thread, thread up enough needles so there is one needle for each plait all ready waiting for you with a knot in the end of the thread, which should be plaiting thread of course. Have a comb and scissors in a pocket and easy to reach.

Someone who taught plaiting at Pony Club said they used to work in a Hunter Livery yard and they had to practice with white thread on a black mane and the Stud Groom didn't want to see any thread at all. They were allowed 10 minutes to plait a mane for hunting - phew!

Using rubber bands is OK, I use two bands per plait.

I am not an expert by any means, I am sure there are more people who can give you more help.

 

[Cowpony]

Spend a bit of time getting your bunches even. Get the plait as tight as you can. Once you've put the band round the end of the plait turn the loose ends up underneath and use another band to hold them there. Then roll your plait up. That way you don't get lots of ends sticking out all over the place. And finally remember that it's dressage, not showing. You aren't being marked on your turnout. Good luck!

 

[Cowpony]

Oh, and I plait the night before, but don't roll them up until the next day. Saves a lot of time when you're in a rush.

 

[lucky7]

A good tip is to measure out the bunches first to get them even, so start at the top and using one of those little pulling type combs measure it along the top of the mane sideways to get a an even piece of mane, then band it and do the same all the way down, this will ensure all the plaits will be the same size and width hope that makes sense!

 

[Lambkins]

I love plaiting !! I have plaited for local and national level competitions .. The longer and fuller the mane the better

Step 1 .. Odd number of plaits down the neck .. So I work out what will suit the horse in question.. I roughly work on 7 down the neck and plus the forelock ( so even number when all in )

Step 2 .. Dampen the mane .. Split into even sections ( u can do this by eye or I tend to use a comb to measure ) then plait each section then band to secure

Step 3 I then fold the end over ( as in I fold at the band tucking the hair that didn't get plaited under the plait and secure with another plaiting band

Step 4 rolled and band OR sew into place .. I prefer to sew.. It looks neater and I can plait from start to finish in 25-30mins

It's too hard to explain how the sew but I'm sure there are u tube videos available

Step 5 hairspray

Step 6 hood or neck rug

I did these plaits at the show in the back of the lorry in 20mins .. His mane is a foot long when loose

 

[Enfys]

Just be grateful you are not in North America where we do braids like this, with wool!

http://www.horsechannel.com/images/horse-news-article-images/hunter-braids_800.jpg

Out of curiosity, and because I haven't done dressagey stuff for donkeys years in the UK, are the white/sparkly bands still in fashion, or has that dropped out of sight now?

 

[HannahJ]

Thanks for all the tips so far everyone! I know how I'll be spending my weekend! Lots of practice!

Am I best off doing the plaits the night before then rolling them up in the morning? Will they stay in okay overnight? Pony lives out with a neck rug on.

Do you use gel or anything to hold them in place or make them easier to do?

 

[HannahJ]

Just be grateful you are not in North America where we do braids like this, with wool!

http://www.horsechannel.com/images/horse-news-article-images/hunter-braids_800.jpg

Out of curiosity, and because I haven't done dressagey stuff for donkeys years in the UK, are the white/sparkly bands still in fashion, or has that dropped out of sight now?

I would LOVE my plaits to look that neat but I think that might be a bit beyond my capabilities

 

[HannahJ]

I did these plaits at the show in the back of the lorry in 20mins .. His mane is a foot long when loose

That's amazing!!

 

[michelledud]

Just don't make the mistake I did once...
I had a small spray bottle of hair gel which I used to put on the mane before plaiting, and a small spray bottle of baby oil to help show off the finished plaits. To be fair I hadn't plaited up for a year or so, so it was an easy mistake to get confused which bottle was which, wasn't it?????
It was awful, even after I'd washed the mane about three times, my hands just kept getting clogged with oil and the elastic bands kept slipping off!!!
At least I was plaiting for myself not anyone else 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

 

[Lyle]

Google Alan C Davies plaiting technique, he uses rubber bands but they look stitched. I figure if it's good enough for Valegro, it's good enough for me!

This is how mine turn out, it only takes ten minutes to plait the mane.

 

[Dizzydancer]

One tip I have found is to plait the section part way down hold the plait in one hand and with the other get your thumb under the plait each side and lift it up allowing some give from the rest of the section so the top of the plait isn't tight to the neck- it has made my horse more relaxed after being plaited up.
I guess it makes sense cause you plait the horse up when in a different outline than you ride in when we want the neck to stretch over and if too tight to the neck it must be uncomfortable to stretch over the neck

 

[Sparkles]

Quick braid/easy plait spray is a lifesaver ��

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Also have a play with the different plaiting techniques. Topaz looks daft if I do a few big plaits, as she is not blessed with a sleek long neck. So she gets 9/11 on the neck plus forelock, depending on how much mane she has, though she has so much mane they can still end up chunky! Bring back my show pony she was so easy to plait!

Enfys, I do sometimes use crystal bands for the championship shows, I also inflicted baubles on her at a Christmas show . Not a great pic of them as it was the end of the day and we can never stay neat but you get the idea:

 

[Bernster]

I did these plaits at the show in the back of the lorry in 20mins .. His mane is a foot long when loose

I was reading your tips, thinking yep yep yep, OK, then bam! Your photo scrolls up with those amazing fat plaits. I can't fathom how those 6 steps results in those plaits! So smart!

 

[Bernster]

Loving the baubles Alex Hyde

 

[Maesfen]

Neat plaits Lyle.

 

[el_Snowflakes]

Pay someone to do it- that's my top tip! 😂

 

[LCH611]

Don't waste time putting it into bunches first of all - just mark out on your comb how wide your plaits are going to be. I start at the top & work down as it is less noticeable to have the last one or 2 different sizes. If your thumbs don't hurt when you are plaiting you are not doing them tightly enough! NB if the horse doesn't like them pulled tight against the neck the first crossover doesn't need to be tight, but it does thereafter - I often do the withers one looser as this always seems to be the most sensitive area when I am pulling the mane to organise it for plaiting. I always use 2 bands and generally put all the plaits in and then go back & roll up. Try and tuck any wispy bits at the end of the plait into the rubber band as you put it round. Make sure than when you roll/fold the end of the plait is really tucked into the base as it is more likely to stay put. With time & practise you will soon discover the optimum length for the mane to be/how they need to be rolled/folded and exactly where to put the band.

 

[Maesfen]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Spot on! Though I can't plait with bands at all, has to be thread for me.
Used to do it so much ( 20 sets a week at least) I could take them out with my eyes shut and not lose any hairs.

 

[Ladyinred]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Spot on! Though I can't plait with bands at all, has to be thread for me.
Used to do it so much ( 20 sets a week at least) I could take them out with my eyes shut and not lose any hairs.

Same here! We used to use a 'Quick Un-Pik' designed for needlework and it never took out valuable hairs. I can't plait with bands, they have to be sewn.

 

[minesadouble]

Another here who only uses thread. I band a comb to the size of plait I want, use a clip to keep the unplaited mane out of my way, plait to the bottom, turn the end under, wrap thread around the bottom then turn under and sew in, not a band to be seen ��! I do love Easy Plait made by Supreme Products too - the only plaiting 'product' I ever use.

 

[Bav]

I'd love to see pics and tips on doing the forelock. I can plait down the mane perfectly but current pony has a frizzy forelock and I prefer the look of the French plait? Tbh I don't even know what it's called but I do recall being taught that it should be plaited differently and I was never born with the typical girly gene of doing hair...

 

[LCH611]

Can't help with forelocks as it is my husband that does the fancy forelock & tail plaits - he can do them either raised or tucked in, whereas I just bundle them up like a normal plait!

 

[Django Pony]

2 HHO-ers produced this video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC1qZ5nk0-8

 

[Auslander]

I LOVE it when manes naturally fall on the left, as it makes it so much easier to neatly achieve height in the plaits when you take the mane over from the other side. I was brought up doing tight hunter plaits, but spent so much time in Germany and Switzerland that I became a hooded plait convert.
My top tip for thin manes is to use doubled up wool (mane coloured) instead of thread to add volume.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I can stitch and band plait. I can band in 10 mins, another 10 to do the tail. It takes me half an hour to stitch a mane. I cheat and plait down then band the bottom before stitching up. I tried stitching the bottom and it only looked OK where as if I band down the stitch up it looks a lot better.

I just use water to plait with then plaster the mane in super strong hairspray after.

 

[NZJenny]

I plait a doubled up length of wool into the actual plait, use that to tie off and use the ends to sew the plait. Makes it nice and firm - mine are plaited the night before and then go out into a paddock. No stables here. After not having to plait for 20 years, I found lots of helpful videos on You Tube. And big, coloured plastic bodkins (I need glasses to thread little needles these days), easy to thread and easy to see if you drop one.

 

[ladyaga]

So neat and tidy for such a big mane.lovely