Show me some pics of your plaits please..

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Jericho

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Have started doing some local dressage and always like to plait my mare as 1) she has an upright mohican mane and 2) she really looks like a small qymkhana pony if she isnt plaited.

For speed I just use bands but am never really happy with them. I do sew but it just doubles the time to get ready and would rather spend that time on other preparation (like warming up properly!)
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So pretty please could you show me some close up plaited piccies ideally in bands so I can just check that I am not being too much of a perfectionist (I always get cross if they dont come out like neat little show pony ones which I can only acheive if they are completely wrapped up in thread!)

Oh and any tips you might have to improve plaits and time!

Nice bowl of tomato soup and home baked bread for lunch to all responsders!
 
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thats with bands although a little windswept, we normally use more gel!

and a slightly less windswept pic altho ignore my red face, it was pretty warm!

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ohhh they are all very neat. I'm being convinced that thread is the way forward. How do you get them so tightly balled and secured close to the skin. I am folding mine in half and then half again - do I need to roll?
 
these are with bands, which i'm not a fan of, but usually to lazy to use thread! This horse has the worst mane to plait anyway because she HATES having her mane messed with.
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When you plait, plait downwards not up wards. Then put the needle through the end where the band is, and then thread it under and through the base of the plait. The sew down the plait to make it flat and when you get to the end, loop it in half again and through the base by the neck. Then thread it through back and fourth a few times at the base, tie it in a knot and snip off the excess.
 
I fold mine in half and half again too. How short is his mane?


Hen's needs to be shortish and fairly thinned out before I can plait it so it looks really smart. If you use thread you can get them in really tight and close to the neck.
The plait needs to be really tight too, I pull them out slightly at the bottom once they are secured with a band, it makes the plait tighter and allows the horse to move it's neck without it pulling.
 
Lippyx, please can you make your signature smaller. It's about 3 times too tall and makes for a lot of scrolling - thanks.
 
OK sounds like I am doing it correct - just need to practise then, hmmpphh. Her mane is about 4inches at the moment and quite thin so usually it folds once or mayeb twice . Its not so much the size of the plait, just that they always seem loose. Perhaps I just need to do more along her neck

Thanks for all the tips!
 
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When you plait, plait downwards not up wards. Then put the needle through the end where the band is, and then thread it under and through the base of the plait. The sew down the plait to make it flat and when you get to the end, loop it in half again and through the base by the neck. Then thread it through back and fourth a few times at the base, tie it in a knot and snip off the excess.

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Blimey, I don't do that much sewing, mine are hard enough to take out as it is!
I just fold, sew the base a couple of times, fold again and sew a couple of times. I'm far too lazy!
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OK sounds like I am doing it correct - just need to practise then, hmmpphh. Her mane is about 4inches at the moment and quite thin so usually it folds once or mayeb twice . Its not so much the size of the plait, just that they always seem loose. Perhaps I just need to do more along her neck

Thanks for all the tips!

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Sounds like you need to make the original plait tighter.
Henry has ALOT of mane and I never put more than 11 in (mainly because my friend does alot of showing and tells me off if I do anymore!)
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Wet the mane a little as it helps to grip (also better if not squeaky clean). Use small mane comb, measure section, use one of those grippy things to keep the rest of mane away, thread needle with a length of thread.wet, split into three. Plait as tightly as poss. Usually I seem to have the needle in my mouth at this point!

Hold as near the end as poss, push needle through and wrap round the end, double over the little unplaited bits and wrap round then push need through end of plait and then up through the centre of beginning of plait on neck. Pull tight and guide to double plait over. Running stitch down the half plait and fold again and push needle through at neck.

Should now have a mini gold ball, push needle back and forth a few times to secure and snip off end of thread under plait.

I love plaiting and find it really relaxing, it is amazing how quick you get with practice. Uneven number is correct and always start at the ear end of neck.
 
thanks thats really useful. I definitely know the theory it seems. Just need to be more precise and tighter. Interestingly I have always started from withers but it seems all the videos I have just wacthed on youtube show them starting at ears.
 
I have to put in about 18 plaits in my TB's mane as he has an incredibly wide crest and a mane thicker than the thickest exmoors. If I pull his mane to about 4 inches I cannot get the hair from one side across. So I have to leave his mane to about 6 inches and thin as much as I can and then put in more plaits. He hasn't got a cresty neck - just a wide neck. I also sew them in as I can get them much tighter. i tend to plait across and down and then fold in half - sew, then fold in half again wrapping round tightly. I can't roll them to save my life!

I also plait from the bottom up as he is a total pratt at the top of his neck so if I started there I would never get to the withers
 
I do all the above, sometimes with thread but more often with bands. Trouble is, the bloody mane is impossible at the best of times, its very thick, very strong and has been known to 'ping' out of place no matter what I do! I can't pull it unless the mare is out cold, hanging upside down with her feet shackled together after her shoes removed and me wearing body armour and a hard hat with a hospital 2 secs away to repair my damage!!
Seriously, we never look neat, but I have long since given up hope of ever being able to achieve 'the impossible neat plaits'!!! In my view of things, try your best, and don't worry about the rest!!
 
I damp the mane, plait and band the ends all the way down then start at the top again and sew up all the way down, takes about 15 - 20 mins all in, including forelock...usually 9 plaits on neck, sorry, I@m useless with technology and haven't got to grips with uploading photos yet but they look completely sewn and are much quicker!
 
I can't take the credit for these - infact the friend who did them is just taking them out on this photo while my girl is falling asleep. Bless
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