I find it helps a lot of you have a big tub of hair gel and gel the hair before you plait it. That helps to glue down those wild fly-away hairs! Top tip, wet look gel went out in the mid 80's though so I am sure it wouldn't impress any judges!

This helped but I would also like to know how to plait a tail as it looks fantastic!

Riders, if you need to stand on something to plait the mane, use a sturdy tack box instead of a bucket. Also, this section tells you how to do it just right - you don't need a lot of fancy tools to braid a mane properly - just practice. Some dressage riders use white adhesive tape to wrap the braids together (rather than sewing with thread) at the end, but this is not suitable for the hunting field.

In response to Laurens message- to plait a tail you start at the top of the tail and get 2 pieces of tail and cross them over, then add another piece and plait it, every time you cross a piece over add another piece from that side, do this till you get down to about the end of the dock and then plait it normally with out adding pieces. Carry on down till the bottom, secure this with a rubber band or thread then fold the end plait up in half and use thread to hold it like that! Then you have a nice tail plait. It is done in the same way as a french plait. Make sure you keep it tight while plaiting!

Hi,

I was told this this summer, that in Europe, you can't plait a horses tail, because they beleive it affects balance etc, because the spine goes all the way down and the dock is part of the spine, so pulling tight can cause problems. That's just what I was told.

Hi,
In response to jumpergirl, i know a dressage trainer from germany and i plait my horses tail at least once a weak and braid it very tight to keep his tail down.She has never said anything bad about tight braids.I don't know about your experiences, but whenever i plait his tail, his suspension got much better and impulsion too.He's never had any lameness problems from it.

I find if I gel the mane prior to plaiting it just makes the mane sticky & too wet to get a good grip. In Australia many people dampen the mane with water spray, plait & add gel or hair spray before putting on a lycra hood.

Hi,
I am 14 years old,and i have a Arabian horse. She is 8 years old. DaeFyre my horse has a big knot in her mane. My mother and I have tryed every thing and can not sem to get it out. When I was surfing the net about horses manes I found you.If you have any Informatian please E-mail me at SilverKitten925@Aol.com

Thank you

Hi
I AM 14 YEARS OLD AND HAVE JUST HAD A 4 YEAR OLD MARE BOUGHT FOR ME.HER NAME IS TIA CAN ANYONE TELL ME THE BEST WAY TO GET OUT RAIN SCOLD OUT OF HER MANE. I AM BRUSHING CONSTANTLY WITH NOT MUCH JOY. ALSO COULD YOU SUGGEST ANYTHING TO MAKE HER MANE A LITTLE LESS BRITTLE
THANKYOU

in respone to lucy hollow it make her hair less brittle there are many things you can do. 1 if she is a little under weight you can add half a cup of corn oil or wheatgerm oil. 2 you could use a biotin supplement (a hoof supplement)3 you can put this mixture on the mane and then you can either leave it in or wash it out your call. the mixture can be applied to the mane and tail. you put 1/2 liter of your conditioner, 1/2 liter of babyoil and 3tbs or liniment. shake and apply to wet hair. if i find anything about rainscold i wil email you
good luck

For lucy hollow are you sure it is rain scald cuz that is really crusty and if picked pink skin is exposed your horse may just have dandruff. Horse dandruff tends to be in bigger chunks then humans. My horse had dandruff so I washed her mane and tail with a dandruff shampoo every other day.

And for nicole i dont know if you have tried this but it is worth a shot. Soak the knot in baby oil re-appling often for a coulple days then try combing it and it the knot is looking kind of like a dredlock then take a clipper and clip one side of it gentally. You will loose a couple of hairs but it shouldn't be noticable.

Also just for another hint to this line. before plaiting or banding you should thin your horses hair (the breed calls for a natural mane) the mane should only be 2-3inches long from the crest and if you haven't had the to proper thin and cut the mane instead of useing scissors you can get your clippers out. This will give it a more "natural" look to the shorten mane. :)

Hey guys i am sorry i made a mistake in one of my comments, and i greatly apologize. the mane of a horse going to have his mane plaited or banded should be 4inches long.that is about 10cm.
i am so sorry if you cut your horses mane 2inches just like it grow out but it is possible to still braid it but it will be a bit more difficult. sorry about this.

Hi,
I'm 41 and after all these years of waiting I finally last summer bought my first horse. A wonderful very large, Arabian. I have noticed that he has terrible dandruff problem of which last summer he did not. Is this some seasonal thing that I need to expect or is he lacking something in his diet? He is fed well twice aday including a quart of grain at each feeding. Any advice on this subject would be so well appreciated! Sincerely Juanita

juanita rieche,
during the winter the weather gets a little dry and that may be causing your horse to have dandruff so i would recommend a little bit of moisturizing conditioner if you are permitted to bathe. or you can add some corn oil or wheat germ oil to his diet but only one of two tsp. good luck!

Hello,
I was wondering if there is a right or wrong side to have my horses mane lay on? It appears that most walking horses have their manes on the right, but mine is on the left. Will I be judged down for that in the show ring?

Thank you.

Hi!!!
I found the plaiting mane article very helpful but would also find a similar one on plaiting the tail useful to. I own a 15hh black welsh cob and his tail is always such a mess when i plait it. Has anyone got any tips to help me? Please!!!
Also, should his tail be plaited for showjumping classes?

Thankyou.

Traditional if you plait a mane you should plait the tail as well.

As for plaiting the tail that is on the get round to it list.

Hi,
I just got a bay colored, retired race horse. He is so beautiful, but his tail has those little wavy hairs in them. I brush them but they don't come out! His mane is straight but the tail would be better straight! Any suggestions? e-mail me at myhorseTJ@hotmail.com

hi my name is lucie i am a 11 years old and i want to know what you need to have in a full proper gromming kit
thanks

for a proper grooming kit you will need:

body brush, dandy brush, face brush, water brush, hoof brush,
2 sponges(different colours) one for dock and the other for the face,
metal ,plasitc and rubber curry combs,hoof oil brush,hoof oil, mane and tail comb,
hoof pick and a sweat scraper. you will also need a plastic box to keep everything together.
it sounds like a lot but you'll use it all trust me. if you planed on plaiting your
horses mane and tail thread or rubber bands are also a handy item to have.

Hi! I'd just like to know if anyone knows how to properly clip or pull the tail, so braiding isn't necessary.

There is a correct side for the mane to be on, its the right side, and if your horses mane is on the left side it is quite simple to fix. you simply stand on the right side of your horse and braid the mane but on the right side, if you leave the braids in for about 3-7 days it should "tame" the mane, if it still sticks up re-briad it onto the right side again. Repeat if necissary.

Hi, everyone

On the subject of which side the main should lie. I was told that on a male horse the main should lie on the right side and for the female horse the main should lie on the left side. however I don't think it is correct some how.

Did anyone else get told this, or is someone playing me up.

I was wondering how many different types of braiding there are. I have heard of the basketweave and I love it, but I don't know how to do it. Any suggestions? Please e-mail me, instead fo writing it here, because I might not be able to check here.

Julie Ann Riley,

My friend that can resemble an airhead at times, was telling me about that. The male's mane should lay a certain way, and the same goes with the female. As for being on which side, she did not explain to me. If you do find more information I'd love to hear! Please email me at bigbaby_taylor@wouldilie.com

Thanks!

Regarding which side a mane should lie, traditionally it is the right for all horse, with the exception of cavalry mounts who had their manes trained to the left to aid the great amount of mounting that troopers did.

I find covering both the mane and tail in ordinary hair moose before plaiting helps a great deal. Before plaiting make sure your hands are dry from moose, and when finished plaster both in hairspray. Happy plaiting!!

Hi, this is for Sarah who owns Black Magic. I'm 15, and I've found that if you totally and completly brush out the tail out it can really help organize yourself,(just in case you needed to know). There are TONS of grooming sprays and other great products that can help you keep Black Magics tail shiny and clean looking. When you start braiding, take fairly small pieces of hair at a time, and try to be sure to get as close to the top of the tail when you start. By making your braid tight, it causes a neat apearence and nice results by staying put for shows- but be careful not to make it too tight cause he might get uncomfortable. Braid all the way to the end of the dock, then continue a straight braid all the way down to the end. After that, roll up your remaining braid that you did past the dock and secure it tightly. After that's done, spray Showsheen hair polish in, brush it the loose part of the tail out, then put in Cowboy Magic mane and tail detangler, which will help his tail shine and stay detangled. If you want to go even farther, hair spray his braid to be sure it stays. This procedure works really well for me any my horse, and i hope it help you too!

I have a minature horse stallion and a Thoroughbred mare. Have any of you guys heard of french braiding a horses' main? Well I tried it on my horses and it alway goes down at a slant and I can't keep it up on top of their neck like it's supposed to be. I also can not seem to braid their tails with out tons of hair escaping and huge bumps all over the place. I need some help with making my horses prettier then they already are! I'd appreciate any tips!

I take riding lessons on a horse called Suzie and I have tried to plait her mane but it didn't work because the plaits tuned out to be big lumps!Any tips are appreciated.

reguards
Renee

Krista,
About french braiding a horses mane, it's called a running plait. It does look really smart when done neatly and doesn't take as long as plaiting the mane in sections takes. It can be hard to get the plait right up on top of the crest of the horses neck, u need to practice loads! 2 help get the plait on the top of the crest u should be standing high above the crest on a stool or something. U need to be looking down on the crest. Keep the plait tight all the way along.

Good luck, just keep practicing as u will soon be able to make a perfect running plait!

Kerri and Smarty

This is in response to Krista. I am from Spain and worked in a riding club for a month. I was taught that the Spanish horses have their mane plait in another way, which I think is like french braiding. It is like one big braid and only need one or two bonds to tie it at the end. Yes, it does not lie on top of the horses neck but instead falls toward the lie of the mane.

In response to Sassy back in May, PLEASE don't leave plaits in for more than three days.

I know of horses who have had them in for longer, and when going to take the plaits out, the hair has come out completely! The reason being that the hair is being pulled tightly in the plait, and it just breaks away.

hi people,
I ride a big heavy draft horse with a very frizzy, and uneven mane, there are hairs sticking out all over the place, he is a lesson horse, so i would like him to look quite good for people to ride him, but I would not like his mane to be slippery, by the way his mane is very brittle, and is very hard to braid, what can i do to make his mane less uneven, and softer, PLEASE HELP(I am going to show him and want him to look great!)
Thanks
Jess

I'm going to show my horse in about a weeks time and am going to plait her up. The mane is fine to do and looks lovely but her tail is very short at the top where she had sweet itch. Is it exceptable to pull it for showing? If not does anyone have anytips on what to do with it for the show?

"As far as which side the mane lies on" there is actually not a particular side for nature. The side that your horses mane lies on is the side that he is strongest to. The direction is controlled by the muscle balance. You can change this by braiding it to the other side and attaching small fishing weights to the bottom. These will not hurt the horse but will allow the weight to train the main.

But honestly do not be so concerned with which side and make sure that your horse becomes more balanced.

Good Luck.

I wanted to know if you know how to do a running plait down the horses crest. Also how do you add a plait in it?

Thanks.

In response to Andrea and others who need information on grooming and braiding. There is a great site available with clear instructions and pictures...<http://66.216.19.63/groom/grooming.html>. This site gives detailed information on the braiding of tails, and three types of mane braids..French (running braid), plaits and macrame (mat) braiding. Good luck to all and have fun riding and showing!!

To answer the dry scalp problem, use MTG main and tail groomer. It is an all natural product. It does not burn or irritate the skin. It is the best product out there for any skin condition problems, including sratchs! I buy it by the case and give it to friends. A must have for any groom box. You can find it on the web under Shapley's Equine grooming products. Braid on!

Mary can you give me another way to reach the braiding site you have suggested. I can't seem to pull it up. Thanks!

I feel that it should be left to nature on which way the mane lies. Arnt our horses manufactured enough? Ive got a 23yr old thoroughbred that lives out all year and prefers it to being stuck, unnaturally, in a stable. Any comments? reply direct to raysarah@tesco.net

I agree with Sarah about the horses mane being on any side that is natural to them(i know this is me coming in a bit late!!).

My horse, cracker's mane seems to switch from side to side at times leaving the mane nearest his back on a completely different side. Also I have been told by a breeder friend and many other people that when a foal is born, you can smooth the mane over to the side you want and it should remain on that side for the rest of it's life(or for as long as it decides to do what you want).

Changing the subject slightly, in relation to the french plait on the mane i think that it is meant to slope down the neck because it is meant to show off the shape of your horse's neck or is that just some false info. iread somewhere.
Yours Isobel