Plaiting the night before..

[8-legged-pony]

How do you get them to stay in? Any home made things I can use or household items? I'd like to plait with thread for the tack & turnout, but don't have the time to do it the morning before the show.

Thanks :D

[coyote]

i use a hood,fab thing made from lycra,keeps them clean too.:D

[coss]

you could use plaiting bands and do the little plaits but don't roll them into balls. in the morning you can then sew them up, saves on sectioning and plaiting time.

[8-legged-pony]

you could use plaiting bands and do the little plaits but don't roll them into balls. in the morning you can then sew them up, saves on sectioning and plaiting time.

Ooh that's a good idea!

Coyote - Do they sell these hoods at normal tack shops?

[coyote]

yeah,they are not that expensive either,you could try ebay too.;)

[Mehitabel]

or the old fashioned way, a pair of tights! pop them down the crest and secure over each plait with another plaiting band.

[8-legged-pony]

or the old fashioned way, a pair of tights! pop them down the crest and secure over each plait with another plaiting band.

Oooh that's a cheaper idea! Might try that one, although the poor mite will get laughed at by his friends - he already looks ridiculous in his fly rug and fly mask.

[evilgiraffe]

Echo coss - do it so you just have to roll and sew them in the morning. You want to avoid the situation my dad had with the horse he hunts quite often - all plaited up for hunting, was out all day, but when they got home the horse threw his head about a bit in the stable (as they do), caught his forelock plait on the doorframe, and when dad unrolled it most of the hair came away in his hand.

If you were leaving a horse all night ready plaited up that kind of thing would be more likely to happen. I know it was a freak accident and usually these things don't happen, but if it was me I would avoid having a horse plaited for longer than is absolutely necessary. Also it might make them sore having them in for ages, if you plait them tight.

[coss]

just to add to my post, as coyote suggested a hood, to prevent your horse catching the plaits (or getting hay in them ;)) you could put a hood over the plaits then take off the hood in the morning and sew up then they won't be flattened ;)

[holiday]

I always plait up the night before, as most of my classes are at 8am in the morning and miles away!!!!! I use a hood as coyote says, i found as i stitch in if i leave the plaits down they are not as easy to roll. Although i often leave the forelock til the morning so they dont get a "headache"!!!!!!!!! I have used the tights method that works just as well!!!!!

[horse__obsessed]

you can also use a bandage rather than tights

[MelanieD]

Ones with thread do tend to stay in better. Fatty is an expert at shaking her plaits loose if I use plaiting bands but can't get rid of stitched ones, even survived when I couldn't be bothered to faff about with tights. The tights do work and there are some lycra hood that are really good but makes your pony look a right muppet :D

[Skye08]

i LOVE my lycra hood cause not only are they still in but all the stray hairs have flattened down aswell and it looks much neater when you come to ball them up in the morning :D:D

[8-legged-pony]

Have gone with the just plaiting them and leaving them to roll up tomorrow. Have also put him in the field, he's on his own but has other horses over the fenceline, so hoping they wont' nibble him too much! Went on the theory that even if he managed to rub a few plaits out it still saves me time tomorrow.

[bitsnpieces]

I have to say that the tights are a proven method with me! my friends horse use to rub badly but we didn't have time to do any plaits in the morning and with the tights they can have an itch and satisfy it without damaging the hair (they do however lose all field cred that ever existed!)

[lulu12]

Pantyhose (with the rubberband over) are great, keeps dirt out really well. Not as much protection against the horse rubbing them out as a lycra hood I've found however.