1st prelim

[mellie]

hi,
i'm doin my first prelim with blackjack on the 9th of may,
and i'm thinking about turnout,due to jack being extremely ear shy,i don't want to stress him out trying to plait his mane,
also,is it o.k to have his tail kind of tied up?
i've posted this pic so you can see. i'm really nervous,
as,this is a first for both.

[mellie]

sorry,
thats not a very good pic i must say,
try this one,this is generally how his mane is.

[Dressagefreak]

I'm afraid you have to plait for dressage but if it is quite an informal competition they might not mind. Why not ring the event organisers and ask.

[Jamey]

Dressagefreak - I've been looking in the British Dressage rule book for 2004 and I can't find any reference to plaiting manes and tails. Could you point me in the right direction? I too wish to compete my traditional cob in prelim and novice dressage and intend to keep her as she is at present - feathered and long, floating mane and tail. Are Arab/Crest plaits acceptable?

[IrisSilverMoon]

do a lattice if you don't want ot pull...oooooorrrr you can just do a french braid along the crest, once you learn how to do it (if you dont' know already) it will go really fast...:) and you should be able to leave the tail as is without a problem.

[Lgd]

You don't have to plait. Natives in particualr are more correctly shown even in dressage with a full mane and tail.

My younger beastie (Tavia) is Russian Orlov cross, they are also traditionally kept with a full mane and tail. She has her tail unplaited and her mane done in a lattice braid (mainly to keep it out of my way). She has just done the Elementary regional winter championships like that

[mellie]

Thank'you,
for the information,i could have a go at a running plait,
But jack wont let any one touch around his poll,or his ears,
i've had to adopt a very beculiar way of putting the bridle on,
But i suppose i could start from just behind the poll.
But ill have a go.

[pickleweasel]

Personally, I wouldn't plait unless it's absolutely necessary. Going from my own experience, I know that I want as few things to worry about as possible on the morning or night before a test! If your horse doesn't like being touched around his ears or poll, the last thing I'd want to do in your position is upset him before his first test.

I've just done my first two Prelim unaffilliated tests, and lots of the horses were unplaited (not just natives) so I really don't think it'll be an issue at all. There's a Welsh section D that's been in the same class as me, placed 1st and second each time, and he looks beautiful with his mane unplaited - I'm quite sure that he didn't have any marks deducted for improper turnout! And, believe it or not, there was a smallish Shire horse in my class too - fully feathered, with a totally natural mane and tail.

If you're concerned, do as dressagefreak suggests and phone the organisers, but I'd go along with Lgd's advice as being absolutely correct - and far less stressful! :)

Tanith

[DITZ]

I just did my first prelim 4 and there were a couple of people who had bothered to plait but the rest were not, and I didnt either (mine is tb). To be honest the judges are more interested in your horses way of going than whether he has plaits or not. If I plait I wouldnt bother attending its too faffy for me.

[mellie]

Hi,thanks again,
it was just i panicked a bit when sum1 said id have to do that,
and clip and pull his mane,which i really don't want to.
But i am going to leave it.
Although is it needed in the later stages?
if so the person who told me this maybe saying it so that i'm ready,for it?
its just i'm so used t seing the finer breed horses all plaited up,
that i thought i needed to too.
any ways i'm really nervous alreadyand i agree,so the least stress is of upmost importance,mellieand jack.

[DITZ]

good luck, have you got the test in diagram form? its really easy to memorise it that way?

[pickleweasel]

I think that as long as your horse is well groomed (remembering of course that at this time of year quite a few unclipped horses are looking a bit moth eaten anyway because they're starting to lose their winter coats) you don't have anything to worry about.

I guess that we all just get used to seeing horses (well, TB types anyway) plaited up for shows. I know that when I was in my teens, we always plaited because it was what we thought we HAD to do. It was all part of the fun(?) of getting ready, and they always did it in the pony books too! :) Myplaits aren't the best in the world anyway - a third turn out well, a third are ok but the final third are usually quite awful and have to be redone. By then, I'm bored, the horse is bored, my arms ache and my fingers are sore. Maybe I should practice more? ;)

If you've got time this weekend, it might be worth seeing if there's any dressage going on locally. Then you can see first-hand what other people do as regards turnout, plus you might get to see the very test you'll be doing ridden by other people as well - it's quite helpful. Just make sure it's the same level of show, otherwise the standards could be quite different and you won't get a true picture.

Tanith

[mellie]

Thanks,for all your replies,
Ditz,i have got the test in diagram form,
i did find it quite easy to memorise,i'll have a look on osbaldeston website,(which is where i'm doing my test)to find out if theres dressage,on over the weekend.:D cheers mellie

[Dressagefreak]

I've been told they like to plait as it gives a clearer view of the horse, so that they can see an obvious rounding of the neck but if there's a load of mane in the way they can hardly tell. But hey! Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know where you guys all do dressage but where I go absolutely everyone plaits. Mine are usually the worst in the whole competition! hehe!

[Lucy J]

good luck!

[LynneAC]

The unaffiliated tests that I've seen have been mainly 'au naturel' with only a few plaiting (including TB's and warmbloods).

People do tend to plait to emphasise (or try to disguise!) the neck but the judges can see if the horse is using it's hindquarters and back properly so the 'arch' of the neck is only the end of the process. It's pretty easy for them to see whether or not the horse is truely on the bit, mane or no mane.

ITA, don't worry about it, it will only stress you and your horse out if you try and do it. Concentrate on good turnout and riding a decent test. If you're really bothered about it then check with the test organisers but I doubt that you'll HAVE to plait.

Good luck and let us know how you go on.



x

[mellie]

Hi,
guy's thank's for your help,
i didn't end up plaiting him up,
I JUST had it all crinkled,but he looked gorge,
the only trouble was that he played up that much,
by the time i got to do my test he had no energy left,
so,i got eliminated,the best part was that the judge even came over and said i needed lesson's,but i just smiled and left,
Gutted,but hopefully next time i'll do better!
:D

[Luv 2 Trot]

Wut breed is your horse? He looks lik a Morgan stallion, but im probably wrong. There is a horse at my barn that looks a lot lik him.

[mellie]

Hi,
He's a friesianxshire,
But,i love morgan horses so i'm really pleased you think he looks like one.:D