Re: French Braids

[Jodie]

Hi
I have a mare with a real long mane and I don't want to pull it. I heard the you can do a french braid but I was wondering if anyone could explain to me how to do a one or if anyone knows of any websites that describe how to do them.

Tracey

[larri]

In my avatar my filly Saf has her mane plaited down her crest as thats how Lusitanos are shown in hand, can also be known as an arab plait. ( Bigger picture in Safi snob horse thread)

First step - brush the mane until it's completely tangle free and get a stool to stand on as you need to be above the horse to get the tension right.
basically you start at the top behind the ears and take three sections of mane ( how thick they are depends on the thickness of the mane)

do your first bit of plaiting and when you are about to pull the first section across for the second time bring in some more hair from the mane to that section, then do the same with each cross over. Bring section across and add next bit of mane. So you have one continuous plait running down the crest.

It is easy to do but hard to put into words!

Don't know any web sites - sorry, I just used to practise and practise - but nearly all the horses I've worked with or owned have had long manes so I've done hundreds of them!