Improve Your Horse’s Mane Braids

Have you ever ever tried to braid your horse’s mane for a present and gotten so annoyed that you simply begged a buddy for assist or ended up paying somebody to do it for you?

Braiding a horse’s mane is just not overly troublesome, however one adage holds true: Observe makes excellent. If you wish to have lovely, even braids, don’t wait till the evening earlier than a present to begin studying. It takes most individuals a number of totally braided manes to develop an environment friendly method.

My desire is for “hunter bump” yarn braids as a result of I discover them simpler to place in and take out than spherical braids sewn in with thread. This sort of braid is an effective all-purpose fashion that can be utilized for hunter/jumper, eventing and dressage horses. Yarn additionally securely holds in braids with out damaging the hair.

Pulling the Mane Earlier than Braiding

Earlier than you braid, you’ll want to drag your horse’s mane to skinny out the hair and even the size. If he has very skinny hair, you possibly can in all probability get by utilizing scissors (held vertically, by no means slicing straight throughout) or an previous clipper blade to even out the size. For horses with thick hair, nevertheless, it’s worthwhile to pull the mane till it’s thinned out and about 4 inches in size. Thick hair makes yarn braiding practically unimaginable.

In case your horse is delicate about having his mane pulled, do only a small part of pulling each day for every week or so to maintain him from getting too labored up. It additionally helps to drag after you’ve ridden, as physique warmth tends to open the pores and make the hair much less painful to take away.

In excessive instances, it could be essential to have your vet administer a small quantity of tranquilizer to get the job carried out. Pulling ought to be carried out each 4 to 6 weeks to maintain up the quick, skinny mane essential for braiding.

Utilizing Yarn to Braid a Horse’s Mane

Notice: Within the pictures, the horse’s mane lies to the left and is braided to the left. That is acceptable for eventing and dressage horses, however hunters choose to coach and braid the mane to the best.

◆ STEP 1. Assemble your entire braiding tools. Tie your horse safely and comfortably so he can’t wander away, both on cross-ties or in his stall. Have a hay web close by to distract him and improve his persistence, if essential. Stand on a sturdy stool or mounting block so you possibly can simply attain your horse’s mane. NOTE: We used white yarn in our equine mannequin’s black mane in order that it might be extra seen within the pictures. For a present, use yarn that matches the colour of your horse’s mane.

◆ STEP 2. Beginning on the prime of the mane, simply behind the bridle path, moist down and comb a piece of hair roughly two to a few fingers large, or 1 to 2 inches. You should utilize water, however there are grippy braiding spray merchandise accessible that actually make issues simpler. Use your comb to make a razor-sharp half, and hold the remainder of the mane out of your means with a hair clip.

◆ STEP 3. Start braiding downward (versus out towards your self), pulling every part of hair out to the facet as you’re employed your means down for optimum tightness. If you get about midway down the braid, place the center of a bit of yarn beneath the underside of the braided part. Incorporate one half of the yarn into one part of the braid. Do two extra crosses of the braid, then incorporate the opposite half of the yarn into the third of the three sections. Proceed braiding as far down the hair as potential.

◆ STEP 4. Tie off the yarn on the backside of the braid with a single slip knot, pulling tightly.

◆ STEP 5. Slide your pull-through down into the highest and heart of the braid on the crest; thread the free ends of the yarn by way of it and pull them out by way of the highest of the mane. The braid will now be folded in half.

◆ STEP 6. Use the free ends of the yarn to make a easy sq. knot beneath the braid and pull tightly.

◆ STEP 7. Push up a “bump” so a knob of the braid is seen alongside the crest of the neck, with the remainder of the braid in a small, folded loop beneath the bump. Tie one other tight sq. knot on the “waist” of the braid (between the bump and the loop).

◆ STEP 8. Make one other knot across the waist of the braid, this time behind it. Pull tightly, and use scissors to trim the yarn tails a few millimeters from the knot.

I prefer to braid your complete mane with the braids hanging down first, then return down the neck to drag the braids up and “bump” them, making my yarn knots. My third and closing cross is to trim the yarn tails with scissors. Lastly, I braid the forelock utilizing the identical technique, though it could require French braiding for the primary few rows if the forelock is giant and unruly. I don’t like to drag or shorten forelocks, however that’s definitely an possibility.

Don’t get discouraged in case your braids don’t look excellent the primary time. Maintain training, and delightful, even braids are positive to observe.