How many plaits for dressage

Starting at the poll, section the hair for your first braid at your preferred width. Use a clothes pin or hair clip to keep the unbraided hair out of the way.

Before braiding, spray the section of hair from roots to ends with your grooming spray. This makes the hair a little easier to tackle. Begin braiding, making sure you do so tightly. Think about pulling each section across instead of down, and braid as far down the section of hair as you can before using a rubber band to tie the end off. Once you've gone all the way down the neck, you're finally ready to put those lovely braids up.

Fold the braid in half, pushing the end of the braid up under the base of the braid. Then fold the braid in half again. Once you've folded it in half twice, take another rubber band and tie your braid into place. You want the rubber band to be as close to the base of the braid as possible to make it sit nicely on the crest.

Be sure to put the rubber band on tightly, winding it around as many times as you can. This time you're just rolling the braid tightly to create the little "button" along the crest. Then secure it with a rubber band as outlined in the previous method. When you're practicing dressage braids, Jennifer suggests you try both methods; the end result should look the same. In the video, Lucas' mane was braided using the folding method.

The bands don't seem to break as easily when wet, and when you braid young horses, you're sometimes braiding a moving target! This is faster for me but might not work for everyone. French-braid the forelock using strands of mane from each side and the middle.

Weave the yarn in halfway through, like you did with the mane. You need to leave enough room to pull the tail of the braid up into the French-braided portion. At this point, I like to use a large plastic needle to pull the wool through to the top of the French braid Photo Thread the ends of the wool through the eye and push the needle up through the braid in the middle and closest to the top of the braid as possible. Tie two knots and cut the ends off close to the knot for a clean and tidy look Photo As with the forelock, do a French braid starting at the top with three sections and adding small pieces of hair as you braid down the tail Photo The braid should be just an inch or two shy of the end of the tail bone.

Once you have reached the desired spot to finish the braid, braid down enough hair to wrap around the tail once or twice. Add in a piece of wool as you did with your braids in the mane, and finish with a knot Photo Wrap the end of the braid around the tail and tuck the end of your braid under the wrap so the loose hairs at the bottom of your braid join the rest of the tail Photo Here you can make a double knot around the wrap by taking one piece of wool through the top and one through the bottom and cut off the loose ends.

I usually take a piece of that wool and thread it through the wrap of the tail on the opposite side and double knot it to further secure the tail braid Photo You can also put a few knots in the middle of the braid in a couple of spots starting from the top to ensure it stays in place all day Photo 22, Keeping the tail wrapped in a tensor bandage until ready to show will keep the finished tail braid clean and intact Photo Jumper braids can be sewn in, but for this article I will use elastics, which are much easier to use and to take out.

Like dressage braids, you want jumper braids to be big, finishing with around 11 to 17 braids. Braids that are even in both thickness and length will improve the end result. Start braiding at the top of the mane with a large section of hair, going nearly to the bottom of the mane where you can secure with a braiding elastic. I like to tuck in the ends of the braid here as I find it easier to hide those ends rather than leaving them loose Photo 1.

Once the mane is braided Photo 2 , go back to the first braid and fold it in half, then fold in half again, creating a button Photo 3. Take another braiding elastic and go around your button at least twice to secure Photos 4, 5, 6. Continue this to the end of the mane. I prefer the look of a loose forelock with jumper braids, but if you prefer to braid the forelock do a simple French braid and secure with an elastic, then button up the ends and secure with two elastics just as you did with the mane braids Photo 7.

Although you can do dressage braids with elastics, I will sew them in for this article. While it can take a little longer than using elastics, sewing will better secure your braids and give a slightly cleaner look.

Use a dash of fixing product if necessary to finish the look. Get all your tools ready and in place before you start. We prefer to plait on the morning of a competition which can mean plaiting in the dark. Exceptionally good lighting is essential so we use a head torch. Keep water, a sponge, plaiting gel and a clip to hold loose hair out of the way in an easily accessible pocket. And make sure you have something sturdy at an appropriate height to stand on.

Practice really does make perfect when it comes to plaiting. Equus Deals. Shop all Women. Waterproof Riding Wear. Footwear Shop all Accessories. Casual Footwear. Country Boots. Endurance Boots. Long Boots. Short Boots. Yard Boots. Competition Wear. Competition Wear Shop all Accessories. Hair Accessories. Show Shirts. Stock Pins. Accessories Shop all Belts. Hand Sanitisers and Face Masks.

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