# Grooming question for Hafflinger owners & English riders



## Tamibunny (Jan 14, 2011)

I think you're right about the breed strandard and what not. Even though I am all about short manes and a full clip. I would say get her mane an even length like you said dor the button braids or even french braid it down her neck, and leave the feathers. I would clip her muzzle and ears for sure.

I found some pics of some with trimmed feather and others with out... personal preferance maybe?


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I looked all over the American Haflinger Registry website for standards for such things and I did not find them (because I now own a Haflinger).

I did notice that some of the photos that show horses at shows have the horses clipped to the nines and others do not.

I think you will be fine trimming her up.


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## Tamibunny (Jan 14, 2011)

Heres another,


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Thanks to you both. 

AB, I'm jealous. Adore haffies, but can't justify having one for myself. It's my secret plan to hit up the hubby when my daughter gets bigger under the guise of being her pony  

I think I'll probably try to get the stains out of her & leave her feathers but clean up around her coronary band a bit. Thin her mane a bit & button braid her. Clip face, ears, bp like any other.
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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

My Haffie is my mid life crisis (with out the crisis) pony. I figure I needed a new horse (my old man is now retired) and I am not showing anymore so I would get something I can ride and drive and when I fall off the ground is much closer to me.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I love the diamond braids for Haffies, but I'm not so good at getting them to look great.

Haflinger Braids and Grooming Techniques

The next time I take one of mine out I want to try scallop braids



















I think they are really pretty and should allow plenty of neck movement without tearing out a french braid, or deforming your diamonds.

I think you have the right idea for her feathers, tidy up but don't remove


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Ooh Golden, how pretty! I can't ride right now so mine might be guinea pigs to practice that. Thank you for sharing!
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## Indigosblue (May 9, 2011)

how do you do scallop braids? I'm in a similar situation as the OP, i'm taking my morgan mare to a hunter show, but she's got SO much mane! I decided on a french braid, but those scallop braids look really nice, and would allow more flexing of the neck...


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I haven't actually practiced them yet, but they should be dead simple.

Start by making your normal long braids all down the mane, when they are all done,then start at the poll, loop that braid up and under the next braid and secure it on place. Go all the way down just looping one in behind the other.

Alternatively, loop the first braid under the third, then the second under the fourth etc etc.

I would post links to threads showing clear descriptions, but they all seem to be on other forums, and those links are not allowed.

I suggest just putting this in a Google search

scalloped braids horse instructions

and you will find links to lots of places:lol:

If you go for scalloped horse braids, and an image search, you'll see lots of pics


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Golden Horse said:


>


Oh, that is pretty.

How long is the mane that they do this with?


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

The mane should be at least 6" long to make it work. If the mane is ery long then you need to do the first braid under the third, rather than the second


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

I'm pretty excited to try this Golden! My little student is going to spend the whole day with me Saturday and do a run through of what to do before a show. I sent this picture to her mom's email & they both loved this look as much as I do. Hope I can do her justice!


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Always remembering that the best accesory that any pony has is a little girls love, nothing makes them look better!

I'm looking forward to seeing pics of how they get on


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

My pony is stuck only getting hugs from a middle aged over weight broad.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Golden Horse said:


> Always remembering that the best accesory that any pony has is a little girls love, nothing makes them look better!
> 
> I'm looking forward to seeing pics of how they get on


 
That's so true! I love the saying "Every horse deserves to be loved by a little girl once in their lifetime" 

I will have to get okay from her parents to post photos of them on here, I'd love to share!


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Alwaysbehind said:


> My pony is stuck only getting hugs from a middle aged over weight broad.


Little girl at heart right AB!?! That's how I feel when I'm loving on my 2 month old colt.


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## Indigosblue (May 9, 2011)

ok, so i looked it up, but i'm still confused, lol.

How exactly do you attach the braid to the underside of the other braid? The instructions i found weren't very descriptive... plus i suck at learning things unless someone shows me (hopefully i will understand this). Do you still add thread to the mane, or can you do a scalloped mane with those rubber-elastics? Also, what would be the correct thing to do with the forelock/tail?

sorry for all the questions, i've never seen these before, and really want to try them out!


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

So here are a few pics, blurred out her face at parents request. She didn't want me to thin her mane so we went with a running braid. She had a great show, 3rd in Hunter Ponies, 1st in Showmanship, Reserve Champion Showman, 2nd Pony HUS, 1st Jr Equitation, & 2nd Jr walk/trot. She was so proud of her pony & I was very proud of her. She has worked so hard and it paid off


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

They look lovely. Congratulations.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Thanks AB! She's such a fun kid. I enjoy all of my lesson kiddos but she is a favorite. She has so much try, it was great seeing her light up in that arena 
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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Oh she looks great, and I can 'feel' the smile behind the disguised face

I love the way you did her mane in the end, looks great


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Golden Horse said:


> Oh she looks great, and I can 'feel' the smile behind the disguised face
> 
> I love the way you did her mane in the end, looks great


Thanks! We spent our practice day trying all 3 types of braids (my poor fingers lol) and she'd liked that the best. Was fine by me, certainly the fastest!  

They are going to do contesting tonight....trot trot doo doo doo trot trot trot a little faster, 40 second barrel pattern maybe? :lol:


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Well I love this kid more & more all the time. She told me she had been practicing patterns for speed events at home and boy had she ever!

1st pony barrels (18.725), 2nd Pole Bending (24.319), 2nd Flags (10.146) 1st Keyhole (8.243) & 1st Stakes Race (7.952) She also won overall high point jr member! Western show thursday. If she keeps this up she's going to have to haul trophies in her wheelbarrow 
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