# Can you turn out with a running braid?



## Alexandra V (Jul 6, 2013)

My gelding's mane is thin and somewhat fragile so I've been using a deep conditioner in it and braiding loosely to try to preserve some of the hair. Usually I braid him in regular straight braids that just hang down the side of his neck, but I've been wanting to try a running braid on him so it doesn't look as silly when I ride him in it (I usually leave the braid in for two days and then take it out and give the mane a rest). 

He lives outside 100% of the time, I just wanted to make sure that a running braid would be ok for him to live in as well before I stuck him outside with one and wound up with a problem.


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## EdmontonHorseGal (Jun 2, 2013)

i'm one of those people that doesn't like to turn horses out with any braids. too much chance for rubbing or getting stuck and pulling a chunk out.

then again, my mare is barefoot, stays unblanketed all winter, and stands in the middle of the trees in a swamp in the back 40 on really hot days, lol.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

Braiding leaves your horse's mane at more of a risk for hair pulling out and rubbing out. I would just maintain the main as best I could, some horses just have naturally thin manes.


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## Dehda01 (Jul 25, 2013)

No. A running braid will not stay in long term... You are lucky if it lasts a class- even with hairspray and bobby pins... anytime they stretch their neck out and down it loosens the braid. 

What you could do is do a running braid with the long individual braids you have going down his neck for your ride, and then let them down when you are done.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I have, it lasted maybe two hours?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

If the running braid is tight (close to the top) especially at the wither, the horse can pull the hair at the wither out when he reaches down to graze. If I do a running braid for any reason (usually for a show ) I try to keep the hair longer at the wither just in case the horse reaches down, and undo it right after the classes are done.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

I don't leave them in because the flies are really bad this time of year and the mane is good for protecting her neck (one side of it, anyway).


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

Thought about a slinky? Or is that not an option for him?

I used to try and keep my gelding in a slinky 24/7 during show season since he would rub out a 6" chunk but him and his buddy were masters at ripping them up.


If your horse won't it may help...just an idea


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

Dehda01 said:


> No. A running braid will not stay in long term... You are lucky if it lasts a class- even with hairspray and bobby pins... anytime they stretch their neck out and down it loosens the braid.


I keep my horse's mane in a running braid all the time. He sweats heavily under his mane if I leave it down in the summer. It easily stays in for 3+ weeks at a time and I only end up rebraiding it because it gets a little "fuzzy" looking around the base. He's never rubbed it out or had another horse bite it off or anything, and in 2 years of having him it's only fallen out twice.

I attribute this to two things- his mane is really long (over two and a half feet) and he practically falls asleep in the cross ties while I'm braiding, so his head is already quite low and so doesn't get pulled much when he grazes.


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## Alexandra V (Jul 6, 2013)

Thanks for the responses guys, guess a running braid isn't in our immediate future! He does sweat A LOT under his mane on hot days so I may continue to braid it like that to help keep him cool, but that's it. It's not worth it to me to buy a slinky to leave on him because we don't show, so I don't care al that much whether the braid stays in or not.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Some great responses here. I don't braid their mane if I can prevent it, only because it helps protect them from bugs outside(at least on one side of their neck).


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## ManeEquinessence (Feb 11, 2014)

EdmontonHorseGal said:


> i'm one of those people that doesn't like to turn horses out with any braids. too much chance for rubbing or getting stuck and pulling a chunk out.
> 
> then again, my mare is barefoot, stays unblanketed all winter, and stands in the middle of the trees in a swamp in the back 40 on really hot days, lol.


Ditto!!


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