# Running braid



## downthecenterlinetheycome (Apr 17, 2008)

Hey, has anyone else tried this? I used it for my last dressage show. The pic's a quick one I did on wednesday, a bit uneven. For the show it was tighter and I used extra hold hair stuff, and it wasn't as dropped. Is this acceptable for dressage schooling shows? It's on an Anglo arab that looks kind of ponyish, and his mane is too long for button braids and too short for continential.

And, it leaves manes cute and wavy for a bit if you keep it in a while.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I like the running braid.. it looks nice and it's an easy way to get hair out of the way - i.e. I do a running braid down my mare's mane when it's hot out and I know I'll be working her hard. 
However, I do not find them at all acceptable for the show ring - mainly because they are so labour-free... and if I have to suffer through 3+ painstaking hours of doing proper braids, then everyone should :twisted: 
No, but really, they are very easy to do, and I do not consider them "proper" for the showring. 
I would certainly do one for a sale picture just to tame a mane a little and make the horse look a little more polished - but if I had the time I'd do proper braids. 
It's all about image ... it's easy to pull your horse out of the pen, give it a quick brush and enter the showring... it takes effort to do braids, and bathe, shine the hooves, etc.. 
I am in no way putting down running braids or that picture - it's lovely! And I already stated I do like them.. but there's a place for them


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

I'm not much for running braids but I know they are acceptable for certain breeds and shows. I would look it up to make sure before you decide to show.


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## blossom856 (Apr 5, 2007)

As far as I'm concerned it's prefectly acceptable for breeds that are supposed to have natural manes like friesians, morgans and arabians.


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

In many of our saddlebred shows there are horses who show country pleasure (saddleseat style with a full mane and tail) and hunter pleasure (does that need explaining??) The running braid is essential for any horse who is cross entered between country and hunter, and is actually the most commonly seen fashion in the hunter ring  

it's kind of hard to see in this pic:


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I think they're pretty.


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## AKPaintLover (May 26, 2007)

I know it is probably not acceptable for western classes on a stock type horse, but that is exactly what I am going to do this year. Dez (my stallion) has the thickest mane ever, and I have tried pulling and thinning, and even clipping the underside. He differs from many stock type horses because his crest (where the hairs come out) is actually like 2 inches thick, as opposed to all of our other horses with maybe a half inch section where hair comes out. No amount of thinning has helped, and it has always looked ridiculous, so I let it grow back out, and plan on using a very tight running braid with some quick braid to make him look tidy. We will see what the judges tell me this year...I may be out there pulling main again :roll:


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## rezzi (May 15, 2008)

dressage *schooling* shows, yes, but not A rated shows.
A lot of the people who are in the dressage schooling shows with me doing running braids on horses that can be braided and they don't get marked down.

Sometimes it depends on the judge though.


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## jeddah31 (Jun 11, 2008)

you don't get marked on appearence for dressage, although if you present un untidy horse you will not be allowed in the ring. I think they're fine depending on wat kind of class your doing, but personally dont like them used out and about at shows, as JDI sais, they seem like the lazy way out


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## brightside (May 25, 2008)

i think they're pretty for everyday, but not so much for the show ring.


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## FriesianSH (May 28, 2008)

I like running braids. I've always wanted to learn to do the four-plaited one in particular.
I've got pretty strong feelings about how far I'll go to make my horse "presentable" for a show. I'll shave the outer edges of his ears, but leave the inner hair. I leave the whiskers on his muzzle and eyes alone. I don't pull his main, and I don't pull tail hairs. His mane helps keep the flies off his neck. I don't even mind letting him bleach in the summer because, as a black horse, fading to a dark brown probably helps him stay cooler in the sun. 
If my horse were stalled at least 20 hours a day, as many show horses are, these things wouldn't be such an issue. But my horse is out to pasture most of the time (I wouldn't have it any other way), and I want him to be as natural as possible.
So, I think that a horse should be able to go into any show ring with a running braid. Why should a horse have to have it's mane chopped off or pulled just to be competitive if there is a reasonable alternative such as a braid? I don't have anything against a horse having its mane pulled--it's just not appropriate for my horse and the conditions he lives in. JMO


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

I find them only acceptable in specific breeds of horses. If I'm riding in the show ring and the horse I'm on is of breeding is deemed qualified and it's accepted for him/her to get a running braid then no worries. Would I do one in a tb or warmblood? nope. Even if I were riding an unusual breed of horse that would be seen as accepted in the ring with a running braid, I would still choose regular braids before a running one.


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## thunderboomer (Jun 20, 2008)

if its a half arab then it's perfectly acceptable. Rarely will you see an arab or half arab with the button braids. Just make sure it runs right up against where the mane starts kind of like in the picture below, sorry i don't have any good pictures of horse braids. And you want it tight but not to tight.


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