# western pleasure manes



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

band it long, people will assume your horse is a reiner.


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## BrewCrew (May 12, 2010)

Try a diamond braid. Looks very nice, IMO!


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## teamkrissynmissy (May 13, 2011)

thanks guys iv only been riding for two years now so i try to keep up


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## morabhobbyhorse (Apr 17, 2011)

People braid WP horse's manes now too? Wow, I have so much to catch up on. This thread is giving me some great advice. But what is a diamond braid :-(


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

No. Nobody braids a western pleasure mane. (unless the horse is an all-arounder) They do band them though. I would not do the diamond plate unless you are doing both english and western in the same show.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

morabhobbyhorse said:


> People braid WP horse's manes now too? Wow, I have so much to catch up on. This thread is giving me some great advice. But what is a diamond braid :-(


The diamond plate is not a braid, it's when you band the mane all the way down and then you take the existing bands and split them so you band the two splits together and you do it the length of the mane so it makes these diamond shapes. It's pretty.


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## morabhobbyhorse (Apr 17, 2011)

Wow, had to read it twice but I understood what you meant. That would be pretty. Man I may think about starting Sienna NEXT year instead, LOL. I've got a lot of work to do that I never thought about. Getting her used to bathing, getting these old fumble fingers to learn to do more than just comb her mane, baby powder on her white sock, LOL oiling her hooves since she has a white one and that would look a little silly with black shoe polish, especially since I would probably get it all over her white sock. I was just planning on working on her reining and side passing, LOL.


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## lildonkey8 (Dec 12, 2010)

diamond braid 
vvvvv


morabhobbyhorse said:


> People braid WP horse's manes now too? Wow, I have so much to catch up on. This thread is giving me some great advice. But what is a diamond braid :-(


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## morabhobbyhorse (Apr 17, 2011)

Oh WOW that is gorgeous!!!!! Thank you lildonkey. I could visualize it in my head but seeing it, especially on that horse really made it pop. Sienna would look wonderful in that with her coloring (the red bay showing through the black mane) like the black and white makes that stand out. You have a beautiful horse. Thanks so much, Cheryl


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## lildonkey8 (Dec 12, 2010)

It's not my horse.


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## morabhobbyhorse (Apr 17, 2011)

Oh, well it's SOMEONE'S pretty horse!!


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## teamkrissynmissy (May 13, 2011)

thanks guys i might plate it b/c we do show english too


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## haflingerlover (Apr 1, 2011)

LilDonkey that horse is one of my mares dam her name is Marlee she was USDF horse of the year for first and second level in 1999. 

If you are showing western you cut the mane and band it. If you dont want to cut it leave it. Netting, running braids or basically any other form of doing the mane is english or driving. Our horses have long manes and we leave them.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

haflingerlover said:


> LilDonkey that horse is one of my mares dam her name is Marlee she was USDF horse of the year for first and second level in 1999.
> 
> If you are showing western you cut the mane and band it. If you dont want to cut it leave it. Netting, running braids or basically any other form of doing the mane is english or driving. Our horses have long manes and we leave them.


In the western pleasure/horsemanship world if you have a long mane its proper to band just as you would band it if its cut. Like FP said if you dont band it people will think your horse is a reiner


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## momo3boys (Jul 7, 2010)

Not to sound to stupid, but what do you mean by banding?


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## reiningfan (Jan 7, 2008)

Banding is taking pencil sized sections of mane and putting just a band on them rather than braiding. Basically like a row of little pony tails. 
You need to do it evenly and have the mane lay flat to get the nicest effect. 
When done well, it enhances the look of a good neck. A pro bander will know what size of bands to use on different neck to make them look their best. 
When done for 4-H or open shows, you want to practice beforehand and do as tidy a job as you can.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ledge (May 23, 2011)

I hate to say it but if you want to shine you have to look the part, if you want to excel at WP you need to hack the poor beast's mane ..... unless we can start a grass roots movement for naturally long flowing manes on WP horses... i think it looks hideous


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

I think it takes a world class mover to pull of a long mane. But its personal opinion


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## reiningfan (Jan 7, 2008)

Sounds like she just wants to do some WP at fun shows while she is also doing some other classes, english included. 
To do that, you shouldn't have to hack off a long mane. She may not be as competitive, but her & her horse can still have fun.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ledge (May 23, 2011)

If you are in it for the experience then i wouldn't worry about chopping off the mane


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## morabhobbyhorse (Apr 17, 2011)

Well I hope to show Sienna by the end of summer in WP (depending on of course should the rain ever quit


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## lildonkey8 (Dec 12, 2010)

haflingerlover said:


> LilDonkey that horse is one of my mares dam her name is Marlee she was USDF horse of the year for first and second level in 1999.
> 
> If you are showing western you cut the mane and band it. If you dont want to cut it leave it. Netting, running braids or basically any other form of doing the mane is english or driving. Our horses have long manes and we leave them.


Sweet! Which mare? Mc?


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