# Is french braid a must for show?



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I came across the video with braiding horse for english show. The person was doing french braiding of the forelock. So is french braiding is a must/something common? I tried it yesterday on my horse out of curiosity and it did look horrid. May be someone can refer to the good video to watch?


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

If you braid the mane you need to braid the forelock. I am guessing no one is going to examine it to see how you got there (french braid, vs braid straight down) as long as it looks neat and tidy.


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Alwaysbehind said:


> If you braid the mane you need to braid the forelock. I am guessing no one is going to examine it to see how you got there (french braid, vs braid straight down) as long as it looks neat and tidy.


Thanks, AB. Yes, I know you have to braid everything. Just couldn't find anywhere people doing it straight.


----------



## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I french braid, but that's because of how the hair "is" on the forelock. I find french braiding makes it look much tidier and tighter.


----------



## IslandWave (Nov 25, 2009)

Alwaysbehind said:


> If you braid the mane you need to braid the forelock. I am guessing no one is going to examine it to see how you got there (french braid, vs braid straight down) as long as it looks neat and tidy.


In dressage is is tradition to leave a stallion's forelock unbraided. However, it is not a rule.

When I braid forelocks, I always do a frech braid, but only because I like how nice it looks. Pretty much as long as the braid itself is neat, it doesn't matter what kind of braid you decide on doing.


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Did not know that, Island. Thanks for posting it.


If your horse has a sparse forelock you can easily just braid down like a normal braid.


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

IslandWave said:


> In dressage is is tradition to leave a stallion's forelock unbraided. However, it is not a rule.


Interesting to know. Although not gonna work for me as I have mares... :lol: 

I did try french braid yesterday on my qh while pulling her mane, but I bet I did something wrong - it looked very messy. Her forelock looks like growing all from one spot. :shock:


----------



## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

I try to french braid but I'm really not good at it lol whether it's my hair or one of the horse's hair. I wanna be able to do those really nice and tight show-ready braids  Theres a good article on how to do it in this months Horse Illustrated but i'd have to buy the tools and neutral colored yarn since all the yarn I have is blue and purple and pink :lol: which wouldn't look so good in a show environment..


----------



## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

I just do a regular braid and button up *shrugs*


----------



## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

I like this video  I dream of having a horse like this lol


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Moonstruck said:


> I like this video  I dream of having a horse like this lol
> 
> YouTube - ‪HOW TO PLAIT A LONG MANE WITH A SPANISH BRAID‬‏


That was an good one. Thanks for posting! Actually looked like less work than short mane to braid.


----------



## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

You're welcome, and Yeah true  it does look a lot easier lol
Here's one for a pulled mane, which is what I believe eventerdrew does. Buttoning up instead of french braiding.


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I thought we were talking about french braiding forelocks, not full manes?


----------



## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

*shrug*.... I was just talking about french braiding in general. Does it really matter? lol plus i thought we covered that when you mentioned that you can just braid it down?

If you watch the end of the video it shows you how to french braid the forelock AB.


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

If the OP is asking about french braiding a whole mane the answer is different than braiding a forelock, so yes, it does make a difference.


----------



## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

:-| Okay.


----------



## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Yeah, that is a big difference.

Depending on the show - is dependant on the braids. Dressage Shows, peferrably Button Braids *I Button Braid* and Hunter Shows, you want Hunter Braids. 

To do these braids, you do not french braid the mane, you just do basic braids, while you braid yarn into the hair - or rubber bands - whichever, to secure the braid and fold them under to create the desired look.

The Forelock, you french braid - preferrably for me, because of how the forelock hair grows and falls. 

For specific breeds, you can do the running braid, etc, etc - for that's for only breed specific in the show ring.


----------



## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

I asked it if mattered not if it makes a difference. My videos were relative to what kitten was looking for, if you watched the whole of them. It shows how to french braid a forelock near the end of the last video. If I was not helpful by any means, I will leave it up to the OP to tell me so.


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I agree with what MIE posted.

The video showing the running braid (that is what your first video shows) does not show how to braid a forelock at all.


----------



## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

BOTH videos. The second does show it.


----------



## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

Again I'm only posting what was relative to what was asked, I wouldn't know what braid is good for what shows, lol. I will leave that to be answered by MIE. Or whomever else would like to leave experienced input.


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

What we are trying to tell you, and you are not listening to, is your first video does NOT apply to the question asked. 

That is all we are saying. 

It is a pretty horse with a pretty running braid. It does not apply to the question about having a forelock french braided or not.


----------



## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

No it does not, you are right. But it did apply to french braids. (Which is what is shown) and I posted a second video showing a different style of braid that included how to french braid a forelock. I never said that the first video included how to braid a forelock. So I am not sure where you are coming from.


----------



## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

kitten_Val said:


> I came across the video with braiding horse for english show. The person was doing french braiding of the forelock. So is french braiding is a must/something common? I tried it yesterday on my horse out of curiosity and it did look horrid. May be someone can refer to the good video to watch?


_I think it would all depend on the amount of forelock that your horse had. With a fairly "full" forelock, it would look a bit funny to have a little bit unbraided at the top...but with a barely there forelock, just a regular braid would be normal._

_Personally, I am not a fan of button braids on hunters or dressage horses, but prefer the braids that lay flatter. _

_Button braids on eventers seem more acceptable as they are faster to pull out, then having to cut all the yarn first._


----------



## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

Idk to me it looks like a french braid and maybe it isn't.. But I feel that at least my second video was more helpful.

Usually when I see running braids they slant down further towards the end instead of having a consistent measure throughout it. If it IS a running braid then this is the first i've seen it done like this and much nicer looking.


----------



## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Here's my two cents, re: the disciplines I am familiar with: 

I have never seen button braids on hunters, jumpers or foxhunters. The flat, cigarette-sized, tied with yarn braids are the convention. A french braided forelock is a nice touch, if the horse has a thick forelock. On some horses it's impossible to do a nice french braid, so you end up with a plain forelock braid. 

For eventing, I only ever braided for the dressage phase and I did hunter style braids. I do see photos of eventers with button braids, but to my American hunter trained eye, button braids look weird and/or European. If I were at a two day and had plenty of time between phases, I guess I'd consider braiding for stadium. I would never braid for xc, I want a hunk of mane to grab if things get funky. 

Dressage style braids are different than hunter braids but I do not know how the look is produced. 

Running braids look neat; but the only time I've ever seen them is at breed shows where a horse is showing both Western and English so there's a reason not to pull the mane. You would not see one on a hunter or jumper. Have no idea if they're appropriate for any other discipline.

ETA: Reread the entire thread, and I think we're having a failure to communicate. Moon, when we talk about french braiding the forelock, this is what we mean:












As opposed to this, a regular braid:



It's not a choice between button braids and french braiding. For manes, it's a choice between hunter braids and button braids, and for forelocks it's a choice between french braid and straight braid. Tails are always french braided. 

HTH


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Moonstruck said:


> If you watch the end of the video it shows you how to french braid the forelock AB.


Yes, I've seen this video (and YES she indeed is braiding forelock there in the very end  ). I really liked the video (so it's in my bookmarks). In fact thats the only real video of braiding forelock I could find. Too bad it's very short (comparable to the mane braiding itself).


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

MIEventer said:


> Dressage Shows, peferrably Button Braids *I Button Braid* and Hunter Shows, you want Hunter Braids.


MIE, what is the difference really?


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

maura said:


> A french braided forelock is a nice touch, if the horse has a *thick forelock*. On some horses it's impossible to do a nice french braid, so you end up with a plain forelock braid.


Phew, you made me feel better, Maura! Both my mares (especially qh) have bald manes (and tails, and forelocks), so with all my attempts couple days ago I just couldn't get anything decent out of her "3 hairs in 4 lines" trying that french approach. :lol:


----------



## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Button Braids - always done for Dressage, whether that is an Event or a Dressage Show. I see Button Braids on Jumpers as well, but that falls under the owners/riders/handlers preference or choice. 

I always french braid the forelocks, and I always use yarn when Button Braiding. I never use elastic bands.




























Hunter Braids -





































Two different style of braiding.


----------



## CecilliaB (Jan 21, 2010)

Sooo.....if I take Sonata into an English Pleasure class with a running braid will I get in trouble?  I SO do not want to pull her main EVER!


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

MIEventer said:


> Button Braids - always done for Dressage, whether that is an Event or a Dressage Show. I see Button Braids on Jumpers as well, but that falls under the owners/riders/handlers preference or choice.
> 
> I always french braid the forelocks, and I always use yarn when Button Braiding. I never use elastic bands.


Thanks, MIE! Those are great pics! 

I tried french braid today again on Jemma's head and it did go little better. I guess I'm getting used to it. Lol!


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

CecilliaB said:


> Sooo.....if I take Sonata into an English Pleasure class with a running braid will I get in trouble?  I SO do not want to pull her main EVER!


Actually I think running braid is OK from what I've read. Will be interesting to hear input from more experienced folks though...


----------



## EventingDeva (May 21, 2011)

I'm not sure about Western but Running braids are allowed in any english disipline, including hunter/jumper... it's just not traditional. It's mainly draft types that have the Running braid but other breeds can have it too.


----------



## CecilliaB (Jan 21, 2010)

I was worried that only baroque breeds were allowed to have them. She's an Appie/QH hehe....but her main is about a foot and a half in length now and she looks so cute with a running braid.

I don't mind being non traditional just so long as we dong get kicked out of the class


----------



## EventingDeva (May 21, 2011)

CecilliaB said:


> I was worried that only baroque breeds were allowed to have them. She's an Appie/QH hehe....but her main is about a foot and a half in length now and she looks so cute with a running braid.
> 
> I don't mind being non traditional just so long as we dong get kicked out of the class


You'll be fine, I've seen Quarters, Arabs, and even Thoroughbreds with running braids. There's no rule to what braid you have to do. A braid is meant to compliment the neck and if a running braid look good on your horse then so be it.


----------



## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

You might not get kicked out of the class, but you could be marked against it.


----------



## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

hmm I always french braid forelocks. Keeps things neater.

The best tip I can give you when french braiding is to keep the forelock damp and keep your thumbs on top!

BTW "hunter" braids to me look extremely strange I've never seen them before and certainly never seen them in the flesh. Then again I'm in the UK where the button braid is used for everything.

I too have never heard of stallions having thier forelocks unplaited and if you look at the top famous dessage stallions they are all plaited.


----------



## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Eventing Deva,

I'm going to assume you're talking about English classes in breed shows? I've never seen a running braid in a USEF hunter show, and I suspect it would knock your horse out of contention. USEF hunters are all about conservative tradition and respecting the conventions of the sport. 

Jumpers? Never seen it, but jumpers are judged objectiviely, so you could braid little stand up rosebuds in their mane like a Clydesdale if you wanted to, but it wouldn't affect the scoring. 

faye, I completely get what you're saying - hunter braids look weird to you in the same way button braids look weird to me; it all has to do with what you're accustomed to and what you were initially taught was correct.


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

faye said:


> Then again I'm in the UK where the button braid is used for everything.


Do you have running braids down there as well?


----------



## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

kitten_Val said:


> Do you have running braids down there as well?


Not realy, you might see it at very very low level show jumping but you wont see it in showing.


----------



## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I rarely ever see the Running Braid too Faye. Rarely. If I do see it, I see it on Fresians, etc, etc.


----------



## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

I can do a running braid but generaly It is only used to keep long manes tidy and tangle free when in the field.


----------



## CecilliaB (Jan 21, 2010)

Ok, so it sounds like I'll be safe in low level local/unrated shows but if I choose to do more I would eventually have to pull it *SIGH* At least I don't have to face that for many years


----------

