# To braid or not to braid? [tails!]



## NaeNae87 (Feb 26, 2013)

Most show hacks and hunters have clipped or pulled tails. The rest have plaited tails. She will be out of place if left natural. 

Get one of the many show preppers around to do her tail for you. Jess Teanby from JT's Show Prep is good and there are a few other good ones around, just search on facebook. (JT's is on facebook too)


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Looks like I'm going to have to just live with an imperfect tail braid then :/ I don't have _any_ money available for extras at the moment [don't worry I have budgeted for this show, I just haven't got the money to pay for things that I _can_ do [badly] myself] and a show prepper isn't an essential. I'll be standing around doing nothing for quite a while before classes start for the day and considering makeup and quartermarks only take 5 minutes...

Off I go to sort out my show box and make sure I even have any hoof black left, blahhh hacking is hard work!

Edit; oh yes, one question, approximately where in the tail should a ribbon go? I'm debating putting a red ribbon in her tail because she can be a bit free with her back end, I can control it and keep it away from other horses but if someone isn't looking where they're going and gets up her butt she might let fly. But then it would be their fault, not mine or my girl's.


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## NaeNae87 (Feb 26, 2013)

Either braid the ribbon in or tie it around her dock after her tail is braided.

You might find a nice person at the show who may do it for you.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I meant how high up the tail 

She worked beautifully today thank god, now I don't feel like I'm going to die, BUT I was on bareback due to forgetting my girth [so not used to not being able to just go inside and grab the bloody thing...] so didn't canter her... this might be our downfall.

That and the fact that I doubt I'll be able to get out to ride her tomorrow but that's a whole different thread.


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## NaeNae87 (Feb 26, 2013)

Mid way down her dock. Wherever it will stay.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

The key to a good tail braid is lateral pull and do NOT incorporate the inside hairs. Pull from the sides and use the braiding to compress those inside hairs like you were wrapping them in cording. Wish you were here I'd do it for you.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

Lots of practice and lots of YouTube videos. When I first learned to do braiding for shows, I practiced a lot! I was a favorite for braiding after not long and the trainer and owners were happy with the turnout on their horses. The tail took a lot more practice to do well. Every time you're out there, since your horse will stand for it, braid her tail. Figure out what works and what doesn't. Now is the time to make mistakes and hone your skills.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I would avoid the red ribbon if you at all can. They're not exactly applauded in the hunter rings...

Take pics of the finished product ^^


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks guys  I struggle because I feel like I haven't got enough hands, my fine motor control can be a little lacking at times and tails are so heavily fine-motor-skill that it just gets to be too difficult. I also lack the patience but thankfully despite her young age my horse does not! I shall see how I go with her tail next time I can get out to ride/look after her, whether that's today or not I don't know [that's an ongoing argument with the parental authority] but either way I will have to work something out because I can't have my horse on pasture board and not be able to reliably get out to feed her!


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## existentialpony (Dec 4, 2012)

Why don't you just wrap the dock after bathing so the hair dries flat? I think a neat natural tail could be just fine, although I show at Arab breed shows or dressage where a natural tail is either common or required!

Braiding is a good skill to learn, for sure, but that's just my two cents!

ETA... obviously, there are special wraps for this purpose! You don't want to harm your horse by cutting off circulation at the dock.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

There's an idea, the look of a pulled tail without the effort lol! Unfortunately I haven't got a tail wrap though so I'm just going to have to braid.

I forgot today but will practice tomorrow... may wash/plait on the morning of because she is a MASSIVE grot and won't stay clean overnight, but that WILL mean camping out at the paddock because I'm sure Mum doesn't want to get up at 4 in the morning to drive me out there!


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

For braiding, it's better to do it in the morning. Less chance for rubbing tails and manes or stretching out and loosening braids before your class(es).


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

If they're in properly [ie not too tight] they don't stretch and depending on the horse shouldn't rub out either. I'm really good at manes!! I usually braid the mane on the night before but my old horse had a clipped tail so I never had to bother with his tail. Unfortunately Magic isn't clipper-trained and I have absolutely no interest in copping one of THOSE back feet! She's very fast with them.

That being said I highly doubt a tail braid would stay in well overnight, manes do but I can always tell which horses at a show have been plaited up the morning of because they're the ones with the neat tails.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

I used to suck at tails too and then one of my trainers give me a tip that I found really helps. When you braid the tail, don't go at it like you are french braiding a human head by taking thick cross sections of chunks. Instead you take very small amounts from behind the tail and then pull them in front over the rest of the hair into your braid. Always pull from behind and always smaller amounts with each weave. Go down to where it looks good on your horse. You can just braid down to the end of the part you did (stick style) and leave it, or you can loop it back up and secure either by sewing or banding, whichever method you use. Then spray spray spray spray with hairspray. if the hairs at the top try to stick out all bushy (my horse has the same kind of tail yours does) then use a good amount of Dep before you start.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks  That's what I do, I think I'm just not getting the tension right or something.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

It takes practice. And it sounds odd but it helps if you don't have the dock completely scrubbed clean when you bath your horse. The oils help you grab and get tension, and makes the top of the hairs less slippery and prone to coming out. I usually take a small bucket (like the 1 gallon grain buckets) put a few drops of shampoo in and fill the rest with water and then dunk the whole tail up to the dock in it. Use a sponge to get the top hairs of the tail, but I don't really wet the tailbone at all. Then I rinse clean with a hose. It rinses easy, makes the tail hairs clean and shiny, but leaves the part you work with to braid still slightly oily and easy to work.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks 

Well it turns out Witch is in season, so it's safer not to bother. This is her first show and she will be otherwise turned out beautifully [apart from her tail and a conspicuous lack of hoof black, it turns out I haven't got any so I'm screwed unless someone will let me nick some of theirs]. We're not going for the placings and I plan to apologize to the judge for our presentation regardless, but I doubt we'll be the only ones with an unplaited tail... and an unplaited tail looks WAY better than a bad braid which is very common at this show. It's only a local thing. There's usually someone who's presented way better than anyone else and they tend to take all the ribbons but I'm not going for ribbons, I'm going so my horse gets exposure.

But, I will take all the tips in this thread and use them for the next show


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## existentialpony (Dec 4, 2012)

Don't even apologize! Put effort into your appearance and I bet the judge will be much more focused on your performance than the subtleties of your turnout.  Some people intentionally don't plait the tail because it has potential to affect the horse's movement and relaxation!


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

No, don't apologize!! And don't make faces if she does something wrong! Just continue making the class the best you can, smile, and ACT like you are having a GREAT ride.

And, I think the horses look BETTER without hoof black! 

Good Luck!!

nancy


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

You could use scissors instead of clipping. Idk how closely they look in the hunter ring but it usually looks the same ime.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks all  I forgot to apologize lol but oh well, doesn't matter.

We placed in the rider class but not in any of the other classes but that's fine because she was only going for the exposure anyway and her behaviour was beyond impeccable!


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

wow, she looked BEAUTIFUL. 

I didn't know she had socks. Some judges don't like "hoof black" put on the hooves with horses with socks because it looks too unnatural. I would have stuck with clear or what I was going to tell you, but then noticed by your last post that I was too late is I don't even use it. I use a super shiny hairspray...it looks just as good, looks natural on the hooves of white socks and it only takes water to remove so it is far less drying and damaging. Plus if any specks of dust get in you just rinse and re spray.


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I've always just sanded and use clear hoof polish. I'm one of those who isn't a fan of making all hooves black for the very reason mentioned above. Plus I show Arabs and it's illegal to do that anyway.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks guys 

Hoof black is the done thing for show hacks so it did count against us that I didn't black her feet but that doesn't bother me. Next time she'll be blacked. I feel like it looks smarter and depending on the brand of hoof black you get, some of them aren't that bad for the feet.

She's only a show hack on a temporary basis, for exposure, until she's old enough for dressage [she's 37 months, they have to be 42 months before they're allowed to compete in dressage comps here and four years old before they can compete in pony club competitions of any discipline], but that doesn't mean we're not going to make the effort!


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

She is beautiful!! I am so glad she had a good show!!

Nancy


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

She looks wonderful! Beautiful turnout braid or no. Stupid rules that they will take points off for a healthy beautiful and cared for horse but I guess that's showing lol. Since you're just going for the exposure don't even worry about it. I'm glad you had a good time.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks  she's so lovely. I couldn't be prouder. Her behaviour was so good and she tried so hard for me, she just didn't have the strength to hold her frame for more than four strides at a time and that's fine because she's a baby! And I just want to say a big shoutout to my parents for all their help, I couldn't have done it without them. Dad didn't stick around because he had to work but he's the one who trailered Magic to and from the show and his help and support over the past several years has been great, even though my parents are divorced and I live with Mum. And Mum... well, she sewed up probably 2/3 of the mane braids because I didn't have time, stuck around and took photos, and helped me stay relaxed. Which in turn helped Magic stay relaxed.

Re her turnout, I'm not quite happy with it, I'd have liked to do a better job of it, but time was a factor and because I'm not very experienced with turning horses out for the hack ring I'm REALLY slow at it. Her quartermarks were quick and rushed, will be better next time, and I don't think I rinsed her off properly after washing her because she wasn't as shiny as she was beforehand. I really wish I had hoof black and that I'd had time to sew all her braids myself, and that I'd pulled her mane rather than just cutting it because then the braids would have been a bit less... enormous. This showing business is expensive hahaha I can't wait to go back to my lovely familiar easy and relatively cheap showjumping!


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