# What to do with a long mane? *Pictures*



## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

The drafts I braided I did the mane roll braid with the stable colors, but make sure you have stretchy fabric and help or it's difficult to get tight. Or the french braid that sits on top of the neck than the darts wrapped in that, makes it easy to stick decorations in both really.


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## JSMidnight (Mar 15, 2012)

Cruiser said:


> The drafts I braided I did the mane roll braid with the stable colors, but make sure you have stretchy fabric and help or it's difficult to get tight. Or the french braid that sits on top of the neck than the darts wrapped in that, makes it easy to stick decorations in both really.


I could probably do that on a horse that doesn't have much of a mane but my boss wants to show off as much mane as possible because most non horsey people are more impressed with really long manes than your typical draft braid.


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## Willow Winds (Jul 5, 2012)

Don't have any suggestions, but those horses are so pretty. I love the manes in the pictures.


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## LovesMyDunnBoy (Aug 11, 2011)

You could try this!

http://www.jesterjigger.com/pictures/sophie/2008/june30mane/continental.jpg
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JSMidnight (Mar 15, 2012)

LovesMyDunnBoy said:


> You could try this!
> 
> http://www.jesterjigger.com/pictures/sophie/2008/june30mane/continental.jpg
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I've considered doing that, I would just have to make sure that it doesn't take too long to do because we only have a short time to get the horses ready to go out. But I think it would look pretty cool and I could add some flowers to the top.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I have done similar 'braiding' as shown in the link from the post above, but i would braid the strands, then cross and band them, this way i did not need to band at the crest.


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## Beatha (Sep 3, 2012)

Those are amazing braids! Your horses are beautiful too! Is Willow a Gypsy Vanner?


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Wow!

Firstly, directions PLEASE on how you did the weave with the blue and gold ribbons. That is NEAT. Is that a rope weave? It looks like something I've seen in rope halters. In which case, what is that called? I can look it up.

What about scallop braids?









You look creative enough that you could modify the base design.
Instructions: The Dappled Bay: July 2012


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

I just love what you do with all that beautiful hair!!! Very nice!


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## JSMidnight (Mar 15, 2012)

Beatha said:


> Those are amazing braids! Your horses are beautiful too! Is Willow a Gypsy Vanner?


Willow is a Shire.



DancingArabian said:


> Wow!
> 
> Firstly, directions PLEASE on how you did the weave with the blue and gold ribbons. That is NEAT. Is that a rope weave? It looks like something I've seen in rope halters. In which case, what is that called? I can look it up.
> 
> ...


For the braids in the manes, I take glitter tulle cut 3 pieces a little more then the length of horse horse's neck and put a small knot at the end and do simple running braid and I put the tulle with the knot right on the braid and put one piece on each strand and kind of wrap it around the hair and braid as normal just making sure the tulle is on top of the braid. It is kind of hard at first but if you keep practicing it becomes easy. 

As for the other things I put in their manes, they are (from what my boss told me) Native American hair wraps and instead of using the leather string that comes with it we just use more tulle. 

Here is the kind of tulle that we use. It works really well and makes the manes pop. 
Fabric & Sewing, Decorative Ribbons & Trims | Shop Hobby Lobby


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## Spotted (Sep 19, 2012)

I wonder what the horses are thinking when your doing that  
very cool.

How about a whole bunch of little tiny braids that you can leave in for awhile and then just style differently each day. IDK never done it before.


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

I'm confused how would a mane roll not show off a long mane? All it is, is a ribbon or fabric braided into the very top of the mane, the rest of the mane hangs lose? We did it for haflinger's with a mane to their chest, looked good if you put draft darts in it. We only did the french braid because the heavy mane's got caught up in the reins making it annoying for the header to have to hop off and fix it every five minutes. 

What do you consider a normal draft mane? I've never seen one cut or pulled before, long is normal nothing new about that, either that or hogged. But the show Clydesdale have longer and thicker mane's than the ones you posted.


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## JSMidnight (Mar 15, 2012)

Cruiser said:


> I'm confused how would a mane roll not show off a long mane? All it is, is a ribbon or fabric braided into the very top of the mane, the rest of the mane hangs lose? We did it for haflinger's with a mane to their chest, looked good if you put draft darts in it. We only did the french braid because the heavy mane's got caught up in the reins making it annoying for the header to have to hop off and fix it every five minutes.
> 
> What do you consider a normal draft mane? I've never seen one cut or pulled before, long is normal nothing new about that, either that or hogged. But the show Clydesdale have longer and thicker mane's than the ones you posted.


Sorry. I have never been around draft show horses and I have only seen pictures of the whole mane rolled, like this. 









Forgive my lack of experience in the show braids.


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

That is showing the side that doesn't have the mane, the rest would be hanging on the other side. So bad picture so example, to that looks lumpy and uneven, practice makes it look nice and even. If you use elastic or stretchy fabric and make your own braiding ribbons you can get some really interesting looks.


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## Wheatermay (Aug 22, 2011)

I dont have any ideas for you, but what you have done so far is absolutely beautiful!


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## jcraig10 (Sep 14, 2012)

I don't have any ideas either, but I love what you have already thought of! I love the pop with the different colors and flowers. Wow!


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

You could always learn how to braid in flights, ribbon and as it is traditional to do in the UK when showing heavy horses.


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## EquineBovine (Sep 6, 2012)

Wow you do a brilliant job! Would love to be able to do that! How did you plait in the ribbons?


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