How to braid ribbons in mane

[lcunningham]

Hi all! Was wondering if somebody could give some online instruction on how to braid the ribbons into your horses mane? Is it better to pre-braid your ribbon then tie it in, or to braid into the mane? Any advice or instruction would be greatly appreciated!
I'm a champ at hunter braids, but the ribbon is new to me!
Thanks,
Lauren

[wstrngrl]

Are you talking a single 'accent' braid at the end of the bridlepath (beginning of the mane), that we do when showing Saddle Seat?

IMO - do not pre-braid.

We take a very small chunk of hair; just like a pinch of it; divide it into 3 pieces; take your three pieces of ribbon, put it up to the base of the mane (as in base of the hair), with a good 3-4" of it sticking up passed the base. One piece of ribbon to one section of hair.

Have the person holding the horse hold the ribbons really tight and right at the base of the mane. (I'm usually the holder, and I grab the ribbons between the tips my thumb and index finger; and kinda push the tip of my index finger into the base of the mane right where the hair comes out; so the braid stays nice and tight to the base)

Kinda fold the ribbon in half around it's section of hair, shiny side out. and braid. the braid should end up being tight and neat, so think about pulling real tight and close when your braiding (thus why the holder has to hold on tight, otherwise you'll pull the ribbon down the hair!!)

Braid till the ribbon is about the same length as the mane; maybe a little bit longer.

Once done braiding, take one end of the excess ribbon (make sure you cut yourself 3 very long pieces of ribbon, to make sure you have enough; especially for your first few tries); preferably a piece that is kinda 'behind' the other two; wrap it around the braid, then bring it up and then down through the 'wrap' (I hope that made sense LOL)' pull tight; this will tie off the end.

Do the same to tie off the top.

Then, take your scissors, fold each end of the ribbon in half, and cut on a diagonal so you end up with a "V" (an 'open' "V" with TWO tips, not an arrow, with one ;) ) The end should be about an inch or two long. "V" all three ribbon ends at both the top and bottom.

And you're done :D

[stpatrick]

Wetting your ribbon makes for tighter braid...make sure you put the shiney side of the ribbon out...have fun!

[lcunningham]

Thanks! That's exactly what I needed! All made good sense except for the tying off part, but will probably understand when I try to do it!
Does using hairspray or quic-braid for grip help at all?
Thanks again!
Lauren

[wstrngrl]

I don't know anyone who uses any "product" when braiding.

LOL, yea, I wasn't quite sure how to explain the tying off thing. You'll figure it out :)

[lcunningham]

OK, good deal.

For hopefully my last question, is it necessary to get the braiding ribbons out of horse magazines/tack trailers, or can you use the satin (shiny) finish craft ribbon from good ole Wal-Mart?

I cheated at my first couple shows and didn't worry about braiding her, shame on me, but would like to start doing it as it really does polish off the presentation of your horse. Like a lot of the posters I see on here, this is my first saddlebred after a strong background in riding hunters, so I'm still working on perfecting the details of my presentation of both my horse and myself.

Thanks again,
Lauren

[wstrngrl]

I don't really think it matters that much; so long as it's the right type/size (I think the stuff we use it 1" wide)

Also, make sure your horse is showing in a division that allows braids, since not all do.

And, if the horse has a forelock, you need to braid that too. But, if it's a big ol' forelock, you'll have to trim it down to dare near nothing to get it to turn out right (not look horrible)... Or you could just cut it off and not worry about it LOL

[lcunningham]

Yeah, forelock is already gone. LOL She's showing show pleasure. The show pleasure horses at the local shows usually have braids, but I'll definitely double-check. :tongue_smilie: Thanks for all the advice!

Edit - Checked the rule book, braids are ok :-)

[Jrchloe]

Oh if only I could find pictures to go with the how to.

[VLayne]

I've found that the ribbon from a craft store doesn't crease as easily or make as nice of a braid. The "real" stuff makes a very crisp braid, and it doesn't fray (as much).

I usually prefer to do my braids a little differently - I take a tiny pinch of hair and wrap one of the ribbons around it, all the way down to the ends of the hair (kind of like wrapping a maypole). Then I braid in the other two without any hair. This ensures you don't have any "flyaways" sticking out of your braid, which are pretty ugly, and if the braid gets ripped out, the horse only loses ONE tiny section of hair instead of three.

And definitely wet the ribbon before braiding. SO much easier and you can get a nice small even braid.

If you don't have a helper, take a polo wrap and wrap it very tightly around the horses' throatlatch. Use a cooler clamp to clamp the ends of the ribbon to the polo wrap while you braid.

[callmeblu]

I have a question..

Doesn't wetting the ribbon cause the it to darken and lose the shine? Do you just dunk it in water?

[wstrngrl]

You don't have to get it wet. We don't wet ours; and the braids always look tight and neat.

[callmeblu]

We have never wetted ours, but we occassionally wet the hair before braiding.

[stpatrick]

The ribbon dries out ...no staining...and if you have never tried wetting them you should. It actually makes it easier and the braids tighten alot easier. I have braided for 25 years and found that wet is easier and the end result is better and I have done it both ways. Good luck!

[Daisygirl]

I second what VLayne said about technique. It's exactly how we braid all of ours, and they always look great! Definitely wet the ribbon. You don't want it soaking wet; I use a couple of handfuls to dampen them. And don't wet the top part of the ribbon the sticks up (the crown). You want that part to be very crisp. Make sure your braid is about the length of your horse's mane where the braid falls.

[lshiely]

Hopefully your horse won't continuously try to move his/her head around in order to get a hold of the ribbons while you are braiding. You would have thought my old horse was part cat, but since he had no paws he felt he needed to use his lips to try to "play". Although he only attempted biting once when I first got him (punishment was very swift), he was one of the mouthiest horses I have ever seem. Constantly grabbing blankets, people's clothes, grooming tools, whatever, with his lips and goofing around.

Good luck, I wish I had known about the wetting trick about 20 years ago!

[callmeblu]

I will have to try wetting the ribbon and see how it goes. Thanks for everyone's input. :)

[lcunningham]

Thank you all so much! Now all I have to do is figure out what method I'm better at! LOL I see what you mean about the craft ribbon, the stuff I looked at last night was awfully flimsy!

[Thunderstruck]

I also do mine the way vlayne does. It's definitely easier to get it started that way since you don't have to worry about the hair anymore once you get it wrapped. I do find that you have to braid tighter when you do it this way to make sure it stays in though.

[mand_asbfan]

I always pre-braid - gotten pretty good at it too because when I had to do formal turnout at WWU my instructor even pulled on it and it didn't come out!! :) I usually take my three strands and crease them down the middle first, shiny side up. I have someone else hold so I can braid it really tight and then tie off the end and cut. I use a rubberband and grab a few strands of hair and wrap the rubber band around. When its time to put the braid in I pull a loop of the rubber band out and slip the braid in. Pull on the hair to make the braid slide up to the top and I usually pull the v ends apart. Another great thing about this is if you have a horse that has some short/flyaway hair at the top of their mane the rubber band will help it lay down.

[virtualasb]

I worked at Tattersalls Standardbred yearling sale and since I was the Saddlebred person I was called on to braid all of the colts(like 30 of them OMG my aching shoulders and hands!) They gave me floppy satin ribbon from Walmart and would NOT let me clip these giant forelocks down. It looked like :001_9898: . I told the farm manager not to tell anyone that I had done the work. Some of those colts sold for >100,000 so I guess it didnt matter.

[kaitsmom]

I hate forelock braids...no forelocks in our barn! I agree...getting someone to hold the ribbon tight enough is the key....there is usually "slightly" raised voices in our aisle due to poor ribbon holding technique!! :tongue_smilie:

[Monaco]

I'm with vlane many people do it this way and the braid looks very thin and perfect.

Amy

[Supreme69]

I make a bunch of braids and just clip them in with tiny hair clips. I then attach the forlock braid to the bridle. I use the same braids over and over and over until they don't look good anymore. Saves a lot on braiding ribbon and they look just as good!

Jana
Cres-Or-Lar Stable

[lilmack]

Ditto Vlayne....We wrap one strand,too. Ditto stpatrick for wetting the ribbon. Hand cream or lotion on the ribbon also, gives good grip.

[lcunningham]

When using Vlayne's technique, are the two ribbons that aren't wrapped folded in half?

[VLayne]

Nope, just braid them in.

[5Gatd]

I'm with Vlayne, only one strand of hair, you have a much nicer braid this way and little to no flyaways. Now I don't wet the ribbon, just my hands to start out, but I will certainly do that this week when I show.

[kittymom]

I was reading these posts a week or so ago when I was called upon to braid a pleasure horse at a show recently. I had to laugh a little because I was thinking to myself, "will I remember how to do it since it's been about 20 years since I've last braided one?" I will say I've never used the water trick before but did it ever come in handly recently!

The person who trimmed the horse for the show is a Morgan gal and she didn't take enough of his very bushy forelock off--BIG PROBLEM #1. Next, the horse stands well over 16 hands and doesn't particularly like his head fussed with--BIG PROBLEM #2. Finally, the Morgan person of course didn't have a spools of black and red ribbon--she bought almost the EXACT amount of ribbon she thought we would need from a fabric store (BIG PROBLEM #3)

Well, I got him braided (the forelock was pitiful but the process was like riding a bike) and he did great-got a little Morgan rider her first red ribbon out of academy on a Saddlebred.

What added to the "intensity" of the situation was that my mom slipped off a chair while braiding MY pleasure horse at this VERY SAME fairgrounds some thirty years ago and ended up with a compound fracture of her wrist--YIKES!

One thing that I don't think was mentioned is that don't be afraid to practice at home--if you're a AOT, don't find out at the show that you're not sure how to do it or if your horse stands quiety. BTW, my wrist-breaking pleasure horse became a "kitten" to braid once she found herself in a professional training barn!

[SaddlebredMom]

I make a bunch of braids and just clip them in with tiny hair clips. I then attach the forlock braid to the bridle.

Pardon the brain freeze, but which divisions get only the mane ribbon, and which get both mane and forelock?? :confused1:

Also, I've only seen the forelock braid attached to the bridle. How else would you do it (let some forelock grow in?? *shudder* :ohmy: )

[wstrngrl]

Pardon the brain freeze, but which divisions get only the mane ribbon, and which get both mane and forelock?? :confused1:

Also, I've only seen the forelock braid attached to the bridle. How else would you do it (let some forelock grow in?? *shudder* :ohmy: )




It's not a divisional thing. It's a personal preference thing.

Unless the horse HAS a forelock, we don't do a forelock braid, only a mane braid. IMO, half the reason to shave the forelock off is to avoid having to do an additional braid!!

For me, no forelock = no forelock braid.....

[mskyar]

I always let my horses have forelocks....would trim part of it off (the lower portion) and leave the rest....yes, I did need to braid both, but I just like seeing a forelock on a horse, especially if it has a mane.....

[SaddlebredMom]

Thanks! You don't see too many double braids any more, which is what got me to wondering about this to begin with.

I am anti-forelock on saddlebreds; I just don't like the way they look with one, and because they have such nice refined features, I like seeing their entire face. :wub: So lucky for me then -- no forelock braid necessary!! :D

[horsewoman]

I know a lady that when she braids the forlock she takes the lead rope off the horse so they cant play with it and uses her left hand to hold the halter right hand to hold the braid. then before she starts she puts a towl over the nose by tucking it in the nose band of the halter. This gives the horse something to play with but most dont bother it.

[horsewoman]

oh ya Yearlings only get mane braid no forlock, 2yo's get both unless they are bad children or dont have enough forlock. 3 & up get both unless they dont have enough forlock.

[Fanfare]

Ooh how can you take the forelock? :blink: LOL, just kidding, though I am a forelock fan, myself.

[3mares]

Where do you get the ribbon? I have never done one and I want to practice throughout the year. Also, what color? I saw somebody said two black and one red, is that right? I came from the Arab world so this is all new to me.

[SaddlebredMom]

There are a number of tack shops you can get it from. World Champion Horse Equipment and National Bridle Shop are 2 that come immediately to mind. Don't use the ribbon from the craft stores as it is not stiff enough and it will not work.

As for colors, it's only 1 solid color, either red or maroon to match your show bridle. We leave the multi colors to the TWH, Arabians, NSH or other breeds. ;)

[3mares]

Thanks SaddlebredMom-that is what I needed to know!

[Supreme69]

I have used more then one color to braid with before. It's just what you like. My roadster silks are red with black and white trim so I used red, black and white ribbon for my road pony. When we show him in hand we use red and black.(our stable color are red and black) When I had my horse in show pleasure I used just red ribbon so it's really just up to you.

Jana
Cres-Or-Lar Stable

[wstrngrl]

As for colors, it's only 1 solid color, either red or maroon to match your show bridle. We leave the multi colors to the TWH, Arabians, NSH or other breeds. ;)



We always use red and black :yes: And there is atleast one Saddlebred trainer that uses red, blue, and yellow. Another uses hunter green...

But, please don't use crazy colors...

[5Gatd]

We braided with two red and one black ribbon back in the 70's and I always liked that combination, but now here on the East coast it's solid red and sometimes solid burgundy.

[Supreme69]

I agree about not using crazy colors!

Jana
Cres-Or-Lar Stable

[SaddlebredMom]

We braided with two red and one black ribbon back in the 70's and I always liked that combination, but now here on the East coast it's solid red and sometimes solid burgundy.

Yeah, that's all I see here. Maybe it's a regional thing, but that's all I see in the brag mags as well. :confused1: