PLAITING

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For most classes with exception of some breed classes you will be expected to be plaited up. 

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Plaits should ALWAYS be on the right hand side (off side) of the neck 

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If you are a novice we recommend plaiting up the night before rather than the morning of the show to allow room for error.

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What you need:

- Plaiting wax or gel

- Thread (waxed or wool)

- Small elastic bands

- A brush or comb 

- A pair of hands

- Hair spray 

- Scissors

- Plaiting needle (should have a blunt end)

- Plaiting apron (optional but useful - helps hold all your stuff)

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Preparation:

 

1. Shampoo the mane well but do not use conditioner this will make the mane slippery and the plaits may not hold.

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2. Trim or pull the mane to an appropriate length - a good guide is to place to tips of your fingers on the neck where the mane starts then place your hand against the side of the neck, the mane should end around the end of your palm or be slightly sorter.

 

You should also clean up the horses bridle path if necessary

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How to Plait: (Video tutorial coming soon) 

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1. Section the mane using a comb/brush as evenly as possible & secure it with an elastic, for thinner or sorter sections of mane - make the sections smaller.  Depending on the length of the horses neck & thickness of the hair there should be about 9 - 13 sections. Shorter/thinner manes may have more, thicker/longer manes may have less. 

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2. Section by section remove the elastic and start plaiting. apply the plaiting wax/gel to the top of the plait then plait down ward with firm even pressure (tight is good however if you plait too tightly you will end up breaking the hairs & your horse will have a spikey mane)

 

3. When finishing off a plait secure it well with an elastic band. You can then either cut the excess hair off (not recommended as your mane will be uneven when you un plait) or fold the ends under the plait and secure them with another elastic.

 

4. Grab your needle and thread - make sure the thread is knotted at the end. Just above the elastic push the needle through the middle of the plait from the under side through to the up side.

 

5. Wrap the thread around the end of the plait a few times to tidy up any lose ends 

 

6. Push the needle back into the middle of the plait & pull it through the END of the plait (don't push it straight through like you did in the beginning)

 

7. Thread the needle up under the top of the plait (as close to the neck as possible) pull all the way through so the end of the plait touches the beginning, this should fold the plait back on its self and create a loop. 

 

8. Thread the needle back in on itself (should come out underneath the loop you just made)

 

9. Near the beginning of the plait push the needle from the underside of the plait all the way through to the upside (make sure the needle is in the middle) - this should close the loop you made 

 

10. Thread the needle back through the spot you just came out of (as close to the thread as possible)

 

11. Near the end of the plait repeat step 9 & 10 but instead of threading the needle all the way back through to the underside pull the needle through the middle of the END of the plait.     

 

10. Thread the needle back under the top of the plait (as close to the neck as possible) this should create a rosette.

 

11. Stitch rosette into place  

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