The Mane Event - Braiding Lesson One
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The dictionary makes it sound so simple. Just take a few strands of hair - or in our case, strands of mane - scramble them together in a few frantic flicks of the wrist, and... Ta-da! An immaculate braid, perfectly put together. Well, let me tell you, it is not that easy. But, with these tutorials, I can hopefully make things a lot easier for you and your horse.
I will start with - in my opinion - the easiest braids to do, then get a little more tough as the articles progress. Think of this one as a warm-up that will get you ready for the next one.
Maintenance Braid
Okay, so the first braid you’ll learn is called the Maintenance Braid, and it is just that. A braid meant to keep you horse’s mane tangle and dirt free. It is mostly used for horses with longer manes, but there’s no reason you couldn’t use the Maintenance Braid on a short mane.
You’ll want to start this one out with a completely combed out mane, that is clean and dry. Take a section of mane - a few inches is good - and do a regular braid all the way down. If you don’t know how to do a regular braid, it’s very easy!
Split a section of mane into three smaller sections. Take the far right section and put it over the middle section. This makes that far right section the middle, and vice versa. Now take the far left section and put it over the middle (which used to be the right). Now the far left is the middle!
If it gets confusing, practice on your own hair. In no time at all, you’ll have the pattern in your fingers.
Now, continue the pattern by grabbing the far right section, making it the middle, then taking the far left and making that one the middle. Just repeat those three simple steps until you reach the end of hair/mane. See? Easy!
Okay! For the Maintenance Braid, do 5 or 6 strands of braids... Or however many braids it may take to use up all the mane from the poll to the withers, and secure them with rubber braiding bands. Traditionally, you use the same color bands as your horse’s mane, but it doesn’t matter for the Maintenance Braid because they’re not showing braids.
You should be done now! If your horse is sporting this convenient braid for the first time, check your horse the next day to see if he has rubbed them out or not. If he hasn’t, it should be safe to leave them in for a week or so before you take them out again. Don’t leave them in for long periods at a time, though!
Now for feedback: Tell me if you thought the description was easier to understand, or if the picture and diagram helped you the most. Or, just let me know if you thought the whole thing was just too confusing! Feel free to be honest! I’d love to make the tutorials easier for you, so feedback is very much appreciated.
Good luck, and comment or message me with any questions you may have!
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20 days ago
• 29,606 views
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Dunns DragonFly Stable
I'm so glad someone made an article on braiding! Thank you!
I'm so glad someone made an article on braiding! Thank you!
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20 days ago
• 29,605 views
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Dark Star
I cannot braid. I have given up a long time ago, so now I have it worked out - I bathe the horses, my friend braids them (Both of ours at least)
I cannot braid. I have given up a long time ago, so now I have it worked out - I bathe the horses, my friend braids them (Both of ours at least)
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20 days ago
• 29,607 views
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Madeirey
I know this is funny but, my dad taught me how to braid. xD
I know this is funny but, my dad taught me how to braid. xD
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20 days ago
• 29,606 views
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Topthorn Equestri
This is awesome! I do a little braiding, of course I'm not very good. I think I might enjoy these articles! 2 of my horses manes are pulled for showing, so I do hunter braids for them. But my other 2 have long manes and I always like playing around with different things, keep up the good work!
This is awesome! I do a little braiding, of course I'm not very good. I think I might enjoy these articles! 2 of my horses manes are pulled for showing, so I do hunter braids for them. But my other 2 have long manes and I always like playing around with different things, keep up the good work!
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20 days ago
• 30,253 views
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20 days ago
• 30,110 views
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weezapony
I love braiding...Derby's mane is long enough to do a running braid now, so I did one yesterday and it looked really good. ^^
You should do a mane and tail maintenance tutorial about brushing, detangling, and conditioning, etc. ^^
I love braiding...Derby's mane is long enough to do a running braid now, so I did one yesterday and it looked really good. ^^
You should do a mane and tail maintenance tutorial about brushing, detangling, and conditioning, etc. ^^
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20 days ago
• 30,237 views
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SMFponies
Aah yes braiding. There is nothing (save actually riding) more stressful and frustrating in the "I am going to blow my head off and rip my hair out" kind of way. But for those who can braid (me not included) it is an invaluable tool
Aah yes braiding. There is nothing (save actually riding) more stressful and frustrating in the "I am going to blow my head off and rip my hair out" kind of way. But for those who can braid (me not included) it is an invaluable tool
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20 days ago
• 30,181 views
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Empathy
I'm kinda confused on french braiding. Can you make an article on french braiding please? Great job though! I loved reading this.:)
I'm kinda confused on french braiding. Can you make an article on french braiding please? Great job though! I loved reading this.:)
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20 days ago
• 30,229 views
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Polish Arabs
I love this article! I can't wait to see the next one. I found the picture and diagram easier to understand than the explanation. Its kind of hard for me to follow directions on how to do something without seeing it done firsthand. Maybe you could make videos showing how you do the braid, or find braiding videos to add into the article. Do you think you could also do an article on how to properly pull and shorten a mane? I need to do my gelding's mane this year for shows and I'm not sure really how to do it.
I love this article! I can't wait to see the next one. I found the picture and diagram easier to understand than the explanation. Its kind of hard for me to follow directions on how to do something without seeing it done firsthand. Maybe you could make videos showing how you do the braid, or find braiding videos to add into the article. Do you think you could also do an article on how to properly pull and shorten a mane? I need to do my gelding's mane this year for shows and I'm not sure really how to do it.
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20 days ago
• 30,244 views
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Polish Arabs
Also can you do articles on the how to do the different tail braids? I'd love to learn how to do the pinwheel braid!
Also can you do articles on the how to do the different tail braids? I'd love to learn how to do the pinwheel braid!
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20 days ago
• 30,244 views
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Milly
This is an awesome article :)
Very useful, I started plaiting (English way to say braiding) on my own hair. Once your used to it, it is so easy, like riding a bike :D
This is an awesome article :)
Very useful, I started plaiting (English way to say braiding) on my own hair. Once your used to it, it is so easy, like riding a bike :D
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20 days ago
• 30,261 views
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Rusted Faith
It was a great article! I'm obsessed with braiding, so I'm looking forward to getting some tips that could help me improve!
It was a great article! I'm obsessed with braiding, so I'm looking forward to getting some tips that could help me improve!
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19 days ago
• 30,589 views
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ArabianBariq
I love braiding my mares mane and tail, great artical!
I love braiding my mares mane and tail, great artical!
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19 days ago
• 30,238 views
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Emmurr
This article was great, very well written too! I guess I learnt a simple plait as a child because me and my friends liked to plait each others hair. But then I asked a questions, looked at tutorials and now I know how to do proper show plaits (The little round ones down the neck), running plaits, 'diamond' plaits (it makes diamond shape down the mane), french plaits on the tail and I'm working on the tail plait where it is bundled up like a polo pony's for when I go hunting.
Keep writing these, they're really handy!
This article was great, very well written too! I guess I learnt a simple plait as a child because me and my friends liked to plait each others hair. But then I asked a questions, looked at tutorials and now I know how to do proper show plaits (The little round ones down the neck), running plaits, 'diamond' plaits (it makes diamond shape down the mane), french plaits on the tail and I'm working on the tail plait where it is bundled up like a polo pony's for when I go hunting.
Keep writing these, they're really handy!
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19 days ago
• 30,238 views
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ladykbug
i love this articles
i love this articles
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18 days ago
• 30,245 views
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Makaela Marie
I do love braiding :3 My poor horses put up with hours of me plaiting, undoing then replaiting their manes and tails all the time xD Lovley article
I do love braiding :3 My poor horses put up with hours of me plaiting, undoing then replaiting their manes and tails all the time xD Lovley article
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16 days ago
• 30,262 views
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14 days ago
• 30,246 views
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Deep as Rhubarb
Nice! I do love braiding manes and tails! :)
Nice! I do love braiding manes and tails! :)
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13 days ago
• 30,243 views
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Sapphire Flames
that's great! thanks for writing this! :)
that's great! thanks for writing this! :)
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12 days ago
• 30,229 views
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Whispyy
Nice article! I love braiding. :)
Nice article! I love braiding. :)
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6 days ago
• 30,263 views
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Purple BITS
Great! Can you do tails too?
Great! Can you do tails too?
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5 days ago
• 30,502 views
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Moose
I very clever title! And really well written, great instructions, and visuals!
I very clever title! And really well written, great instructions, and visuals!
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4 days ago
• 30,287 views
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Carpe Diem
Dude, I love the name of the articles. It took me a while to get it. xD
It's like MAIN event! xD but MANE for horses because it's a braiding thing! :DD
I'm not the brightest star in the sky... You know that. (:
Dude, I love the name of the articles. It took me a while to get it. xD
It's like MAIN event! xD but MANE for horses because it's a braiding thing! :DD
I'm not the brightest star in the sky... You know that. (:
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Apr 5, 2012
• 30,239 views
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