How to plait a long mane with a Spanish braid

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Posted: 22/01/2009

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Library > Grooming, Trimming & Turnout

Dressage rider, Hannah Biggs, demonstrates how to correctly braid a Spanish stallion's mane for competition. However, she points out that on a daily basis she just divides Torri's mane into long plaits to keep it out of the reins. Hannah has instructions from his owners not to trim or pull his mane at all, so Torri is shown here in all his glory. It takes a strong pair of hands to get this lot under control but the end result is a work of art! This may not be completely correct for other native breeds but Hannah explains it's acceptable for dressage.

How to braid a mane

Begin at the top of the neck in the usual way and divide a section of mane into three pieces.

Plait down a few twists and then join another thinner piece of mane into the plait.

Continue all the way down the mane.

Be careful to keep the braid fairly tight as you do the middle and thickest section of the mane.

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Comments

Phee 6 Nov 2010 Thanks Hannah! I plaited my friends hair like it around the baack of her head and it looked fabulous. Very helpful for horses aswell as humans.

wgranberry 10 Jun 2010 Hi Hannah, I was wondering if it was possible to do this braid on horses or ponies with medium length manes, or if another type of braid is best. A friend mentioned that braiding is a good way to keep a heavy mane off a horse's neck on hot days. Also, how do you keep your braid from falling out? I have seen many Spanish braids come undone if a horse stretches their neck!

shans mum 17 May 2010 What a hansome boy! I have seen him at competitions and had no idea how much mane that plait was hiding!

Welsh Lucitania 11 Dec 2009 Hello Hannah, I own a Lusitano stallion and plait his mane a little differently. If you take the middle section at the beginning of the plait forward, and the next resultant middle section back, repeat once, and then take new sections underneath the plait, into the middle, your plait can be much neater and tighter and sits on top of the crest. Towards the bottom, I usually allow the plait to descend from the crestline to allow stretching without pulling out any hair. Once you get the hang it is much easier! Same technique on tails gives a neater"outside" plait. We used to call it "hog-plaiting" on heavy horses, and only by plaiting like this is it firm enough for you to wire in your floating colours

12 Jul 2009 Hannah, just as a tip for you as I live in Spain and see these plaits done by the pro's - the Spanish men can do one of these in about 5 mins flat! A lot of them use a piece of bailer twine, which they plait into it to keep it together and stop it from coming loose or falling out. I think they look fab!