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Horse Grooming

How to Braid a Horse’s Tail for Hunter Competition


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A neatly braided tail accentuates a hunter’s hindquarters. It adds to the overall picture of refinement and elegance, which makes it a pity that braided tails are rarely seen outside the A-rated divisions.  Here are some step-by-step tips on how to braid your horse’s tail like a pro.



Begin with a freshly shampooed tail. Although you can use a conditioner, avoid any coat polish or detangler, as it will make the hair slick. You aren’t ready to braid until you can easily comb through the hair without encountering any snags.

 


Dampen the hair at the top and all along the sides of the dock with a mixture of water and a styling lotion. You’ll need a piece of yarn about 24 inches long, a latch hook and a pair of scissors. Match the yarn to your horse’s hair. (Brightly colored yarn is a trend whose time is past, however, we’re using it here for illustrative purposes.)If your horse is tall, you’ll also need a step stool so that you aren’t accidentally pulling the hair downward as you braid.  Pulling downward will eventually cause the tail braid to droop and sag. Instead, you want to hold each section of hair level as you plait it into the braid.

 

Separate out three sections of hair at the very top of the dock. One section comes from the left side, one from the right side, and one from the center. Although the hair for the center section may be very short, especially if your horse rubs his tail, you can coax it into submission with extra styling solution.

 

Using the three sections, begin your French braid.

 

As you pick up hair from alternating sides to plait into the French braid, reach for hair underneath the dock. Only take a few strands at a time, or your French braid will become chunky and unmanageable. Press inward toward the dock each time you plait the hair together. This will help prevent the French braid from sagging away from the tail bone.

 

Approximately two inches from the end of the tail bone, stop French braiding…

 

 


…and incorporate the three sections of hair you hold into a simple “pigtail” braid, about six inches long

 

Fold your yarn in half and incorporate it into the braid and continue for another two inches before
knotting it.

 

For a secure knot, wrap both pieces of yarn around the bottom of the pigtail while forming a small loop with your index finger, then feed the yarn ends back through and pull taut, in a sort of half-hitch knot.

Finishing Your Tail Braid

 

Grab the yarn tails and pull them through until the top of the pigtail is anchored beneath the French braid. Next, use your latch hook to take one half of the yarn and pull it through to the other side of the French braid.

The Loop

The traditional way is to simply end with a demure loop. Insert your latch hook underneath the French braid, about two inches from the bottom.
Grab the yarn tails and pull them through until the top of the pigtail is anchored beneath the French braid. Next, use your latch hook to take one half of the yarn and pull it through to the other side of the French braid.

Finally, knot the ends on top of the French braid and snip off the excess yarn.

 

The Pinwheel

To create the stylish pinwheel, braid down into your pigtail; then split the hair into two equal sections, each one containing a strand of yarn.
Roll the braid upward in a tight pinwheel, with each section of hair on either side of your coil.
Continue rolling tightly.

Once the pinwheel is nestled against the French braid and the tail bone, find each piece of yarn and make a knot beneath the pinwheel.
Then bring the yarn ends together above the pinwheel and knot again, right against the French braid.
For some extra security, knot above and below the pinwheel a few more times. Snip off any excess yarn.

 

The Wrap

The most expedient finish is the trendy wrap technique.
Wrap the pigtail braid once around the dock.
Tuck the end under the loop of braid, gently pulling any unbraided tail hair along.
Pull the yarn ends through on either side of your French braid, cross it over your pigtail braid and tie.

Neatly snip away extra yarn.

 

A Strong Finish:
To help strengthen your French braid for a long day of showing, and to help it lie straight, pull through several short pieces of yarn under it and knot on top. This treatment also adds a little bit of subtle decoration.

 

Need help with the mane? Don’t miss Managing Mane Braiding >>

18 years ago
Cindy Hale

Cindy Hale’s life with horses has been filled with variety. As a child she rode western and learned to barrel race. Then she worked as a groom for a show barn, and was taught to harness and drive Welsh ponies. But once she’d taken her first lessons aboard American Saddlebreds she was hooked on English riding. Hunters and hunt seat equitation came next, and she spent decades competing in those divisions on the West Coast. Always seeking to improve her horsemanship, she rode in clinics conducted by world-class riders like George Morris, Kathy Kusner and Anne Kursinski. During that time, her family began raising Thoroughbred and warmblood sport horses, and Cindy experienced the thrills and challenges of training and showing the homebred greenies. Now retired from active competition, she’s a popular judge at local and county-rated open and hunter/jumper shows. She rides recreationally both English and western. Her Paint gelding, Wally, lives at home with her and her non-horsey husband, Ron.

View Comments

  • The step-by-step photos make the words come to life so the braiding technique is much easier for me to understand. By the way, I also think English horses look so much more elegant braided and wish that it was seen more often!

  • What a nice step by step. I have long enjoyed Cindy Hale sharing wisdom with horses. And I agree that having good photos of the steps is great.

  • The article would be great but it only prints pg 1. on the print preview, it only shows pg 1 as printable. Please correct this as I would like to hang this in my barn for my 4-H kids....

  • This was very helpful, however, the pictures aren't very clear and when I tried this, kept getting confuzed and really couldn't figure out what some of the parts meant for you to do.

  • Hi great article but I have a question. Do you clip the top part of the horses tail? It looks like that has been done in the pictures. And if you do how far down do you clip. On my horses tails the hairs don't even touch at the top.

  • Hello I think ur steps are easy to follow and I also would like to print them out but am having some trouble printing it out. could u help fig. something out?

  • thank you so much for repairing the printer problem. I have printed out successfully the step by step (to include illustrations) of the braiding section for my 4-H kids.
    Again thank you, Marge

  • This was great!! I always knew how to do teh actual braid but I never knew how to finish it!! Thanks.

  • I think that the pics helped a lot, and the wording was wonderful. There were all beautiful, and I hope I can do some braiding real soon. I love to see it when people take the time and do their horses tails pretty. Thank you very much!

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