Horse Mane Braiding

Horse mane braiding does not require much in the way of supplies or equipment. Mainly, it calls for patience on the part of the braider (you)! The rewards are worth it.

1. You'll need a mane comb for straightening out the hair, as well as a good brush.

2. You will also need a good supply of elastic bands. Some people like to get bands that are the same color as the horse's mane (or at least as close as possible). Others enjoy using contrasting colors, or even mixed colors in bright shades..

3. To sew up the braids, you'll need special plaiting thread, along with a suitable needle. You will also need some scissors. And that's it.

See? Horse mane braiding really requires little in the way of "stuff."

First step in horse mane braiding is to brush the mane to get out the tangles.

Then comes the work of banding.

Starting at the top (thickest) part of the mane, you need to divide the mane into equal sections. Then, secure each section with one of your elastic bands. Tip: Use your mane comb to define the sections.

Now, braid each section of mane. Braid tightly!

Take off the band from a section before you braid it. When you are done, hold the braid fast by placing the band back on, at the end.

If you've braided your own hair, braiding a horse's mane will come almost naturally to you.

If this is your first time, one of the many available illustrated guides will prove helpful.

For extra hold, squirt some hair gel into your palms and renew it from time to time as you work on your horse mane braiding. Some people also like to work in a little egg white and water to help the braided hair hold.

Do not, however, use hair conditioner on your horse's mane before or during braiding. The hair will become much too slippery to work with! Trust me on this.

Sewing is the usual way to finish off horse mane braiding.

The basic procedure is to first sew upward, through the bottom of the braid. Then you make a couple of turns with the thread and back into the braid to hold it in place. If you do this right, you can pull the thread so that it divides the braid in halves for a really neat look.

Twist and fold the braid a couple more times. Your goal is to make a knot of hair that is tight against your horse's neck. You can then use the needle and thread to sew through the center of the knot. (Since you've divided the braid in half, you will need to do this on both sides -- the right and the left.)

Finish off your sewing of each braid half by making a loop of thread around it and then pulling it tight, tying a knot, and breaking off the thread at that point.

This gives you an idea of the process, but of course you must learn by doing -- and not being afraid to make mistakes. Once again, there are illustrated guides to help you master the complete art of horse mane braiding.

You can always let your horse's forelock hang free and loose, even if you've braided the rest of the mane. This horse seems fine with that!

But of course you may want to braid the forelock as well for a complete horse mane braiding look. A French braid works well on most horses' forelocks, but use your imagination and creativity.