Need to braid your horse’s mane for an upcoming event? Dreading it?
Braiding your horse’s mane can be a challenging chore for several reasons. If the mane is thick, it can take a long time. Regardless of the horse’s hair texture, creating beautiful braids is a challenge in and of itself. You want a braid that gets close to the horse’s crest, a braid that is even in thickness throughout, and a braid that doesn’t twist, become messy or fall out entirely.
Lucky for you, with this guide, you won’t have to approach your next mane-braiding like an amateur. We’re going to outline 5 tips from experts on how to make mane braiding much easier.
1. Learn your horse’s mane type.
Most challenges that come with braiding a mane can be helped by preparing beforehand. To do that, you’ll need to evaluate your horse’s mane to see what type it is.
To determine your horse’s mane type, compare the mane’s thickness throughout–at the poll, at the middle of the neck, and at the withers. Where is it thick? Where is it thin?
Your horse’s mane will either be thin, average, or thick. Thin manes are sparse throughout with a more delicate hair texture. Usually, horses with a thin mane have a narrow crest.
Average manes are typically thinner at the poll and withers and thicker in the middle. Most horses have an average mane type.
Finally, thick manes are thick from poll to withers. Horses with thick manes usually have a broader crest and coarser hair texture. Thick manes are the most challenging type of mane to braid.
2. Prepare for braiding according to your horse’s mane type.
Now that you know your horse’s mane type, here’s how to prepare to braid according to your horse’s mane.
For thin manes, you shouldn’t pull your horse’s mane. Be sure to trim thin manes shorter, around four inches from where it passes the crest.
For average manes, pull thicker areas of the mane (usually found in the middle section) until the mane density is even throughout. Trim the mane to around four to five inches from where it passes the crest.
For thick manes, you’ll want to pull the mane incrementally over a couple of weeks until the mane is manageable to braid. Trim the mane to around four to five inches from where it passes the crest.
Keep reading to learn how to pull your horse’s hair properly and easily.
3. If needed, pull your horse’s mane correctly without hurting the horse.
Depending on your horse’s temperament, hair pulling or thinning can be a breeze or a burden. If your horse has a thick mane, pulling can be an absolute necessity to getting the horse’s mane into a braid.
Here’s a strategy for making the process as easy and painless as possible for you and your horse:
- Backcomb a small section of hair to the scalp.
- Wrap the remaining hair around the comb near the scalp. Use a finger to hold the hair down.
- Steadily pull down on the hair until you feel it release.
- Continue working, one section at a time, until the mane is of an average thickness and even throughout.
For horses with thick manes, you’ll want to do this a little bit every day, if possible. It’s best to do it after exercise, as the hair will more readily release when the pores are opened up.
4. If necessary, shorten and style your horse’s mane.
After you’ve pulled the mane to achieve a manageable, average thickness, it’s time to trim the mane to an even length ideal for braiding.
Pro tip 1: Taper the ends of your horse’s mane so that it’s easier to tie off at the end!
To trim and taper your horse’s mane, you’ll need a dull clipper blade and a comb. Backcomb a section of hair toward the scalp with the clipper blade, holding the remaining hair with your other hand. Next, move the teeth of the blade down to where you’d like to cut. (Remember: ideal mane lengths vary based on mane type.) Cut the hair by pressing down on the blade with your right hand.
Pro Tip 2: Err on the side of caution when trimming! It’s better to leave a little extra than to cut too short and be unable to braid.
Keep doing this, working throughout the mane, to create a beautifully tapered mane perfect for braiding. It’ll look great unbraided, too!
5. Invest in products to make your horse’s mane more manageable.
Finally, it can never hurt to have a couple of products on hand that will make your horse’s mane healthier, prettier, and more manageable to braid. It may be a rebuilder for damaged hair, a moisturizer for dried-out hair, a conditioner for coarse hair, or a detangler for tangled hair.
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