# how many plaits in mane



## wildpoppywild (11 June 2009)

how many plaits should u have in your horses mane??


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## katie_and_toto (11 June 2009)

An odd number along the mane, and then an extra one for the forelock. Normally I try to do 9


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## Burnttoast (11 June 2009)

An odd number along the neck and one more for the forelock. Nine or eleven are pretty usual but how many and how you do them depends on the conformation/muscling of the neck.


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## Vizslak (11 June 2009)

9 or 11 but I usually hunt mine with 13!


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## Cobbysmum (11 June 2009)

The old pony, who we used to show at county level had 32!  I used to get up at five in the morning!  kat_and_toto is right, including the forelock there should be an even number but how many is up to whatever looks right for your horse.


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## wildpoppywild (11 June 2009)

cause shes got a super thick mane even when its been thinned lol!! i thought she might look daft wi the usual 11 or 13


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## katie_and_toto (11 June 2009)

wildpoppywild - my pony has a thick mane too, we manage to get it into 9 plaits normally, but do as many as you need to


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## Ellies_mum2 (11 June 2009)

Ok I have a numpty question 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Why does it have to be an even number of plaits?


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## KatB (11 June 2009)

I normally have about 20...but "eventers" plaits are a bit different to traditional plaits


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## MandyMoo (11 June 2009)

there isnt a real reason i dont think - just tradition 
	
	
		
		
	


	





i usually do 9 or 11...it depends on the horses neck conformation though...and the type of mane. if you want a neck to look longer you put in more smaller plaits...if you want it to look shorter - do less plaits xx


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## Burnttoast (11 June 2009)

I have occasionally wondered why eventers have so many - event horses always seem to have their manes pulled very short and I guess you can't get the hair to stretch far enough for only a few plaits! But it takes sooo looooong! When I did hunters I got frowned at if I did more than 10 and that only took 15 mins


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## KatB (11 June 2009)

Lol Burnttoast!! I do lots because it means the horse can still stretch without the plaits making the horses neck sore. If you have lots of little tight plaits, they pull less than big tight plaits! I can plait up in about 20-30mins


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## Burnttoast (11 June 2009)

Thanks, that's useful to know


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## Forget_Me_Not (11 June 2009)

To not make the neck look 'split'...

I normally find a mane goes easily into eight and then I have either th elast two huge or a stupid little one to make it odd


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## Burnttoast (11 June 2009)

Actually, I'm going to be plaiting up for the first time in ten years soon - I'm going to time myself, see how out of practice I am... And I think for luck I'll go for 13...


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## gemliz23 (11 June 2009)

The odd number rule has something to do with the neck looking a little strange, even number of plaits makes the mane/neck look split in half when bent! Seem to remember something about that anyway! I never count them before hunting just get the buggers in as quick as poss! Defo agree with having more smaller plaits for eventing to help with stretching though although I always take them out before XC anyway!


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## moodymare1987 (11 June 2009)

In my horses mane I get 9 and then his forelock. He has quite small plaits as he hasnt got a big mane. Makes a change really as having had two horses with awful manes that was soo hard to plait, Having current horse is a god send 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I dont count them though, I just seperate the bit I am doing and the bit next to it and work my way up. I know I have been told I do it rather random but it has always worked and always have the right number of plaits in. And people do ask me to plait up for them so cant be that bad.


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## MagicMelon (11 June 2009)

Lol, life's just too short to care how many plaits there are IMO!!


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