# Big fat dressage plaits!!



## Foaling Around (6 September 2011)

How do you do them???

I am so used to doing tightly sewn in "showing/eventing type" plaits I have no idea where to start with practicing them - I just envisage my attempt to be one big uneven loose mess!!

Firstly - ideal mane type? Is thin/thick longer/shorter better? Better give myself the best chance possible!!

And how do I get volume without it just being loose?? I think I would possibly look more scruffy mess than dressage diva. Also is it better to use an "upside down" plait than a "normal" one to get the height? And I take it the fewer the better (depending on neck type obviosuly)

Also do you use products? I tend to wash mane that day without conditioner(although I have always been advised to wash it a week before so its not slippy?? Plaits never look as fresh to me then though - tend to get lots of crest scurf - yuck!) and whilst its still damp I put in cheap hairspray to get a good hold (doesn't get crusty when dried when used on wet mane) and plait away, giving supertension on my plaits as I do them

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!

(and maybe photos too - partly for plait technique, partly for horse perving )

EDITED BY HHO ADMIN: Video showing how to do this now available at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/how-to-do-dressage-plaits-video-475049


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## Charem (6 September 2011)

I have a friend who works in Germany who does them, I personally dislike them but it's definately the in thing there!

Her own horse has a thick and fairly long mane (roughley 6 inches) so I presume you need that to do them. She plaits it normally and then when she stitches them she pulls the needle sort of diagonally up which gives it the volume. I'm not very good at explaining this lol. Im sure a seasoned dressage pro will come along and explain much better!


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## Allover (6 September 2011)

I always wash manes either the day before or the day of the show depending. I keep the horses mane wet when i plait it to get it nice and tight and use no other products. To give a bit of height you can plait from higher on top of the neck or even the other side, though not too tight or they will stick up in the air.

TBH i saw a horse with these recently and i thought it looked a bit lazy, like the person who plaited could not be bothered to do neater plaits, i did not realise it was the new "in thing"!!!


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## FrodoBeutlin (6 September 2011)

I think it's actually a Dutch fashion, Charem - the "big fat" plaits are Dutch by definition, but have started to be increasingly popular in Germany too!

'Traditional' German plaits are the numerous, small ones sitting on top of the neck (often with white bands  )


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## only_me (6 September 2011)

I think they look awful! Much prefer neat tight plaits


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## ruth83 (6 September 2011)

They're also referred to as hooded plaits and can help create topline. 

I could show you how to do them but couldn't tell you over here I don't think! Sorry, not much help!

Generally I find them easier to do with a mane which is a little longer than usual and it needs to have some thickness but not ridiculous amounts.


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## Addicted to Hunting (6 September 2011)

Ok I may missing something here, not really with the dressage fashion, but tradtionally a mane should have 7 or 9 plaits in anyway, so is it more that an old tradtion is becoming modern? Mine will normally have 7/9 in for hunting partly depends on the horse and what looks neater but 11 would be the max I would put in now!


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## Prince33Sp4rkle (6 September 2011)

mine has 5 or 6!

trick is to leave top two *crosses* loose then plait tightly always pulling upwards, pushing thumbs in to base of plait after to make the arch shape, then roll up plait and push needle back and forwardds through centre of the plait to hold up and firmly in place.


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## Foaling Around (6 September 2011)

Thanks guys, that makes sense PS as I figured they had to be looser somehow but not too loose if that makes sense???

Not too sure what I think of the "trend" yet for me - have noticed it on more and more (loving the pictures on the other thread btw FB) and starting to really like the look - but I'm thinking I might be liking the look due to the plaits being attached to very handsome dressage beasties.... think the whole image might be a lot scruffier with a lesser horse possibly....

Just fancied mixing it up and trying something different to what I normally do, we shall see!!

P.S. I though white tape had been left in the 90s


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## Carefreegirl (6 September 2011)

Instead of wrapping the thread around the plait go up and down through them. My horse has hardly any mane at the top from her poll for about 6 inches then turns into a yeti the rest of the way down. I loosely plait the top two which bulks them out a bit and gives her more of a top line appearance. I normally do 7 plaits. Tbh I haven't seen the plaits your on about but just by sewing 'through' the plaits rather than 'round' the plaits you can make a lot of difference in over all appearance if that's what your aim is.


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## Charem (6 September 2011)

Foaling Around said:



			P.S. I though white tape had been left in the 90s 

Click to expand...

I made it have a come back last week with our BHHS assessments last week. Mares and foals were both subjected to the white band look!


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## Halfstep (6 September 2011)

Fat plaits are amazingly easy. The mane has to be fairly long and thick. Bunch into wide bunches, at least double the normal size. Plait down so that they are quite loose at the top but as tight as possible at the bottom. Roll up tightly so that the plait sits on the crest in the middle of the "hood" of mane created by the loose plaiting at the top. Sew through the middle of the plait, not around the sides. Voila! It takes no time at all, much easier than German plaits. 

Ps. I use white tape because it suits my horse!


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## FrodoBeutlin (6 September 2011)

Not out of fashion, no!

I personally prefer the big fat Dutch ones but it may be just because I love everything about Holland!!


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## Allover (6 September 2011)

^^^^they are really nice taped plaits^^^^^^

I find they can look very dodgy when not done well though, more so than traditional plaiting. 

I never remember seeing "fat" plaits on DR horses in Holland, it was a few years back mind and only a few shows.


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## Halfstep (6 September 2011)

I actually think Benicio would look better with fat plaits!


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## MissSBird (6 September 2011)

Awesome! Now when my connie has big fat plaits I can claim I'm following fashion and it's nothing to do with his big thick mane...


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## Allover (6 September 2011)

I think the taped plaits really suit him and his colouring, fat plaits would look too ordinary!!!


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## MillionDollar (6 September 2011)

I absolutely love the big fat ones!

I remember Totilas had the tiny German plaits when he did that press conference with MAR..........and now they are slowly getting bigger and bigger like he did with Edward. He looked awful with the small ones!

http://www.equineai.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Totilas-21.jpg

http://media.equisearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/edward_gal_totilas_700.jpg

http://www.eurodressage.com/equestrian/sites/default/files/data/images/10_muhlen_rath_totilas_02.jpg

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...and+matthias+rath&hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&itbs=1


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## Foaling Around (6 September 2011)

Charem said:



			I made it have a come back last week with our BHHS assessments last week. Mares and foals were both subjected to the white band look!






Click to expand...

I stand corrected re. white tape then!! And what a gorgeous foaly - think the black definately suits the white effect. I have to say though if I am umming and ahhhing about whether I've got the skills (both plait wise and riding wise) to pull off "big plaits" I will definately look like a complete twirp "down the local" with white tape haha 

Thanks for the advice HS - I go through my plaits when sewing anyway, so just looks like I need to widen and loosen and I'll be fabulous in no time


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## Foaling Around (6 September 2011)

Erm yeah I meant widen and loosen my plaits 

And yes, Totilas looks about a zillion times more fabulous with fat plaits IMO


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## Laura_Grey (6 September 2011)

You'll also see the hooded ones on hunters!


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## Santa_Claus (6 September 2011)

hmmm 9 plaits would be impossible in Fleur's mane! here she is with 28!







only see 14? thats because that are another 14 identical ones on the other side of her neck 

I challenge anyone to put 9 plaits in her mane


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## HHO admin (23 February 2015)

You can watch a video to see how Sarah Millis does big fat dressage plaits at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/how-to-do-dressage-plaits-video-475049

Hope you find that useful!


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## Farma (23 February 2015)

I love the big fat ones they really add to the topline, you need a longish mane to work with then they need to be sewn in x


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## Bernster (23 February 2015)

Santa_Claus said:



			hmmm 9 plaits would be impossible in Fleur's mane! here she is with 28!







only see 14? thats because that are another 14 identical ones on the other side of her neck 

I challenge anyone to put 9 plaits in her mane  

Click to expand...

Haha, I did actually count them then read the second part of your post.  Two sided plaits - new fashion?!


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## Firewell (23 February 2015)

My mum does them on her TB but he has a really thick long mane that lies naturally on the wrong side. She plaits to the right side so they naturally want to stick up. They do look cool and make his neck look nice and chunky, they  also only take 10 mins.
I can't bear my TB having a long mane so I trim his short with scissors because he hates his mane being pulled. He has such a thick stumpy mane that I'm stuck spending 45 mins doing hundreds of small, very close together nuggets to try and get it looking neat! It does look nice though .


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## Hayleighm175 (23 February 2015)

I like the big plaits, depending what type of horse they're on... i think some look much ncer with small neat plaits


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