# Ribbons on Moderns/Modern Pleasure ponies



## Ponygirl (Nov 27, 2006)

Could some of you post some pics of ribbons that are braided into the mane and forelock of the moderns and modern pleasure ponies???? Would like to have an idea of the exact placement of the ribbons..!!


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## kaykay (Nov 27, 2006)

heres patches. i was taught how to do it but now its been so long that not sure i could lol. hope you can see the braids. I kinow some can get by doing them once for an entire show but we never could with patches. by the next morning they were gone


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## SweetOpal (Nov 27, 2006)

Had to really dig for this one and it isn't that good, but gives some kind of idea.


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## Lewella (Nov 28, 2006)

SweetOpal's pic jumped out at me and I have to comment - the braids and mane should always be on the Right side of the neck for a Modern. Many Modern judges will count mane on the left side against you in the ring.

There are almost as many different ways of putting the braids in as there are people who braid. Some people remove the forelock completely and attach the braid directly to the show bridle or halter. Most leave a swatch of hair about the width of a pencil. Some divide that bit of hair into two pieces and braid the ribbons directly in with no knot, some divide it into thirds and braid the ribbon in with no knot. Some people do one or the other but knot the ribbon first.



: It is always easier to do if you have a helper - someone to hold the ends while you braid. I've spent a lot of time holding down ribbon at shows the last few years and seen a lot of different techniques. LOL


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## kaykay (Nov 28, 2006)

i so agree lewella. I was also told they have to go to the right. I was also told the one in the mane should be the length of the mane which is why patches braid is so much longer then opals. but i do think the longer one looks a little better. We did it where you clip the forelock and just leave a pencil width of hair to braid the ribbon into. Ill have to see if i have a better pic of patches braids


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## SweetOpal (Nov 28, 2006)

Yes I agree with Lewella and Kay that I had also heard that as well. However that is the side that her hair naturally lays on and yes the braids should be the same lenght as the mane, and Mahalahs are, it is just that she is running and the hair is blowing back, hence the reason the braids look shorter than mane.

Now looking through the journal that just came out from congress I see several horses that have braids and manes on the left and right side. Perfect example would be the Springer farm add, it has a driving pic with each horse having the mane on the opposite side. I do beleive that the right side is desirable.

here is another pic showing the braid the length, a little longer than the mane


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## Lewella (Nov 28, 2006)

You'll notice in the Springer Farm's ad that the pony driven by Lee Dun (the one who won) has it's mane correctly on the right side. I'm really surprised that Jim Knight drove one with the mane on the left. The older Modern people tend to be very much sticklers on the mane on the right issue and will spend a lot of time training the mane to lay to the right if it naturally wants to go left. There are also some pictures in the Journal that have probably been flipped for ad layout purposes.


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## Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis (Nov 28, 2006)

I know very little about Moderns but kay is the forelock ribbon supposed to be that long? That looks like it might be a bit bothersome for the horses?


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## kaykay (Nov 28, 2006)

Well i was told it is lol. Patches braids were done by someone who has shown shetlands for a very long time so I have to think that is correct. If you look you can see its tucked behind her halter like the other pic shown, so no it doesnt bother them. That was one of patches very first shows so I didnt do her braids.

Maybe lewella can answer if that is a personal preference or ??? for the forelock? The only one I have been told on length is the mane braid should be the length of the mane. Patches is older then the horses pictured so of course had a very long mane.


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## spazkat (Nov 28, 2006)

Lewella said:


> There are almost as many different ways of putting the braids in as there are people who braid. Some people remove the forelock completely and attach the braid directly to the show bridle or halter.


Ive always been a fan of this method. Its easier, plus I just dont care for the look of a teeny fluff of forelock. One i start shaving its easier and cleaner looking to just take it all off (plus you dont have those pesky pieces of mane hair showing messing up your pretty braid =P)

As for length, typically the forlock braid is done the same length as the mane braid then run off to the side under the browband and sometimes once around the throatlatch to anchor it.


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## kaykay (Nov 28, 2006)

if i was going to show a modern again i would do like spazkat says and just clip the whole thing off. She did look rather silly with one long skinny strand LOL. they grow back really fast. reminds me of a funny story. one time when we were clipping hers off at a show someone came running over wanting it to glue to another horse that had a clipper accident LOL

Kay


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## Lewella (Nov 28, 2006)

I always clip the forelock off on foals - soooooooo much easier to attach the braid to the halter than that little bit of slippery hair. Getting the mane braid to stay in is challenge enough (rubber cement anyone? LOL I've heard mustache wax works too.)

Yeah, that teeny fluff of forelock looks pretty dumb when they aren't braided. Mr. Unique has a 2 inch or better mohawk bridle path going right now with this itty bitty piece of long forelock sticking up in the middle of it. :new_shocked: :lol: It looks totally rediculous! :lol:

The only problem with taking the forelock off is if you are doing liberty. You can do liberty without the forelock braid but it looks a little strange. I know someone who attached the braid to the head with a tiny piece of duct tape and then used a black marker to make the duct tape black for liberty class so the pony had a braid. :lol:


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## Mercysmom (Nov 28, 2006)

Ponygirl said:


> Could some of you post some pics of ribbons that are braided into the mane and forelock of the moderns and modern pleasure ponies???? Would like to have an idea of the exact placement of the ribbons..!!


I did not have pictures when I did the braids on Intrepid and Nefertiti for our Area One show debut...I used a book called "Grooming to Win" and our red and white ribbon braids worked well for our bay mares on our turnout - Intrepid was the Grand Champion American Show Pony and Grand Champion Modern Pleasure Pony and Senior Modern Pleasure Pony at the Area One show.



:

Our baby foal Nefertiti was not well behaved in her classes but was the Reserve Grand American Show Pony and won her Modern Weanling Filly class but was outclassed by two very lovely junior Moderns for the big titles from the Taylor Pony Farm in the Modern division.



:



:

It was nice to see what we have to aspire to and am looking forward to the next Area One show! :aktion033:



:

Denise

Silversong Farm


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## Getitia (Nov 28, 2006)

Mary, here is a photo of Miss Ohio as a weanling when she was braided - it may be of help


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## kaykay (Nov 29, 2006)

all i can say is drooooollllllllllllll lol. I love miss ohio


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## spazkat (Nov 30, 2006)

Lewella said:


> The only problem with taking the forelock off is if you are doing liberty. You can do liberty without the forelock braid but it looks a little strange. I know someone who attached the braid to the head with a tiny piece of duct tape and then used a black marker to make the duct tape black for liberty class so the pony had a braid. :lol:


The glue they use to put numbers on cattle and whatnot for auctions is great for attaching braids. This is actually what a lot of the hackney people do for the cobtail classes with the little button braids... shave off the mane and glue the braids on



:


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## willowoodstables (Nov 30, 2006)

Spaz.....

Never ever would I stick on braids on a cobtail :0)!! It's actually a dieing art..I learned from Laurie Carss a miilion years ago!

I shave off the forelock on all braided ponies. As Spaz suggested, use cattle glue, but actually just get the rule changed..who cares if the pony has one or 3 braids, is that what makes'em win???

Actually, 99 percent of American Saddlebreds and Hackneys that show in long mane with a braid class have roached off the foretop and foregone the whole forelock all together. So have I. First, not put in right can bother the ears., Second, not put in right looks like crap, third, too long and takes away from head (hence wrapping around throat latch), Fourth, flapping all around the head in wind etc again looks awful and must drive pony mad.

Thus, by only having a mane braid, the right colour (as in discreet) and length in the flowing mane is a beautiful thing. And quicker too LOL. I braid three seperate ribbons in (usually 2 blue and a red), right into the hair (as in I don't tie the top not in first then braid). Very subtle but rich looking. I will use two blue and a white with the Roadster pony as my cart is blue and my silks are blue and white. Any other time it is two blue and a red (makes it a rich misture of colour)

If I had Miss Ohio, (do you hear me Santa), I'd have one red with the two of that blue..with her color it would be gorgeous.

Too bad this is on the wrong side for the picture, but all she is wearing is a mane braid..which is subtle in her mane.






And this is one of my "remember summer pics )






Her name is Myrna and she wins a lot too!

But seriously, here is a pic of a braided cobtail, mine, but I don't think you can really see them..43 braids, with red yarn, major finger cramps, but worth the roses and ribbon to be crowned World Grand Champion...sigh...






WGC Willowood Balladeer, my first WGC!

Kim


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## Lewella (Dec 1, 2006)

:aktion033: Balladeer is absolutely gorgeous Kim! Congratulations on your WGC! :aktion033:

I think all types of braiding are becoming dying art forms. It's a sad thing when traditions become lost to time. :no:

I like a subtle braid too.



: When I was finishing Willowlawn's Mr. Unique's HOF I braided him (he's a red roan sabino - wildly marked) with two burgundy and an off white. They just accented, didn't detract. I now have the braid ribbons he wore braided into two locks of his show tail which I trimmed off a foot of this fall. (I Know, oh the horror - I trimmed a tail! But he's a breeding stallion now and is enjoying being a pony. It did take him a week to figure out how a tail works and stop swishing it violently after all those years with it kept braided! LOL)


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## spazkat (Dec 1, 2006)

willowoodstables said:


> WGC Willowood Balladeer, my first WGC!


You did this just to taunt me.... you KNOW Ive always been in love with Woody the pirate pony.



:


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