How To Braid the Draft Mini

[Cayuse]

I have been thinking about showing one of my minis as a draft type at some local unrated shows. He is of a more substantial type and I thought it would be a fun alternative.

Does anyone have any tips about braiding? I can do a running braid fairly well and for the tail I am able to do what I call a mud knot where the tail is French braided like a hunters until the end of the tail bone and then the braid is flipped up, divided and wrapped into a knot with the end tucked in. Is this anywhere near close to the proper way to do a tail?

What kind of bow is appropriate for the tail? Are the mane rosettes braided into the mane? And what about the forelock? He has almost no forelock, just enough for a very small braid about three inches long.

Any advice or tips on how to make him presentable would be wonderful. Thank you!

 

[chandab]

I have no idea, but I think they are done up like regular drafts, I'm sure you could find pictures and videos for that on the internet.

 

[Cayuse]

I did a google search and it looks like many different ways to do a mane. All the videos were of draft horses. I could not find any with draft minis. Some of the pictures of braids were beautiful. Not just the draft braids but other types too. One was of "unicorn" braids in a mane. The braids were spiraled. Very pretty.

 

[chandab]

Edit is only available for like 5 minutes after you post.

Regular draft braids should work for minis, but you have to downsize them a bit.

Here's an old archived thread from this forum on draft minis:

http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/index.php/topic/126351-anyone-show-minis-draft-style/

And, Deb and Hal Bryant would be the people to contact for info about showing minis draft, here's a link to their website: http://bryantsminiatures.webs.com/

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I would like to learn to do this, but I'm not a very good braider. And don't do well from books; I would need someone to show me in person.

 

[Cayuse]

Thanks chandab, I never noticed that about the edit feature, lol. I hit the post button then cooked supper and when I checked my post later noticed the mistake and the missing edit button. I hunted high and low for it!

Marsha, I can't learn from books either. I have to see things done. Maybe because I'm a lefty. Videos I can learn from ok.

 

[paintponylvr]

search youtube for videos!! They are there.

Here are some pics of mine. Google photos no longer allowed to link here (wrong extensions) so here are the links to my pics of the girls at the Spooker Show in TX in 2012. Note that the "ribbons" are not the right kind. It was a last minute decision to enter a driving class (at the insistence of several people) and this was what I picked up for fun at the Dollar Store down the road...

Bell's mane

Bit's mane

Tails - our girls have really LONG tail bones. The tails just don't look quite right. I did french braids for all the braiding.

Forelocks - Bell (driving on left side of pair) has a longer, thick forelock & Bit has a short, fluffy forelock. I just braided both and tucked them under - held all braiding with rubber bands not yarn since didn't have any of that. Yes, Bit is also missing her nose band. When she broke it, I'd left it off so that I could tell whose bridles were whose. In the class, two of three judges pointed out that she was "appointed wrong", LOL. I had taken the mares, new wagon to my dad's assist4ed living home and given rides to everyone while visiting... Went to the show w/ them to watch our two yearlings get shown in halter and to get pointers from the Mini Draft people there w/ the hitch which I was having problems adjusting right. I sure didn't plan on showing and didn't have many things correct - they "allowed" me to show them anyway??? It was FUN!!

Have more pics of Bit and Koalah a couple months later at a Christmas parade where they are braided a little differerntly, but have to get ready for work now...

 

[bullockcorner]

Hi! We have been showing in the mini draft classes now for several years and LOVE it! I'm unsure by your post if you're talking about the new "stock type" classes, or actual "draft horse" classes. If you're talking about the new stock-type classes some shows are having this year, you don't braid at all, and show very similar to regular halter classes with a few changes (see rules for that). BUT...if you're talking about actual draft classes, yes, you braid manes and tails. There are several types of braids, and you'll see different styles throughout the class. Someone that knows more than I can explain all the different styles, but as long as they're braided, I don't think it matters which one you choose.

 

[Cayuse]

Thanks for the pictures Paula, I always enjoy your pictures. I like the "pumpkins" in the manes, pretty cute idea. Your tail braid is similar to how I do Peanuts but mine ends more wrapped and tucked. I hope that you are over the cold/brochitis that you had.

Bullockcorner, I was talking about the Draft class, but the shows I go to are unrated and the halter classes are just divided by height. I don't know how they feel about a draft type in the class but I am going to ask. One show I go to is open to big horses and minis and they sometimes show together in halter, so I don't anticipate a problem there. Thanks everyone for the feedback!

 

[paintponylvr]

Give me a few - can't remember who the pro photographer has been at the shows. He'll have pics from the draft classes that you can look at, too.

Casey McBride - AMHR Nationals - 2016 - # 245 Draft Halter - Mares 38" & under

#330 - Draft Halter - Stallions 38" & under

You can do a class search and find the draft classes.

 

[paintponylvr]

You really can't see how we did the braids, though. I'm attaching the link & you can go thru the pics.

Broadway Parade

Once here, you click the arrow on the right and it will take you thru the album... Vicki and I braided 2 minis and 4 shetlands for this parade. Pretty much all the same - a running french braid down the mane that only used part of it (leaving the long mane hair to fall beneath the braid) and french braids on the tails. Vicki was able to feed the ends of the braids back up under the braid over the tail bone - so the tails look short.

What you can't see is the beaded "Christmas rope" that is entwined with the braid. None of the pics is close up enough to display it

 

[BSharpRanch]

Here is the video I learned from. No babble, just the facts! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXOVXUsyuRY

 

[Cayuse]

Paula, I can't get the Broadway Parade link to open, I will try to have my hubby do it, I can be numb about computers sometimes! Thank you though! The show pics were fun to see. I could open them ok.

BSharpRanch, thank you for the video! After watching it I think I can do a tail ok but boy that mane made my eyes cross, lol. I'm going to give it a try the next warm day. He likes to be braided so practicing should be easy (for him!)

If and when I can do a presentable job I'll post a picture.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Great video! I think I can do that. Big plus that it works better with dirty hair this time of year!!

 

[Kendra]

Great video! I might have to try that ... I love braids, makes them look so polished! I wish I could braid my driving horse in the show ring ... I show A so no draft classes.

Going to try this one for my dressage tests this year: http://youtu.be/EFgNcbJ-pNI

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Definitely going to try one of those techniques. I like that tidy look, especially working in harness.

 

[paintponylvr]

Kendra!! Thank you, that was fabulous!! I can't wait to try that technique - so easy and fast and rubber bands are my friend.

 

[paintponylvr]

Cayuse - try these links (individual - the same way I've been posting?) and see if this works OR here is a link to the whole album and go down to the Broadway Parade (this is a very large album, Broadway was December 2012 and we've been to several events since). These are in Google, I wonder if you need to be signed in to see them? I have no idea...

paula & vicki finishing manes

Koalah - pulling close up

vicki briading Bit's tail

Driving Events

 

[Kendra]

Kendra!! Thank you, that was fabulous!! I can't wait to try that technique - so easy and fast and rubber bands are my friend.

Here's my first attempt - not as nice as his, but considering I had a fuzzy beastie who was Not Amused by me playing with her hair, I think it still looks pretty good!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

They made it look easy. No, I am not going to show how my first attempt turned out!