SHOULD WE BRAID?

 

{This is my ” I’m concentrating face,” but doesn’t Sage look gorgeous?}

Being the sticklers that we are, we are all about correct turnout for both horse and rider. One easy thing you can do (well, a little time consuming, but well worth the result)  is to braid your horse’s mane.  With our hunt, (all hunts have different rules) we are only expected to braid on our High Holy Days like Blessing of the Hounds, Opening Meet, occasions like that, but there is one more that many folks don’t think about.  Lawn Meets, what is a Lawn Meet you ask?  That’s when you start the meet from someone’s house, farm, estate, places where someone has opened their private property for you to start from. Well, technically if someone comes out handing you free booze (we love when that happens)- it’s a lawn meet.  One easy way to show our appreciation is to arrive with a beautifully turned out horse.

It doesn’t matter if you use elastics or sew them in.  Just try and do one or the other.  Here is a video of braiding “Button” braids which are correct for hunting even though this video says dressage.

We’ve seen it all.  Dirty horses, unkept riders, bad manners.   It is polite to plait up, but some people don’t.  If your horse looks smart and has a lovely pulled mane, you’ll get away with it, but always strive to do the best you can.  Tradition is what keeps this sport going, let’s not forget to honor that.

Tall Ho!