Synopses & Reviews
Horse trainer and instructor Charni Lewis brings the wonderful process of braiding to life in her step-by-step guide to 30 beautiful braids. Full-color photographs and detailed illustrations clearly show the twists and turns that make each style unique and the hand positions necessary to hold those ropes of equine hair in place. To keep hands free for braiding, the book has a nail hole at the top of each page for easy hanging on a post or barn wall.
Lewis begins with detailed advice on choosing and using appropriate tools, preparing the horse, and creating a safe area in which to work. After a chapter on no-nonsense maintenance braids (used primarily to keep the horse neat and clean), she progresses through all the classic braids required for each riding discipline. Finally, Lewis lets loose with braids that are simply fun to do. She encourages readers to experiment with a Scalloped Hunter mane braid or a Fourstrand Weave for the tail. They look gorgeous, and when the novelty wears off, there are many more to try!
Review
"Bottom line: This book could save your hands, your time, and probably your sanity."
-Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar
Synopsis
Give your horse a gorgeous look Charni Lewis provides step-by-step instructions for 30 mane and tail braids for both casual outings and specialized events of all riding styles. Full-color photographs and detailed illustrations bring every twist and turn to life, while also clearly demonstrating proper hand positioning. Get inspired and experiment with a Scalloped mane braid or a Four-Strand Weave for the tail. Not only will your horse look great, the time you spend braiding will help develop that special bond between you and your horse.
Synopsis
Show Off Your Horse's Good Looks.
Braiding is the final touch that gives your horse a polished, well-turned-out appearance. When it's not show day, braiding can preserve a long mane or full tail, or provide a fun, calming activity for horse and rider. Learn the details that can help you master 30 braids suiting every discipline, including hunter, dressage, saddle-seat, Western, and draft.
About the Author
Charni Lewis is an experienced trainer and instructor at Flintridge Riding Club in Pasadena, California, and has an extensive background in dressage, veterinary medicine, and thoroughbred breeding. She has choreographed, produced, and performed in riding exhibitions in the United States and abroad. Charni lives in Altadena, California.
Table of Contents
Getting Started
* Braiding Tools
* Preparing the Horse
* Detangling the Hair
* Safety While Braiding
Pulling a Mane
* Using a Pulling Comb
* Alternative Methods for Shortening a Mane
Basic Braiding Components
* Three-Strand Braid
* French Braid
* Dutch Braid
* Finishing the Braid
* Tying a Braiding or Square Knot
Maintenance Braids
* Training the Mane to One Side
* Maintaining a Long Mane
* Preserving a Long Tail
* Mud Knot
English Hunter Braids
* Hunter Braids for the Mane and Forelock
* French-Braided Tail with Wrap Finish
* French-Braided Tail with Pinwheel Finish
* Dutch-Braided Tail with Loop Finish
Eventing Knots
* Mane Knots
* Forelock Knots
Dressage Braids
* Banded Mane and Forelock Loops
* Mane and Forelock Buns
* Taped Mane Loops
* French-Braided Mane
* Dutch-Braided Mane
* Diamond-Braided Mane
* Dutch-Braided Tail
* French-Braided Tail
Western Mane Banding
* Mane and Forelock Banding
Draft Horse Braids
* Mane Roll
* Four-Strand Forelock Braid
* Tail Bun
Saddlebred & Tennessee Walking Horse Braids
* Three-Ribbon Mane and Forelock Braids
Fun Braids
* Scalloped Braids
* Fishtail Braid
* Four-Strand Square Braid
* Four-Strand Weave Braid
Index