May 6, 2024 
First, let’s make sure we are all on the same page, as there are multiple levels to consider: schooling classes, USHJA classes, national classes, and B- and C-rated classes—to name a few.
As a trainer, all my horses competing at a top, national show in the ‘A’ divisions will ALWAYS be braided. My horses participating in a Final: Devon, Harrisburg, WIHS, equitation finals, etc., will 100% be braided—manes and tails—and are re-braided every day. At these events, in particular, my horses should feel and look their best!
At a national horse show or if a client is competing in a schooling class, and it is only for training purposes; or, if my client is on a budget at this type of event (and the horse isn’t a winner in big company), I will mostly not braid. That said, if we are on competitive horses and I want the judge to see that I am serious, then I will braid for any division.
If I am heading to a C-rated show or a schooling show, I will not braid. But all in all, horses that are in a top-rated division should always be braided; manes, for sure, and hang a tail. Another note to consider: I recommend braiding tails sparingly, as they do get ugly if they’re braided too often. Depending on how a horse looks in a tail braid, I may also braid tails less frequently—but for Finals, manes and tails are braided, always.
While judging, I do giggle a little if I am judging a show and I see horses in classes that are professionally braided but can barely get around, or don’t have lead changes, etc. It makes me wonder why you’d spend your money on braiding instead of, maybe, spending more on lessons? On the other hand, if I see that an owner has tried to braid him or herself, I have the opposite reaction: I appreciate that someone is trying to make themselves more knowledgeable about our sport.
If I am in the booth for an unrated division at a top-level show, I will for sure mark on my card when a horse is not braided. If I have two, very equal horses, but one is braided and one isn’t, the braided horse will get higher points from me. If the braided horse was considerably worse than the non-braided horse, then the non-braided horse will win.
If I am in the booth in any A-rated division, I not only expect the horses to be braided, but braided so they shine! I will always mark my card with bonus points for appearance, especially at the top levels. A very well-turned-out horse, for me, will certainly push someone to break a tie if there is one.
Do I care about tails? Not that they are braided, necessarily. But I do not like a straggly tail; tails should be thick and beautiful and show-off your horse’s overall look. A tail that is too big and appears like it’s chasing your horse is also a problem. The whole picture should be high-quality and make the horse look their best, as if they are going to a black-tie event. Remember: appearances do matter in our sport when it comes to hunters and equitation!
In the “Mom box”: I hate braiding! The expense is crazy, and I think it’s so much time and money that’s not needed. Saying that, I do what will make my kids win, as that’s why we are here at the horse show.
When it comes to a horse that I am trying to save money on (a sale horse, for example), or if we are attending a show that doesn’t count for points or is more for practice, I will beg our trainer not to braid. I am the first one to say, “Hang the tail but don’t braid, PLEASE!”
I do think, in all situations, the mane should be perfectly kept and not look crazy, and that it should flatter my horse. This is something that I always tell my kid, even when she’s at home on lesson days.
But don’t get me wrong: the braiding expense is a killer, and I sympathize with parents. It’s also something you need to budget for: If you have 2-4 horses competing in equitation and/or hunters, a single show could cost up to $1,500 just for braiding… ouch!
Dana Hart Callanan is a successful hunter, jumper, and equitation coach, an ‘R’ judge, and a sales broker. In this column, she answers common questions about A-level sport. Send your questions to news@horsenetwork.com for consideration in a future column.
