How to Braid a Forelock

When showing a horse for an event, having your horse looking its best is essential. Many owners braid their horse's hair for a special occasion, and braiding a horse's hair is not unlike braiding human hair. However, there are some special considerations to keep in mind while braiding horsehair, including that the horse may not appreciate the treatment. The forelock, or the hair at the very front of a horse's mane, is often particularly tricky to braid properly.

Things You'll Need

  • Comb
  • String
  • Large blunt needle
  • Scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Comb the forelock thoroughly, ridding the hair of any mats or tangles.

    • 2

      Divide the top of the forelock hair in three strands. Don't divide all the hair in strands all at once. This will give the braid a bulky appearance. The hair underneath the three strands will be added in the braid later.

    • 3

      Cross the rightmost strand over the center strand. Then, cross the leftmost strand over the center strand. Repeat. As you continue to braid, add more hair from underneath the braid to the main three strands in small amounts, eventually adding all the forelock hair. This way, all the hair is evenly incorporated in the braid. A good forelock braid is essentially a French braid.

    • 4

      Continue braiding until you reach the end of the horse's hair. Then, tie off the end with string. You may stop before you reach the end if the braid is long enough to fold under. This may be desirable for horses with very thick hair.

    • 5

      Thread the needle with string, then push it up through the middle of the braid, starting close to the horse's head. Pull through as far as possible so the end of the braid is drawn up underneath the main braid and is hidden.

    • 6

      Draw more string through the braided forelock, back and forth, sewing it so the forelock is flat and stays in place. Cut off any stray ends of string.