How to Plait Ribbon Onto a Browband

The browband is a strip of leather connected to the head piece of the horse, forms part of the bridle. It runs under one ear of the horse, across the brow or forehead to just under the other ear. Over the last few years, many younger riders have opted out of the traditional browbands and look for flashier, more modern and eye-catching ones. With a little practice, you can learn how to braid a one-of-a-kind browband for your horse.

Things You'll Need

  • Ribbons
  • Glue gun
  • Browband
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Instructions

  1. Plaiting Ribbon Over a Browband

    • 1

      Choose two of your favorite colors (e.g. red and blue) for ribbons, or use colors that contrast with the color of your horse, such as yellows and blues on a black horse. Pick nylon ribbons 1/4 inch wide and about 6 feet long for each ribbon. Knot together one end of both ribbons, leaving a 2-inch tail of ribbon at the end.

    • 2

      Insert the browband between the two ribbons and bring the blue ribbon up the back of the browband while holding the yellow ribbon at the bottom of the browband. Bring the blue ribbon forward and down, or from left to right, over the front of the browband and under the yellow ribbon, angling the ribbon as they cross over on the front of the browband. Hold the blue ribbon at the top and back of the browband.

    • 3

      Bring the yellow ribbon up and across over the blue ribbon, or from left to right, and over the back of the browband and hold the yellow ribbon at the botton of the browband. Bring the blue ribbon again across and over the yellow ribbon and behind and up the browband and, once again, hold it at the top of the browband. Continue with the yellow ribbon as you did before, crossing over the ribbon at the front.

    • 4

      Keep the tension of the ribbon taut enough so it does not go slack, but not too tight to stretch or bind the ribbon. Check to make sure the ribbons are close to each other and that you cannot see the leather browband underneath the ribbons.

    • 5

      Continue crossing the ribbons to form a shark's tooth pattern plait until you get to the other end of the browband. Knot the ends of the ribbons together as you did at the beginning, leaving a 2-inch tail. Turn the ends on both sides of the ribbon to the underside of the browband and secure the ends of the ribbon to the browband with a glue gun.

    • 6

      Allow the glue to completely dry before placing the bridle with new braided browband on the horse's head.