My horse Rainy has long mane that I don’t want to pull or shorten  just for a driving show or riding class.  At the Midwest Horse Fair  I did a version of what the trainers at Valhalla call “puffy braids.”
I braided the entire job while allowing my horse to have her head down and nibble hay.  That made her enjoy our time together and we were both relaxed!
How to braid “Comfy Braids” for long mane:
Begin at your horse’s bridal path and braid ~4 inch sections down into straight braids.  Do not make them …

These are from a DVD I made with Requisite Variety last year in July. You may notice in the first one that Rainy (my gray mare) is not stepping under her body fully. Since the filming, I began to use massage with my horses (with guidance from Barb Riffle,) and have noticed a dramatic improvement in their movement and attitude. Of course, who wouldn’t benefit from a couple of massages each week?
Thanks to my parents, especially dad (Wes Licht,) who brought me up with horses and ponies as part of …