What great weather day to end the month – can’t believe 5 months of 2012 are already behind us.  Ike and I are quickly closing in on our first anniversary.  Time flies when you are having fun, and isn’t that what riding is supposed to be about?  Fun?!  Looks to be a nice weekend as well for all horse related activities – high 70’s and lower humidity.  Going to the Strawberry Hill races at Colonial Downs Racetrack (http://www.colonialdowns.com/) to tailgate and bet on the ponies on Saturday.  The dressage schooling show is on Sunday at a nice farm 30 minutes from the farm.  Probably, no certainly, I am glad that it is just a schooling show which means I don’t have to braid if I don’t want to or if I don’t have the time.

And I must come clean, my braiding skills are not the best.  Yes I can take three pieces and plait them together and stick a rubber band on the end, but as for sewing in braids.  Forget about it.  Yes, I know there are purists out there who swear they can braid a mane in 20 minutes using traditional methods.  I have never been one of them.  I tried and failed miserably.   I am now well known for my “cheater braids” as my friend Amy dubbed them years ago.  I call it being efficient with my time, after all, I am not competing at Devon or Gladstone.  I promise that if we ever qualify for the Region 1 GAIGs or the BLMs, I will pay someone to braid Ike’s mane for the championship class (Girl Scouts’ honor).  For now, I will continue my time-efficient method.  Would you like to know my secret?  I call it Hairdini for Horses, but Dressage Extensions sells them as Easyplait Braiders.  (http://www.dressageextensions.com/ProductDetail.asp?KEY=14985)  They don’t actually require any braiding for them to work – there is a hole in the middle of the “velvet” covered wire.  You stick the mane through the hole, squeeze, and roll it up like you are putting in a curler.  You then bend one end over the other and TA-DA!  A button braid!  The photo below is Ike showing off our “braids” the day before the April show…we did a test run with the braids and bridle number.

 And here we are at the show…

Just squint a bit and you won’t be able to tell the difference.

Since you have made it this far in the post, here is my helpful hint that helps the Easyplaits stay in place better – spray a section of mane with Quick Braid, braid the mane and rubber band it with two rubber bands.  I usually do this step the day before the show and leave them in overnight.  The next morning at the butt crack of dawn, all you need do is stick the end of the braid through the holdein the Easyplait and roll it up.   You are now ready to head down centerline!

Back in the saddle tomorrow.