World-Class Braiding Manes & Tails: A Tack Trunk Reference Guide

A handy quick-reference with step-by-step color photos and easy-to-follow instructions from two top professional grooms.

Braiding a horse's mane kind of comes with the territory--who can resist playing with all that hair? While it may begin as a downtime activity on a rainy afternoon or fun with friends after riding lessons, braiding takes on a life of its own when it comes to competition. Professional grooms and others who braid on the show circuit can make a living doing just that when they have the skills to do it fast and do it well.

Professional grooms Cat Hill and Emma Ford, co-authors of the bestselling World-Class Grooming for Horses, have braided thousands of horses for a variety of disciplines over the course of their esteemed careers in the equestrian industry. Now they've highlighted those skills in a book conceived to be a helpful barn companion--one you can take with you and keep in your tack trunk, providing a go-to reference whenever you need it. Chock full of full-color photographs that illustrate every step of the process, readers learn techniques for:

• Braiding down--a nice, tight, smooth braid is the key to a sophisticated finish.
• Using thread, yarn, or rubber bands.
• Properly finishing and removing braids to avoid hair damage.
• Button braids two ways.
• Hunter braids.
• Running braids.
• Unpulled manes and long manes.
• Braiding forelocks.

With their expertise, top-tier standards, and trademark clarity as professionals who have made teaching their trade an integral part of their lives, Hill and Ford provide everything you need to know to turn a horse out with professional polish, ready to impress the judges and wow the crowds.

Cat Hill grew up in upstate New York on a working farm. Her first clear memory is of the day her parents got her a pony for her fifth birthday. She grew up on that pony, who was followed by a series of Arabian show horses. In college, she started riding show hunters through the Intercollegiate Horse Show Team at the University of Geneseo. After receiving her degree, she followed her love of horses to Ireland. Upon returning to the States, Cat spent time as a working student for a top Grand Prix Dressage Rider, a winter working the Winter Equestrian Festival for a Grand Prix Showjumping rider, and moved on to manage a AA Hunter barn. More recently she began freelancing as a groom in every discipline. Throughout the years she has worked at almost every type of competition, from the local fair to the Pan American Games.

Emma Ford originated from North Devon England and was brought up in the hunt field with her dad as Master of the Foxhounds. Emma was raised surrounded by horses. She grew up in the Pony Club system, receiving her B designation and culminating with jumping at the Horse of the Year Show in 1991. After completing her BS at the University of Wales she moved to the United States to follow her passion with horses. She has groomed at almost every four-star event in the world, and has been a member of the U.S. Eventing Team at multiple Olympic, World, and Pan American Games. Throughout the years, in addition to eventing, Emma has had the opportunity to turn horses out at many upper level show-jumping competitions including the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington Florida as well as work for a promising young dressage rider at many upper level dressage shows.

Jessica Dailey is the owner of Jess Lynn Photography, located in the picturesque Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York. Her work includes commercial, event, landscape, and portrait photography.