What you need in your plaiting kit

Whether you prefer to plait your horse’s mane using a needle and thread or use rubber bands for convenience, you need a lot more than that in your plaiting kit to make the process quick and easy. Here are our recommended items for every plaiting kit:

• Waxed plaiting thread in the correct colour to match your horse’s mane
• A number of large flat needles with large eyes
• A small, sharp pair of scissors for cutting the thread into lengths
• A pack of small but strong rubber bands in a colour to match your horse’s mane – if you don’t use these to secure your plaits, then they are useful for securing the mane into equal sized sections before plaiting begins

You can, of course, also buy a complete plaiting kit.

You will also need:

• A sturdy stool of a suitable height to stand on so you can work comfortably on the mane
• A mane comb to brush the mane through and divide it into sections
• A soft brush or sponge to apply water to the mane as needed
• A plaiting gel, spray or wax to help keep the hair tidy and secure
• A clip to keep any loose hair out of the way as you work
• A unpicker to remove thread from plaits afterwards

We recommend keeping your plaiting kit together in either a suitable clean plastic tub with a lid, or even better having a plaiting apron or similar you could wear around your waist, ensuring everything is kept clean, tidy and is easy to find when needed.