How to Braid a Horse Mane: Running, Hunter and Dragonera Braids

How to braid a horse mane: the short answer

Here's how to braid a horse mane: start with a clean, damp, detangled mane, split a small section into three equal strands, and cross right over middle, then left over middle, all the way down. Secure the end with a small rubber band or yarn, and once your fingers know that rhythm, move on to running braids, hunter braids or buttons.

Braiding season is here. The All American Quarter Horse Congress opens Sept. 26 in Columbus, Ohio, fall hunter and dressage shows are filling up, and SICAB, the international show for Pura Raza Española horses and home of their world championship, runs Nov. 17–22 in Seville. On Sept. 17, The Plaid Horse looked at the early mornings, long drives and hours on a ladder behind every professional braid job.

This guide covers the beginner three-strand braid, the running braid, hunter and button braids, the Spanish dragonera and Dutch braid for long manes, and a hunter tail braid.

Before you braid: prep, tools and safety

Good braids start days before show morning. Braid Secrets recommends washing the mane a couple of days before the show and skipping conditioner, which leaves hair too slippery to braid well.

Your braiding kit:

• Mane comb and a hair clip to hold the rest of the mane out of the way
• Spray bottle or sponge with water or a braiding spray
• Small rubber bands in your horse's mane color
• Yarn matched to the mane, cut into pieces about 24 inches (60 cm) long, for hunter and sewn braids
• A latch hook or pull-through, a large blunt needle, scissors and a seam ripper for removal
• A sturdy step stool

Mane length matters. Hunter braids work best on a mane pulled to about 4 to 5 inches (10–13 cm), and button braids on 5 to 6 inches (13–15 cm). Running, Dutch and four-strand braids are for long manes you don't want to shorten.

Safety first. Experto Ecuestre notes your horse may need to stand tied and calm for 15 to 60 minutes, so practice on quiet days, not the morning of a show. Tie with a quick-release knot or have a helper hold the lead rope.

Introduce the step stool slowly: Experto Ecuestre warns that a horse that spooks at the stool or kicks it can cause a serious accident. Our safety guide covers where to stand around a horse.

Beginner braids: the three-strand and running braid

The three-strand practice braid

This is the braid kids learn first, and it's the base for almost every other style.

1. Brush and dampen a section of mane about two fingers wide.
2. Split it into three equal strands.
3. Cross the right strand over the middle, then the left strand over the new middle.
4. Keep going, pulling gently downward so the braid stays snug near the crest.
5. Wrap a rubber band around the end.

Do ten in a row, then take them out. The whole skill is keeping the tension even from one braid to the next.

The running braid (trenza corrida)

A running braid is a French braid that follows the crest, so it keeps a long mane tidy without cutting it. Mad Barn recommends it for heavy manes on Friesians, Andalusians and Lusitanos.

1. At the poll, take a small section and start a normal three-strand braid.
2. As you work down the neck, pick up a small lock of mane from the top side and add it to the top strand before you cross it over.
3. Keep the braid running parallel to the crest, snug but not tight at the roots.
4. At the withers, finish with a plain three-strand braid to the end, secure it with a band or yarn, and tuck the tail of the braid neatly under.

Braid Secrets notes running braids fall out more easily than other styles, so for a show, braid shortly before your class.

Hunter braids for beginners, plus button braids

Hunter braids

Small, flat hunter braids are the traditional turnout for U.S. hunter classes. Mad Barn notes that USEF and USHJA rules don't explicitly require them, but braiding remains a widely observed tradition at rated shows. Most horses get 30 to 40 braids, and Braid Secrets says hunter manes go on the right (off) side of the neck.

1. Dampen the mane and clip it out of the way. Take a section about 1½ to 2 inches (4–5 cm) wide.
2. Braid about two-thirds of the way down, then lay a strand of yarn across the braid and braid it in.
3. Braid to the end and knot the yarn around the tip.
4. Push the latch hook or pull-through down through the base of the braid, catch the yarn and pull it up so the braid folds under itself.
5. Cross the yarn ends under the braid and knot them, bring them over the top and knot again, then finish with a double knot underneath and trim.

The forelock is usually French braided and tied off the same way. Horse Journals' July 2026 guide walks through the forelock and tail in detail.

Button braids for dressage, eventing and jumpers

Button braids are fewer and rounder. Guides suggest roughly 9 to 17 for dressage and about 16 to 21 for eventing, traditionally an odd number along the neck, not counting the forelock. USEF allows braiding in dressage but doesn't require it.

• Banded (quick): Braid a larger section nearly to the end, band it, fold it in half and in half again, then wrap a second band at least twice around the button.
• Sewn (more secure): Braid in yarn, fold the braid into a button and sew back and forth through it about three times with a blunt needle, then tie it off securely.

Horse Illustrated notes that rubber-band braids suit schooling shows, jumpers, eventing and dressage, but not A-circuit hunters.

Long manes: the Spanish dragonera and the Dutch braid

The dragonera (four-strand braid)

In Spain, the trenza dragonera is a four-strand braid (de cuatro cabos) that travels down the crest. Braid Secrets says four-strand braids are most often seen on baroque breeds such as Andalusians and PREs, and that they're sturdier than running braids, so they don't fall out as easily. You also keep every inch of hair.

1. Thin a very thick mane, but don't cut it; a bulky dragonera loosens more easily.
2. At the poll, take three thin strands and start a normal braid: left over center, right over center.
3. Pull the outside strand up and across, away from the side the mane falls on, to set the tension.
4. Pick up a fresh lock of mane as the fourth strand and bring it to the center.
5. Merge two strands into one and repeat, so the braid always has four strands and takes a new lock at every pass.
6. At the withers, finish with a plain braid and tie it off.

It's easier to see than to read. Practice with four pieces of baling twine tied to a fence post, and watch a slowed-down video before you try it on your horse.

The Dutch braid

A Dutch braid is a reverse French braid: each outer strand crosses under the middle instead of over, adding hair from both sides. Mad Barn says it sits raised along the crest and holds its shape better than a running braid. Braid Secrets also describes a double Dutch, one braid down each side of the neck.

Heads-up for bilingual barns: some Spanish guides, including Experto Ecuestre, use trenza holandesa for a different style: small braids rolled into balls and sewn down with waxed thread. Ask which one your trainer means.

How to braid a horse tail

The classic hunter tail is a French braid down the dock, the bony top part of the tail. Stand beside the hindquarters, not directly behind, and only braid a horse that is relaxed about having its tail handled.

1. Dampen the top and sides of the dock.
2. Take three small sections at the very top: one from each side and one from the middle.
3. French braid down the center, taking only a few strands at a time from alternating sides and keeping the braid snug to the dock so it doesn't sag.
4. About 2 inches (5 cm) above the end of the tailbone, stop adding hair and switch to a plain braid about 6 inches (15 cm) long.
5. Horse Illustrated describes three finishes: a loop, pulled up with yarn and a latch hook; a pinwheel, rolled into a spiral against the dock; or a wrap around the dock, secured with yarn.

Spanish doma vaquera does it differently. The Royal Spanish Equestrian Federation's (RFHE) 2026 rules say a long tail must be tied up in the classic vaquero knot, or kept short.

Which discipline uses which braid

The RFHE doma vaquera rules also ban taping the mane (encintado), allow stallions a running braid on the left side, and have geldings and mares shown with the forelock clipped (optional for young horses up to 6 years old). Always read your own show's rulebook before you braid.

What to do next: a practice plan and braid care

• Start weeks ahead. Practice a few braids after each ride. Horse Journals notes that practicing at home also teaches your horse to stand still, so you don't face a fidgety horse on show day.
• Night before or morning of? Hunter braids are often put in the night before; Mad Barn suggests covering them loosely with a Lycra hood to prevent rubs. Check them in the morning for tightness, fraying and rubbing.
• Multi-day shows: Mad Barn advises taking braids out each evening and rebraiding the next day.
• Remove carefully. Cut bands or yarn with a seam ripper or small scissors, unravel with your fingers, then comb. Never yank.
• Everyday braids, like a running braid, should generally come out within 7 to 10 days, Mad Barn says, or sooner if they get wet, tight or dirty.
• Red ribbon rule: a red ribbon in the tail is a widely recognized warning that a horse may kick, so don't use one as decoration.
• Hiring a pro? Rates vary, so ask your trainer before show week. As The Plaid Horse points out, the fee also has to cover the braider's travel, supplies, insurance and early mornings.

Next, brush up on show prep, grooming basics and braiding terms in our glossary.