Fitting Horses for Show and Sale 351 



trained to hold its head erect in a stylisli manner. Play- 

 ing with the bit and chain is not allowed. 



BRAIDING AND TKIilMING 



With light horses very little trimming is used in the 

 show ring, as it interferes with the general appearance 

 and quality in the horse. With the draft horses the cus- 

 tom is different. The decoration in common use on the 

 manes is known as the Al)erdeen plait. The diamond 

 roll is used also but not extensively, as it is more difficult 

 to put in, and is not liked as well by many show-men. 

 There are three common methods of fixing the tail — the 

 French tie and two braided tics. 



In the Aberdeen plait colored yarns are used. Two 

 skeins are employed, having colors that will harmonize 

 with each other. Each skein should be straightened out 

 and cut once. These skeins furnish sufficient yarn for 

 one horse. A bit of yarn is given three or four wraps 

 around the two colors and tied. This puts the ends in 

 attractive condition. Tlie yarn will be four or four-and- 

 one-half feet long. The mane should be clean and well 

 brushed out and combed to one side, usually the right. 

 Small benches thirty inches high and four or five feet 

 long are provided to stand on. The horse's head is held 

 or tied up in show position. The worker should stand 

 on the bench close up beside the neck, supposing the 

 mane to be combed to the right, and facing the same way 

 that the horse does. The braiding is begun two inches 

 back of the ears. From the top of the mane a strand 

 about as large as the fore-finger should be separated from 

 the remainder of the mane and held up. Place this 

 strand of hair between the two strands of yarn and draw 

 the yarn down until the knot rests firmly against the 



