Unicorn Equestrian Braiding Services LLC

22/05/2024

Spring show season has arrived, with bees buzzing and flowers blooming, signaling a new cycle of growth and renewal. Happy to be part of so many equestrian journey's 🐝

21/05/2024

Pro tip: HOT water is your friend for whiter tails. ( Be careful !) Use a bucket filled half way or less and comfortable to hold for 2-5mins ( think core workout) I like to put a splash of Dawn dish soap and a splash of whiting shampoo in the hot water. Hot water opens up the hair and always the built-up pigment from urine and dirt to be released. Rinse in cool water to close the hairs cuticle .

05/05/2024

Let's not play a game of 'Who, What, When, Where, and Why'! It's like a scavenger hunt for information. Who are you and what horse are you talking about? When and where is the show? And why do you need the service? Don't text me 'I have six that need to be braided' I hate the game of 20 questions.

30/04/2024

Pro Tip Tuesday: no hot oils in your horses mane or tail ever! I have seen more reactions/ burns from this seemingly innocent and well meaning treatment than healthy shiny hair. If your horses hair feels dry and crunchy ? Apply a light human conditioner and rinse just like you would do for a toddlers hair. Be prepared to wash out before the horse needs to be braided.

27/02/2024

Pro tip Tuesday: for better results when braiding a horse with a stiff and wiry mane, try soaking the mane in a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water for a few hours prior to braiding.

27/02/2024

We love being part of special moments! Birthday braids are sooo fun🎂

20/02/2024

Pro Tip Tuesday: clean your geldings sheath or mares udders regularly, if they don't like the process have your vet do this. Once a year is not enough to prevent discomfort, sores and rubbing! I recommend at least seasonally, or 4 times a year. If your mare or geldings has a lot of build up, Vaseline used the day before washing, helps soften up the gunk. Use a mild soap and rinse well!

18/02/2024

Hand saver Saturday: don't blunt cut you hunter / equitation horse or ponys mane. This makes it not only extremely uncomfortable for both horse and braider but if I had braided this horse without adjusting it, the horse would likely get pressure sores or blad spots from trying to make the braids stay flat. Also thinning a blunt mane can lead to blad spots, as it is easy to grab hair from one single area.

14/02/2024

Pro Tip Tuesday, don't over do the shampoo in the mane or tail. A half a bottle of any type of soap( ivory, dawn, suave clarifying, ect) will make the tail and mane too slick to braid! Think either add soap to a bucket or if a deep scrub is needed think a dime size of shampoo for each quarter of the mane. Same goes for the tail, dime size at a time 🐴

31/01/2024

Pro tip Tuesday:
Fake tail protocol: what to do and what not to do

30/01/2024

This handsome guy is a great example of how much my customers value my expertise! The owner left his mane untouched on purpose so I could work my magic. Hanging a fake tail completes his transformation 💖

24/01/2024

24/01/2024

Pro Tip Tuesday: fake tail "peeking out" when just hanging a fake can be a real problem. Back combing so the hair wants to lay over the fake, creates a natural look. Remember to share today's tip and help prevent unsightly show ring presentation. Yes almost every hunter / equitation horse or pony has a fake tail but no one wants to see where it's tied in 🤣

18/01/2024

Transformation from pasture to show horse 🦄

16/01/2024

Pro Tip Tuesday,
Flip up the fake tail whenever a horse is left unsupervised in their stall. This 30sec prevention can save time and aggravation! We all know that it's Murphys Law that while we wait for a undersaddle, handy round, or a callback they will want to take an impromptu nap at the most inconvenient time 😅

30/12/2023

I good mane pull can make all the difference. This is a horse I solely adjust and his last adjustment was in October. Notice how his hair in the before picture, was at different lengths? This is because hair grows at different speeds, regular maintenance is less stressful for the horse and the human doing the adjusting! Hair grows rapidly in the fal, into the winter months. Make sure to either schedule a mane adjustment ( UEBS will make barn calls, message for more info on pricing and dates available) or adjust your own horses mane at least once every 3 months.

25/12/2023

Wishing all a happy holiday, to all UEBS Customers and their Unicorns 🦄 🎄❤️

22/12/2023

Sorry everyone! It's been a while since I have done another post in my mane pulling education series!
Let's talk about
post 3: Mane pulling for adjusting for thickness.
Ok so this needs visuals ! So I have put the installation/ info with each picture. Mini summary: back comb a small section of hair ( I like to start in the middle safer as it easier to get away / move away if the horse reacts). Wrap hair around comb then pull down. Think of this like pulling off a bandaid. Some horse like it super fast and to get it over with, others want you to slowly pull. Try both and see which gets less of a reaction. Remember pulling a horse's mane is to thin and even out their hair growth. Don't keep pulling if the thickness is correct, overpulling is a problem too( because then it all comes back at the same time making funny looking braids) . If it's thick and getting too short, look at the example in the photos, stop pulling! Hope this helps as winter is here, don't fall i to the trap of not pulling for 3 months! Little and often for those really thick pony manes !

09/11/2023

Pro tip: putting on an Ace bandage or tail wrap? Rest the horse tail bone on your shoulder. This will allow for less struggle and help the horse relax its tail bone preventing uneven application of the wrap.Always error on having the wrap too loose than too tight. Listen to the horses body signals, if they clench or shift away be gentle and patient. Horse have a fake ? This style of application can make "flipping the fake up" easier and less cumbersome.

04/11/2023

We have new employees at UEBS. Meet Fred and George our new sweet boxer puppies 💕 offering morning snuggles and tail wags ! Excited to have braiding buddies to keep me company. Thank you Laymoni boxers https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050141935874&mibextid=ZbWKwLfor breeding such wonderful family dogs!

30/10/2023

Post 2 adjusting for braiding vs appearance.
Theory behind pulling/adjusting for braiding-
When a mane is adjusted for braiding the primary concern is making the mane have an even thickness or smooth transition from thin, thick, thin. 75% of horse I braid follow the thin, thick, thin model from poll to wither. From crest toward the shoulder of vertically the mane should feel thicker at the crest and thinner as your finger run dowards. Order of importance : Feeling for thickness is #1 , length #2 , texture ( layers) #3 . Also, get rid of the idea that mane pulls/adjusting is a singler event. MANE PULLING IS A CYCLE! Any hair you pull will grow back at approximately the same rate. So if you pull a thick mane and can stuff a pillow, all that hair will come back and effect the top of the braid in about 2-3 months. Little and often is the best result.
Theory for Pulling/ adjusting for appearance only.
For the horse that will not be braided for the year. First decide if they need pulling for comfort? Is their neck sweaty in the summer ? Would a longer mane keep a pastured horse warmer? I like to adjust manes for appearance only in 2-3 month cycles. In May ( or when your state has spring) I do a mane pull and shorten almost too short, especially if the horse is good and i don't want the owner to have to pay again for the service for a couple months. Shorter thinner mane is easier to clean in mud or wet conditions. In July I like to pull adjust again, leaving the mane a touch wispy and just short enough to lay nice. I never blunt cut any mane. I have found blunt cut manes can get more tangled, so I prefer to back comb like I am going to pull then either use thinning shears, clipper blade, or if you have dreamed of playing hair stylist then use scissors ( scissors ✂️ is my personal favorite, it gives me the most control over the layers but requires the most skill to do it correctly). Using tools should be reserved for shortening the mane once thickness is good or if the horse doesn't tolerate pulling. I will blunt cut a jumper mane if requested. I still always give layers! I just have the longest layer be blunt for jumpers that like that look. Personally I think blunt looks unnatural and like a bowl cut ✂️ like and follow, for more of the educational series and for tips trick's and the latest horse show braiding trends 🦄🐴🦄

28/10/2023

Unicorn sighting at Wec Ohio, anyone else have Unicorn pictures to share ? Also UEBS has been hard at work braiding for the fall circuit. So, has fallen behind on our mane pulling series. Getting back on track soon !

11/10/2023

Pro Tip Tuesday: oil attracts dirt, which can cause more skin issues. Avoid leaving oils ( MTG, coconut oil, Pam, olive oil) on your horses skin. If you are trying to hydrate dry skin try a less is more approach. Use mild human hair conditioners rinsed well!

04/10/2023

Pro tip: when body clipping wrap the horses tail up in a polo wrap or ace bandage to avoid accidental tail hair clipping. This simple step can prevent alot of damage.

18/09/2023

Let's get ready to learn about mane pulling/ adjusting ❤️hoping to have a post in the series each Monday ❤️
Post 1 in the mane adjustment series . Evaluate
Post 2 adjusting for braiding vs appearance
Post 3 how to adjust for thickness
Post 4 how to adjust lenght
Post 5 common mane adjustment issues and how to solve them.

Evaluate:
Before you even pick-up a comb. I want you to think about what outcome you would like. Are you preparing for a show? Will the horse get braided? If they are getting braided what style? Hunter braids? Jumper? Will the horse be showing unbraided? Do you just want people to stop teasing you about your horse looking homeless and you don't plan on ever showing or needing braiding?
Evaluate:
Step 1: run you hands through the mane. Feel how thick the hair is.
Step 2: comb the mane completely with a plastic comb. Does your comb keep getting stuck? Then the mane is blunt( the hair is all the same length) easy to comb? Most likely the mane is either layered or covered in detangler. Wash mane if your hands are black and grey after touching the mane ( dawn is my favorite for clarifying).
Step 3: what type of mane does the horse have? Thick? Do you need to pull out hair to thin the mane? 98% of horses that get hunter braids don't naturally grow hair that is the same thickness from top to bottom. Most will need to be thinned in the middle of the neck and shortened at poll amd wither. Or your horse is bald ? like see through hair. (I will answer how to just shorten in post 4)Love seeing a beautiful line of braids , that's thanks to a good mane pull most of the time.

12/09/2023

Regardless of what braider you use, a couple of reminders to get the best braids from your braider:
1. We can always shorten a mane but if it's too short we can't get braids or nice braids in. When in doubt leave the mane longer .
2. If you don't want your horse's mane adjusted please tell the braider. We will normally adjust manes to our liking to give you the best braids possible. We can braid as is with some adjustments to the braids themselves. A longer mane may need plaits, buttons, French, or running braid.
3. Communication is important, if it's the day of and you need to lunge/ hack , let the braider know your schedule.
4. Detanglers/ conditioners will lower the quality of the braids. Braids are fancy knots. I recommend Dawn dish soap mane / tail scrub before braids . Rinse completely ❤️ soap is slippery when left in the mane (and itchy).
5. Shine spray, Detangler, conditioner, baby oil can be applied AFTER braiding but MUST be washed out before rebraiding.( avoid spraying braids directly).

12/09/2023

Pro Tip Tuesday: Jammies, Sleazy, Slicker whatever name you want to call them 🤣 if you are going to use them , buy the full zip ! Schneider Tack has a full zipper, easier and less stressful for both horse and braider. Hoods take extra time to both take off and put on, have on stall front, don't use a no zip sleeve! Also, fit is important better to be too big, than stretched to the max and rubbing the hair you are trying to protect.

12/09/2023

This is why I say ace bandage tail wraps and no leaving in tails.... I am not ok with leaving in braided tails !!! Just show without or braid your own. This will take months for this poor horse to regrow