If you're planning on the elegant finish of the soft English plaits for your horse - that look professional, the more practise you get the better the finished plaiting will be.

Who better to ask for a lesson than Caroline Wagner, of Wagner's Saddlery, in Melbourne Victoria. A multi winner of the prestige Garryowen and winner of the Esquire trophy and mount, rider and equipment class at Melbourne and Sydney Royals, rider of Champion Hacks at Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra Royals and Champion Royal Rider. Caroline's method of plaiting is simple, quick and the finish excellent.

WHAT YOU NEED

Sponge and water or gel, hair clip, elastic bands to match the colour of the mane, a comb the width you require for your plaits and a needle with matching thread. After you finish you'll require some hairspray and a good, close-fitting hood.

1)The mane for English plaits must be short - about 10 to 12 centimetres for a hack - yet thick, unlike the Australian plaits that require a thinner mane.

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2)Begin by wetting down the mane. For unruly coarse mane hair use some gel for better holding of stray hair.

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3)Caroline's comb is broken at a width that she requires for her plaits, about 8cm long; breaking off the excess teeth means her plaits will be even.

4)The portion of hair that falls within your comb is what you will begin to plait. Plait this piece firmly right from the top, all the way down.

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5)Holding the end of the plait firmly, turn the end up and under the plait about half to 1cm.>

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6)Now secure this with an elastic band.

7)You can see the desired amount of the plait that has been turned under and secured with the elastic band. The trick is not to turn up too much of the plait.

8)Now with your needle and thread push up and through the end of this bobble a couple of times, really secure the start of the plait by sewing vertically.

9)Now comes the trickiest part. Roll the plait under neatly until you reach the neck and cannot go any further. Pass the needle upward, underneath and through the roll, then from the top down again. Repeat this a few times.

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10)Collect any stray hairs on either side of your plait by taking the thread through the centre of the plait towards the top, loop to the right of the bobble then go up through the centre again and do a loop around to the left.

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11)Finish by going up and down from the bottom of the bobble to the top to secure your plait and in.

TIP: For extra staying power you can finish with a quick spray of hair spray.