There was in hand trail at this year's QH2000 spring show and there was actually quite a bit to it. They can pretty much give any of the normal trail obstacles. Usually it's pretty basic but the one at spring show included a 360 box and side passing a pole which threw a lot of us!! Just a heads up really if you're planning on entering so you can practise everything before hand!

oh blimey now I am worried - what is a side passing pole?!!!!

Don't panic!!!
Side pass is moving side ways without any forward movement (apologies if I'm telling you something you already know!). As with ridden trail there is a pole on the ground, horse's front feet on one side and back feet on the other, horse has to move along it - preferably without touching the pole! If you watch any normal, ridden trail class it will undoubtedly have a side pass obstacle in it. In general it's not the hardest manouver just that with in hand trail you are not supposed to actually touch the horse so you need to cue it from the halter.

Anyways I really didn't mean to scare anyone - all of the other in hand trail classes I've seen have been pretty basic, ie, a bridge, a gate, some walk or jog over poles, a straight backup maybe between 2 wide set poles and that's about it. It was just the class at spring show that was a touch more stretching - still more than do-able but maybe not without a bit of prior practise / training before hand!!!

Well that sounds do-able!
Brace yourself baby horse we are gonna be getting the poles out tonight!! He he!

Thank you very much for explaining what it is - I would have been really worried if it had come up and I hadnt even known what it meant!!

Do you know if it is ok to leave my youngsters mane long for the halter classes?
It can be awkward but with some brushing and a bit of hair gel it will all go one side and stay put, and its very pretty.. I was told I could band it for the halter classes, but that would mean cutting about 30 cms of mane off and I dont know if I can do it!!

I love arabian running plaits and can do them well, but I cant do that for western so I am in two minds..

In theory there is nothing in the rules to stop you doing any of those options (ie banding / loose mane/ or even running plait) although with western halter classes the usual option is the banding - and it looks nice and smart.
The theory behind why any of the western show horses have their manes banded and short is to show off a nice flat neck and lack of 'bounce' in classes such as the Pleasure / Horsemanship / Trail etc. I don't know what classes you may have watched but you'll notice that in the reining classes the horses aren't banded and often have long loose manes. So with this in mind if you watch a halter class that contains maybe a reining bred type horse with a lovely long mane it is acceptable that it is left loose. So in answer to your question I believe that either option is 'acceptable'. But think about wether you are entering to give your horse some ring experience or to seriously compete to win. As with all showing it's down to a judges preferences but standard of turnout would play a part on what's more pleasing to the judge's eye especially in a tight class.
Shall I stop waffling at this point?!?!?!?

I am sure you arent waffling - it sounds like it is a wafflesome subject and I did ask!!

It would be nice to show off his neck, but on the other hand he is from a reining stallion and thats what I would like to do with him eventually...
I guess if I cut it now it has a few years to grow back before I start ridden competition with him!!

I am having trouble find some decent images of banded manes - have tried google image and some wester sites - any ideas where I can get a good look at a range of banded manes? I am not sure how to do it or how its supposed to look!