Coping with a cob tail

[myheartinahoofbeat]

Hi, I have just bought a TBx cob and he most definitely has a cob tail. It is so thick. It takes me about 15 mins to brush it all out and get rid of the tangles but somehow this seems to increase the volume. It is a beautiful tail, don’t get me wrong. My other horses have thin and wispy ones so I’m at a bit of a loss as how to manage it.

 

[rabatsa]

I remove a huge chunk out from just below the end of the dock. Takes a lot of the weight out of the tail without it looking as if it has been thined.

 

[tda]

I remove a huge chunk out from just below the end of the dock. Takes a lot of the weight out of the tail without it looking as if it has been thined.

Same here, one of ours has a mahoosive tail

 

[paddy555]

I don't remove any on my cob tail. I use my fingers and cowboy magic to get rid off all the tangles etc and then it is just a daily job of running my fingers through to keep it nicely groomed.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

I remove a huge chunk out from just below the end of the dock. Takes a lot of the weight out of the tail without it looking as if it has been thined.

Do you mean grab a handful of the underneath part and cut it off below the dock?

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

cowboy magic, plait and bag it through the winter when it's not so needed.
Assuming you don't have loads of things that it can get caught on

 

[planete]

I thinned my little cob's mane and tail regularly when I first got him then decided it was too much faff. I now use loads of Cowboy Magic once a week and comb it through. The rest of the time a quick brush with a natural bristle dandy brush keeps him presentable. Every Autumn I shorten his tail to just below the hocks and it grows back over Winter ready for the flies. About once a year I shorten his mane to stop it from going below his elbow, using a sharp blade to thin and shorten the ends. He will get rugged with a lightweight rug with a neck cover to stop his mane becoming a muddy tangled mess in a few weeks.

 

[paddy555]

About once a year I shorten his mane to stop it from going below his elbow,

wow, that must be some mane. Love long natural manes

 

[Melody Grey]

I don’t really do anything special with our super cobs tail- trim it a little higher in winter to avoid the mud, spray with baby oil and brush. Best tail on the yard! Wash out mud when hosing legs in the depth of winter.

 

[SEL]

Usually wins best mane and tail class!!

I have to confess that during winter I try and look the other way. But her mane is even longer than this at the moment and she seems to have found burdock thistles somewhere too. Cowboy magic is fabulous, but I cut away under her dock because I don't think all the weight of that tail helps her back. I'm a fair weather in-hand show person so will also lop some off the bottom over winter - she treads on it if it gets too long anyway.

 

[Cloball]

i raise you a fell tail I have to do it in stages as we both get bored after 30 mins of brushing and detangling. It's so thick I have to cut it in stages as my hand gets cramp. I'm quite tempted to lop a bit off from the dock this winter.

 

[paddy555]

Usually wins best mane and tail class!!

I have to confess that during winter I try and look the other way. But her mane is even longer than this at the moment and she seems to have found burdock thistles somewhere too. Cowboy magic is fabulous, but I cut away under her dock because I don't think all the weight of that tail helps her back. I'm a fair weather in-hand show person so will also lop some off the bottom over winter - she treads on it if it gets too long anyway.
View attachment 147529

mane, tail and feather and she looks so kind. Beautiful girl.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Baby oil is your friend, good wash and rinse then baby oil from roots to tip and redo the oil once a week. Helps repel mud and dirt and keeps it beautifully soft and easy to brush without damaging it.

 

[94lunagem]

Sorry to but into someone else’s thread, but please talk to me about Cowboy Magic. I’ve googled but it doesn’t look like a spray bottle? What is it/how do you use it?

I keep on top of my New Forest and Welsh’s tails with copious amounts of mane and tail spray, a few times a week. My NF hates (violently) the hose pipe and as they live out I’ve never made an issue out of it, I can wash legs off with a bucket for farrier etc. So I prefer sprays (which she’s fine with, even on her forelock ) to shampoos/washing.

 

[planete]

wow, that must be some mane. Love long natural manes

Just after trimming and plaiting

 

[TPO]

Sorry to but into someone else’s thread, but please talk to me about Cowboy Magic. I’ve googled but it doesn’t look like a spray bottle? What is it/how do you use it?

I keep on top of my New Forest and Welsh’s tails with copious amounts of mane and tail spray, a few times a week. My NF hates (violently) the hose pipe and as they live out I’ve never made an issue out of it, I can wash legs off with a bucket for farrier etc. So I prefer sprays (which she’s fine with, even on her forelock ) to shampoos/washing.

It's a liquid, sort of oily gel consistency.
Just squeeze a bit into finger tips and massage through. A Little goes a long way.

Olive oil and coconut spray for afro hair works well on tails too. I spray with that then bag during winter once flies are definitely gone.

Cinch up UK for mane and tail bags too.

 

[94lunagem]

It's a liquid, sort of oily gel consistency.
Just squeeze a bit into finger tips and massage through. A Little goes a long way.

Interesting. I might give it a try. Thank you

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

cowboy magic, plait and bag it through the winter when it's not so needed.
Assuming you don't have loads of things that it can get caught on

This is what I did with the Arab's tails you just have to re plait it every month or so or it can get matted.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Sorry to but into someone else’s thread, but please talk to me about Cowboy Magic. I’ve googled but it doesn’t look like a spray bottle? What is it/how do you use it?

I keep on top of my New Forest and Welsh’s tails with copious amounts of mane and tail spray, a few times a week. My NF hates (violently) the hose pipe and as they live out I’ve never made an issue out of it, I can wash legs off with a bucket for farrier etc. So I prefer sprays (which she’s fine with, even on her forelock ) to shampoos/washing.

It's great stuff and will untangle hair like nothing else you just squeeze a bit onto your hand and work it through the hair.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Alot of tail sprays have silicone in them so it can make the hair brittle so is not that great if you want a long thick mane and tail.

 

[spookypony]

For the Spooky Pony, who I think stole the tails from two Shires to make his own, I tend to use large amounts of Canter Mane and Tail (or similar) and one of those big round-headed tail brushes. I lop a big chunk off the bottom approximately every third farrier visit, so that he doesn't step on it. Now for the confession: I tend to ignore his tail in general, until every third farrier visit. I find that it doesn't actually get any worse; once it gets into a state, it stays in that state until I deal with it. Obviously I remove any actual branches and the like!

For brushing it out, it helps to divide it into sections.

 

[94lunagem]

Alot of tail sprays have silicone in them so it can make the hair brittle so is not that great if you want a long thick mane and tail.

I find Car&Day&Martin Canter spray works best in terms of non sticky and gives the feeling of repelling mud and dirt over a few days. I’ve never actually looked at what’s in it though. I’ve tried cheaper ones but some have felt a bit sticky or haven’t kept it detangled for long so I’ve always switched back.

Had never heard of Cowboy Magic but you’ve convinced me to give it a go.

 

[SEL]

Just don't use cowboy magic if you're going to need to open anything with a tight lid. I had zero grip all day

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Just don't use cowboy magic if you're going to need to open anything with a tight lid. I had zero grip all day

I wear disposable gloves when I use it I even rode in them the other day as I forgot to take them off

Staring a new trend bright blue or pink gloves for riding but at least they are waterproof

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Just don't use cowboy magic if you're going to need to open anything with a tight lid. I had zero grip all day

And on that note, for gods sake don't get it on the tie string of your haynet - bloomin nightmare

 

[paddy555]

Just don't use cowboy magic if you're going to need to open anything with a tight lid. I had zero grip all day

or in fact if you want to hold anything especially your reins.

View attachment 147531
Just after trimming and plaiting

beautiful condition and such a lovely pony. Thanks for posting.

 

[meleeka]

When I had a cob I used to cut it short enough that it didn't drag in the mud and then ignore it . I might brush the top section, but only used to brush it through if I washed it, then I'd use a bottle of conditioner.

 

[Catbird]

Mine has a huuugely thick tail and I tried the cut-a-chunk-out thing and did it wrong so when he swished his tail, his dock stuck out and the rest of the hair fell either side of it. It looked awful!
Now I shave both sides of his dock (hidden bits underneath) and it's thinner and really tidy
Last winter I also plaited it and then left it until spring as couldn't face doing anything else!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I used to show pull my cob mates tail as it was so heavy she couldn’t lift it when in season so it was disgusting also always had poo in it. Once I had pulled and scissored the top and banged it to the jocks whe would parade around with it lifted when feeling fresh and also no more manky tail

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I just trim my cob's tail to keep it out of the mud. In fact I think after today's rain, that will be a job for tomorrow.