Dealing with thick/muddy tails

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FreddiesGal

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What do you use to wash your horses Afro-style tails? Freddie has an almighty tail that I can not keep tangle free for more than about 3 hours. He currently has dreadlocks. A simple wash does not do the job! Do you ever plait yours? He's out 24/7.
 
I sometimes spray pig oil on and comb it through and leave it, otherwise I then split it into two and make two chunky plaits- no idea why but this doesn't seem to get nearly as muddy as a single plait. I had enough of dried on mud individually coating every hair and having to be cracked off...
 
mine are all out 24/7 and if it's really muddy they all get shorter than normal tails:eek: not the prettiest look but it can't be pleasant for them having muddy dreads round their back legs.
 
I've just hacked Alfs (suoer thick) tail off to about 2 inches below his hocks. We have a track for our winter turnout, which we're happy to trash, so that we have grass next year n the paddocks,and it is a sea of mud. His tail was developing a mud football at the end. I don't bother washing it, or brushing it - I'll sort it out when the mud is gone!
 
Pig oil makes it lovely and shiny, and really easy to brush out - just don't put too much on. I also use it for the lad's mane and his legs. Swear by the stuff.
 
My mare has a giant tail and I like to keep it long, at the moment it is full of mud but when I eventually get round to washing it (normal shampoo and Absorbine show sheen works for us ;) I'll put it back into a tail wrap.
I've got one like these http://www.kitt.eu.com/yard.htm
Works really well. I usually only need it for when she's in season to avoid pee stripes but she seems to be using her tail as a mud broom at the moment :D
 
I give it a good spray with mane & tail conditioner, then leave it to dry and comb through. If I keep up to it weekly that keeps it in pretty good condition and she has the thickest tail ever.
 
I wash the end of the tail only (leave the dock as it's normally clean), splash in some baby oil after towel drying, then use a tail bag in Winter. No baby oil in Summer though as dust sticks like nothing else! I'd trim his tail but it's practically Friesian blasphemy :)
 
I spray furniture polish through mine (well, my mare's ;)) then brush it through and plait it up. French plait it over the dock then 'normal' plait below, if you see what I mean?!

Every couple of days it gets taken out, brushed through and plaited up again after riding. Other days I just leave it as is - she's out 24/7. The polish goes on once a week or so. Also every autumn I cut it down to about 2 inches below the hock and it's always grown in nicely again for the summer.

I keep the elastic bands from round the post at work for the job too - easier to spot if I drop them cos they're red :D
 
Pearlsacarolsinger said:
I give it a good spray with mane & tail conditioner, then leave it to dry and comb through. If I keep up to it weekly that keeps it in pretty good condition and she has the thickest tail ever.
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I do that too. Worked for all ours, even those with grey tails, in a pennine clay bog! I tend to trim tails shorter than normal in winter, we don't do many shows and they grow really quick - are back for summer!
 
My mares tail is particularly thick but it is meant to be white. I tail bag it as it just looks horrendous covered in mud and eventually stains without.
 
I usually use Avon skin so soft dry oil on my lads thick long tail, this summer I got sick of seeing his tail grey with dried mud I cut his tail to just below his hocks, it looked so tidy I also cut the mares to the same length, no more muddy tails, manes with dreadlocks but tails are fab
 
Wash it, smother in canter or equivalent while still wet, plait up, tie off with human hairband and leave. Repeat every 4 week's or so or until plait looks like about to come out. That way, only the outside of the tail gets mucky. Nugz's is like this all year round as reduces the yellow sun bleaching too. If particularly think tail, do 2 plaits
 
Nugget La Poneh said:
Wash it, smother in canter or equivalent while still wet, plait up, tie off with human hairband and leave. Repeat every 4 week's or so or until plait looks like about to come out. That way, only the outside of the tail gets mucky. Nugz's is like this all year round as reduces the yellow sun bleaching too. If particularly think tail, do 2 plaits
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I do this with ours in the winter too. brush through thoroughly, plait from the dock down and secure. stops them getting muddy tails and getting muck all down the tail cos they dont seem to lift it as high with a rug on. I leave the tail loose in the summer tho cos I think it makes a better fly swatter when loose.
 
Wash thoroughly, towel dry and trim to hock height, then smother in pig oil. I reapply the pig oil once a week. By spring the tail has grown longer again (for effective fly swatting) but I do think a shorter tail makes sense in winter when the horse is out in thick mud a lot.
 
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