Horse Tail Cutting

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Hi There! I don't know if I'm looking for advice or just want to vent.

A little background:

I lease a horse who is kept as a nice, but a very laid back stable. Due to travel and kid schedules on the part of the horse's owner and myself, the horse owner told the stable owner that she (the stable owner) could start riding the horse if she wanted. Not to get into a lot of background here, but that was fine with me, and we worked out a schedule that suited everyone.

One day I show up to ride the horse and I notice that her long and lovely tail is bluntly cut to just below her hocks, a good 20 cm or so was hacked off. I was pretty shocked, and I asked the owner of the horse about it, and he was surprised and annoyed himself. There are no near-term plans to compete the horse and the tail wasn't dragging on the ground, so I really don't understand the point of cutting the tail.

I'm fairly certain that the stable owner did this, as it's a small property and she is the only person looking after this horse. I realise the "boundary" lines were a little squishy here with a bunch of people who are riding this horse, but cutting the tail of a horse that doesn't belong to you without clear permission from the owner just seems wrong to me.

I've actually found myself to be irrationally annoyed about this, much more so than the horse's owner. Every time I go to see the horse the super short tail is just so, "in my face". I know I just need to let it go, and as I don't even own this horse, and it's not my place to even bring it up with the stable owner.

I don't think the horse's owner has any plans to say anything, and even if he did, it's too late to change what happened.

I guess I just want to know if, especially as a leasor, I'm bonkers to be so annoyed by this? I'm not someone who gets easily wound up in general, so I'm having a hard time understanding why this is driving me mad. Otherwise, the horse is happy and well looked after, and neither I nor the owner have any other complaints about the stable.
 
A long tail is a liability in this weather. It drags in the mud and when you are working the horse it can get between the thighs and slap from side to side. The mud that gets dragged up, especially in the feild at the moment, can irritate the thinner skin on the upper inner thigh. If you want an ultra long "Trad" type tail then you have to take responsibility for it - keep it plaited up and oiled. Otherwise cutting the tail at a length to fall just below the hcoks is about right. (Techincally you wrap the tail around one hind leg and then cut at the hock line so in fact the cut tail falls just below.

If the owner isn't worried then as lessor (I suspect you mean sharer) you certainly should not be. But if you are loaning (so all mantenace falls on you) and you want a trad type mane and tail then make that clear to the the yard and make sure it is maintained correctly. You can't just let a long tail drag in the mug - especially not at the moment. Its not a competition / turn out issue, its a welfare issue.
 
That's called a bang tail and in the UK (where I dont think you are as we don't tend to lease over here?) it's very normal, possibly because we have so much mud. I've done my own horse like it to get it out of the mud.


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It'll grow back. When it does, do keep it off the floor. My vet has dealt with several cases of paralysed rectums, he thinks most likely caused by horses standing on their own tails.
 
I'd probably ask the stable owner if they'd done it just to be sure there's no phantom tail choppers hanging around the place. And then I'd leave it at that if the owner doesn't want to raise it as an issue. Or maybe a loud "OMG what HAPPENED to your tail you poor thing? I hope the other ponies aren't laughing at you" in stable owner's ear shot. It is a bit weird that they didn't ask the owner's permission first. I know cutting manes & tails is a big no no without owners explicit permission when I part lease & I've known owners throw big wobblies about it when for example riding school instructors borrowing their ponies for lessons let their kids loose with the scissors & a basin cut results.
 
It’s nearly impossible to keep longer tails looking nice in this weather, but that being said, I would find it very strange and completely out of line if someone trimmed my horses’ tails without asking me, yard owner included!
 
I would personally kill anyone who interfered with my pony's mane and tail I hate banged tails with a vengence it is ugly and totally unecessary if you must shorten it a little it should be cut on a curve so it looks natural. So yes I understand why you would be angry about it. In fact I get annoyed if I see anyone approach mine with a brush too
 
Like in everyone has said in winter UK the tail is cut to keep it out of the mud, I even cut my natives tale in winter or they get mud lugs. For showing its done to show off the horses hocks, a bit like depending where you skirt ends you can cover your knees, or flatter your calves.
I would just ask out right if she knows who had done it, make it an open question, not an accusation and perhaps then comment that you and the owner perfer it long.
My daughter with a thinning comb gave our Welsh pony a fringe.
 
I agree with the above posters that a shorter tail looks neater and can be beneficial for the health of the horse.

However imagine if OPs horse is a cob type with a super thick tail, without thinning it would result in one of those rather unflattering cuts that I too wouldn’t be overly pleased about? :p
 
I’m with you OP. I’d be furious and was when the loaner of my horse decided to cut her beautiful long tail to hock height. I was probably unreasonably cross about it, but this horse is a breed known for its flowing tail. She wasn’t in a muddy field at the time so no real need. I have the horse back now (for other reasons) and her tail is growing back, so not the end of the world, but I too thought it was just unnecessary.
 
I must admit I do prefer a longer tail (although not dragging on the floor!) but through the winter my boy’s is regularly washed and kept plaited 90% of the time to keep it mud free. I’d be a bit miffed if someone cut it without telling me, but they do grow back fairly quickly ?
 
If it had been my horse, I would have been cross too, I have *trimmed* my cob's full tail to keep it out of the mud this winter but it will be left to grow in the summer (if we get some dry weather). I don't fully understand your lease arrangement but if you contribute to the costs of the horse, I feel that you should have been consulted over the invitation to YO to ride the horse.
 
Oops. I have a horse here for the winter who I removed a good 15 inches off his tail on arrival as the loafing field gets very muddy. He has been here for 3 months and will stay for another 4-6 weeks. His tail will get to grow all summer and I will chop it off again next winter. His owner is happy with this as she considers that while he is with me his management is up to me, even though all hers have really long tails.
 
I bang my gelding's tale shorter, especially in the winter/muddy season. Not as high as his hocks though. It will grow back.

If you were the owner of the horse I could understand saying something to the yard owner and being upset about it. However, as the sharer, I'd just go about my business. It isn't your horse, it doesn't harm the horse, and if the owner isn't concerned, then you shouldn't be either. Just my opinion.
 
CMcC said:
Yes, I think you are being a bit irrational. Are you sure there is isn’t anything else about this “three-way” share of the horse that is not feeling right to you and you are focussing on the tail incident.
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Completely agree with this. I think maybe you are more upset about the stable owner being allowed to ride than you are letting on? (no judgement as this would probably annoy me too!)
 
Are you full leasing? So only you-with the owner’s permission-should be chopping tails etc. My sharer asks if she can trim if she thinks it’s necessary.
 
Yes you are bonkers! (sorry but you did ask!). The horse is not yours and the owner isn't bothered. What control does your lease agreement allow you? I'd also regard not seeing the need to trim a horses tail just because it isn't dragging on the ground as equally bonkers. You don't sound as though you are in the UK though and so norms may different. Personally, I much prefer a neatly banged tail a few inches below the hock and would be annoyed by a longer straggly one down near the fetlocks somewhere!
 
I never cut my horses tails, and they live out 24/7/365. I like them long and they make excellent use of them in the summer months when flies are around. Apart from my preference, shortening their tails would be a welfare issue as far as I am concerned.
 
There may be many and various good reasons to cut the tail but if the horse has an owner, is leased to you and then the stable owner is allowed to ride the horse then, in my book, they are third in line when it comes to making decisions about the horse. It is a matter of common courtesy to ask about such things - a quality which seems sadly lacking these days.
 
I once sent a young horse off to be broken. He was an appaloosa with a long white tail to mid cannon and it suited him. I was horrified when I collected him to find they had roughly chopped it off at hock level so he carried it above his hocks. Totally spoilt the overall look of him. I didn't say anything, no point but that was getting on for 30yrs ago and still annoys me.
 
I would go mental if someone cut my horses tail! I have Arabs there tails drag on the floor so they live in a tail bag so you can have long tails in the mud, no one has the right to cut someone else's horses hair I would be fuming.
 
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