Horse Tail Cutting

Both my boys have lovely long tails about an inch off the floor. I have never had a problem with mud in them. They are brushed out daily both are beautiful so yes I would have a massive issues with it.

I once made the mistake of having a sharer for my old boy. He was a hack and very light school. I came up one day to find that his beautiful long mane had been cut short (stated to help her to plait it) he was never going to be ridden in anything other than a walk/trot. I was so mad and upset.

I now have a lady that riders one of mine once a week and I know she would never dream of touching him
 
I have often ridden and looked after horses for people, have always made sure theyr presentable and neat before I ride, have cut tails and pulled manes as part of the grooming procedure and only ever been thanked for it and told how much better the horse looked!
 
Nasicus said:
I'm surprised at how many people on here are totally okay with someone, who has only been given permission to ride, cutting a good 20cm off their horses tail without permission or prior discussion.
Yes, it may be inconsequential in the long run, tails grow and all that, but it wasn't her tail to cut!
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I just think life really is too short, and there are too many other things to get stressed about, to get angry about that one.

'Don't sweat the small stuff' is a great book.
 
Long tails are a welfare issue for horses living out in this weather, unless you keep them in a tail bag, which can be another welfare issue, they collect mud and other debris which then clumps together and bounces off their legs when they walk or trot down the field. We always cut our natives tails in October/ November. They have grown back by April when it’s time for them to go out doing stuff and look natural. Nothing worse than too long a tail, it unbalances a horse and contrary to some opinions and the trend for long tails kept tied up they are unnatural and can become hazard. Horses living on a hill etc trim their tails naturally and so don’t have these problems.
 
gallopingby said:
Long tails are a welfare issue for horses living out in this weather, unless you keep them in a tail bag, which can be another welfare issue, they collect mud and other debris which then clumps together and bounces off their legs when they walk or trot down the field. We always cut our natives tails in October/ November. They have grown back by April when it’s time for them to go out doing stuff and look natural. Nothing worse than too long a tail, it unbalances a horse and contrary to some opinions and the trend for long tails kept tied up they are unnatural and can become hazard. Horses living on a hill etc trim their tails naturally and so don’t have these problems.
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Only in your opinion my ponies have clean tails except where they sometimes fail to lift them clear when they poo but that is soom cleaned too. Cut tails look as bad as cut manes if you must shorten them then feather them into a nice shape. Banged tails look even worse on fat horses with thick tails but I appreciate that is my opinion and others might like the chopped look
 
I think that if other people want to trim their horse's tail short, that's fine. If someone trims a horse's tail and the owner doesn't mind, that's fine too. I understand that not everyone shares my aesthetic view on what is most attractive tail length wise.

However I do not want people to trim my horses' tails (or manes, fetlock hair ect...). I like them long -fetlock length- and I do trim so that they don't stand on them (had to do the grey recently as hers just keeps on growing and I don't want an injury) but I prefer a feathered edge to a blunt cut.

Can someone please explain how this long tail is a welfare issue for this horse as gallopingby has claimed? I don't get it? It is a bit muddier at the moment, but not terribly so as this hill field drains well.
 

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If it were a native pony cut that short then I would be furious! Other breeds/types designed for competition - not so much!

My 2 tb's at home have their tails just above the fetlock in winter and left the rest of the year (unless I take Gray showing then it is shorter bit still a touch long for most showing peoples fancy)

My work horses are again a little longer than most would have them for racing but I prefer it.

Mark Johnstone (if you ever watch flat racing!) Has their tails fetlock length - the reason? A longer tail flying out the back makes the horse look longer and keeps the horses directly behind off their heels that few inches more and thus even less of a chance of clipping heels and bringing everyone down in a heap! It's an optical illusion but he does claim it works and he has had less horses brought down since he started leaving them longer a few years ago!
 
Meowy Catkin, I prefer longer tails but not as long as yours. IME, at that length the horse can step on their own tails and yank out a load of hair. I have been guilty of allowing the senior mare’s tail get that long, and that is what did then happens.

ETA Though looking at my other ridden mare's tail in my avatar, mine aren’t a lot shorter than yours after all :D.

Do folk really turn horses out in tail bags? I thought tail bags were just to keep washed tails clean before a show.
 
I also like a longer tail but reading this thread earlier prompted me to get a decent pair of scissors to chop 6 inches off Fatty's tail as it was far too long. He's a sect C but he's not going showing any time soon so tbh I am not bothered if his tail looks right or not as long as it can do the job it was designed for. OP I wouldn't get too hung up on a tail, far more important things in life.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Meowy Catkin, I prefer longer tails but not as long as yours. IME, at that length the horse can step on their own tails and yank out a load of hair. I have been guilty of allowing the senior mare’s tail get that long, and that is what did then happens.

ETA Though looking at my other ridden mare's tail in my avatar, mine aren’t a lot shorter than yours after all :D.

Do folk really turn horses out in tail bags? I thought tail bags were just to keep washed tails clean before a show.
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Have you ever tried to keep a white tail white?!? Or even better a mares tail white!?!?

I am lucky in that Gray's is almost translucent when clean and it only takes 2 rounds of fairy liquid and a round of purple shampoo to get it from black to clear!

Before:
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After:
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It then dries almost see through!
 
gallopingby said:
Long tails are a welfare issue for horses living out in this weather, unless you keep them in a tail bag, which can be another welfare issue, they collect mud and other debris which then clumps together and bounces off their legs when they walk or trot down the field. We always cut our natives tails in October/ November. They have grown back by April when it’s time for them to go out doing stuff and look natural. Nothing worse than too long a tail, it unbalances a horse and contrary to some opinions and the trend for long tails kept tied up they are unnatural and can become hazard. Horses living on a hill etc trim their tails naturally and so don’t have these problems.
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We will have to agree to disagree. My three keep fine and I have not trimmed in the time I have had them.

Horses tails grow a cm in two to three weeks (source: https://ker.com/equinews/tail-hair-growth-horses/). So, October to April is about 10-15cm of growth for a typical horse. My shire took two years to grow his tail. He has spent three winters living out on clay and there are no welfare issues of any sort regarding his tail and he is better off in summer now it has grown to a decent length.

Each to their own.
 
Leandy said:
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!
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Meowy Catkin said:
I think that if other people want to trim their horse's tail short, that's fine. If someone trims a horse's tail and the owner doesn't mind, that's fine too. I understand that not everyone shares my aesthetic view on what is most attractive tail length wise.

However I do not want people to trim my horses' tails (or manes, fetlock hair ect...). I like them long -fetlock length- and I do trim so that they don't stand on them (had to do the grey recently as hers just keeps on growing and I don't want an injury) but I prefer a feathered edge to a blunt cut.

Can someone please explain how this long tail is a welfare issue for this horse as gallopingby has claimed? I don't get it? It is a bit muddier at the moment, but not terribly so as this hill field drains well.
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I also fail to see tail length a welfare issue
 
gallopingby said:
Long tails are a welfare issue for horses living out in this weather, unless you keep them in a tail bag, which can be another welfare issue, they collect mud and other debris which then clumps together and bounces off their legs when they walk or trot down the field. We always cut our natives tails in October/ November. They have grown back by April when it’s time for them to go out doing stuff and look natural. Nothing worse than too long a tail, it unbalances a horse and contrary to some opinions and the trend for long tails kept tied up they are unnatural and can become hazard. Horses living on a hill etc trim their tails naturally and so don’t have these problems.
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How is using a tail bag a welfare issue?
 
Tiddlypom said:
Meowy Catkin, I prefer longer tails but not as long as yours. IME, at that length the horse can step on their own tails and yank out a load of hair. I have been guilty of allowing the senior mare’s tail get that long, and that is what did then happens.

ETA Though looking at my other ridden mare's tail in my avatar, mine aren’t a lot shorter than yours after all :D.

Do folk really turn horses out in tail bags? I thought tail bags were just to keep washed tails clean before a show.
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Yes you can get waterproof tail bags for turnout
 
Pinkvboots said:
How is using a tail bag a welfare issue?
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Because the tail is enclosed and therefore not able to spread out and do the job it’s intended to do. So many ponies living with permanently plaited manes and tails to keep them clean and tidy, this isn’t how they should be in the middle of winter. Of course if you live in an area with flat fields and no mud maybe it doesn’t matter but it’s not how native ponies should be kept although l will agree it’s a fashionable trend at the moment!
 
M
gallopingby said:
Because the tail is enclosed and therefore not able to spread out and do the job it’s intended to do. So many ponies living with permanently plaited manes and tails to keep them clean and tidy, this isn’t how they should be in the middle of winter. Of course if you live in an area with flat fields and no mud maybe it doesn’t matter but it’s not how native ponies should be kept although l will agree it’s a fashionable trend at the moment!
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Must remember to inform all those native wild ponies exmoor/Dartmoor/Newfie/Shetland/whatever that not having a human to lob however many inches off their tail is a welfare issue ?

it’s aesthetics pure and simple. Some like, some don’t, but don’t fling welfare around
 
To be fair the natives that live the way they were designed don't have ott long tails as it snaps off at ground length for the most part. Same with manes when the head is down eating whilst moving.

It's humans that have kept them growing stupidly long. No offence Arab and Traddy people but a tail that sits 3ft along the floor behind the horse does nothing for me!
 
As mentioned in my earlier post, my vet has dealt with more than one case of paralysed rectum, more than likely caused by horses stepping on their own tails. This means months of manual evacuation several times a day, which is not pleasant for horse or owner. I show natives but make sure their tails are kept off the floor.
 
Based on what the original post said, we have no idea if they are in the UK, if the horse is turned out in mud (mine aren’t), what type the horse is (mine is PRE, I would very much dislike it if someone cut it to just below the hock). And speaking of welfare, what about the tails job as fly switch (again no idea what country the horse is in). I’d rather my horse had more tail to reach more of his body when mozzie season starts. But I also agree that when it gets below his fetlock he can occasionally stand on it when getting up and pull chunks out.

But none of this is really the point, the point is was it the stable owners place to cut it and is it irrational to be annoyed? If the agreement was only for then to ride I would say no, they shouldn’t have chopped a big chunk off without asking, yes I’d be annoyed if I thought it looked crap, but then I’d let it go as it’s done.
 
Elf On A Shelf said:
To be fair the natives that live the way they were designed don't have ott long tails as it snaps off at ground length for the most part. Same with manes when the head is down eating whilst moving.

It's humans that have kept them growing stupidly long. No offence Arab and Traddy people but a tail that sits 3ft along the floor behind the horse does nothing for me!
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So not a fan of this then? ;) :p :D

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I was going to say I think much more of ASBs and alike rather than arabs and tradiationals when talking about actually long tails.
 
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