Horse tail treatments ideas - muddy fields, winter and tangles

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A.R.B

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So I was just wondering what people do to keep tails good in winter in 24hr turnout. Thoughts, ideas, tried and teste methods.

2 cobs on 24hr turn out. At the moment I rinse theirs tails occasionally and spray with mane and tail. I don't like messing with their tails too much. I was just wondering what other people did. One of them is an absolute pig and I have been so tempted to just coat his tail in conditioner and after a wash lol

What do people do?
 
I usually just snip about 6 inches off the ends (tails are just about touching the floor when the mud arrives).
Sometimes I opt instead to plait the hair into one big plait starting from below the dock, and tie with a hairband at the end. And then sometimes I'll chuck a tail bag on top of that.
But snipping is much easier. I don't go hock level short, but then I like them hairy :)
 
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Amymay said:
Bang them short to the hocks and not worry about them.
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Show cobs ? can't!! I've lost a tail on one of them once to an escapee calf am not going into another show season with false tail ? lol I couldn't cope if it took too long to grow back
 
nikicb said:
My mare's tail is very thick and long so stays plaited in the winter unless she is being ridden. I also drench it in mane and tail conditioner once a week so it is easy just to brush out. There's nothing she can really catch it on in the field, but I would be more cautious if you had brambles etc. in your field.
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I've been too scared to plait them one does have a habit of grabbing the other ones tail to get him to play. The same idiot would probably manage to do something with his own tail then. Has your tail bag stayed on in turn out? I was thinking it might come off with rolling ? the tail grabber would be too scared of it to grab the others tail ?
 
A.R.B said:
I've been too scared to plait them one does have a habit of grabbing the other ones tail to get him to play. The same idiot would probably manage to do something with his own tail then. Has your tail bag stayed on in turn out? I was thinking it might come off with rolling ? the tail grabber would be too scared of it to grab the others tail ?
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I don't use a tail bag with her as I don't find I need to. I did use to use one when my grey was in work as it helped stop his tail getting stained. I don't ever recall him losing it and he rolls a lot!!!
 
If you can't chop off then try coating in oil after a wash - I do that with my mucky one and as long as you keep on top of it then the mud comes out pretty easily.

Although I gave up and chopped it up to her hocks in the end!
 
Surbie said:
He doesn't realise he still has way too much belly to rock a cropped top...

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This is mine - I chopped 6in off his tail in late October. I dunk it in water every couple of weeks (unless it's looking really bad) and wash the bottom half, then brush teatree'd pig oil through it, with a bit more on the bottom foot or so. I wouldn't dare plait it, he's out with a couple of playful ponies who like putting things in their mouths, it would be tempting fate too much.
 
Cut a chunk off the end, wash it well with warm water, and then once clean and reasonably dry, coat it in pig oil and put into a loose plait. When you have time, take it out, rinse in warm water to get rid of the mud, put more oil on and replait. This is what I do with my Welsh and it works well. I used a tail bag with my grey connie but there’s no need with a dark tail I find.
 
I just reverse mine back so she shortens it herself....?
B gets hers brushed out if I'm heading somewhere posh, its a good thick native tail. Washed maybe 2 or 3 times a year and if pushing the boat out I might spray with anything to hand.

Little A has hers trimmed regularly as it ends up dragging along the ground and oddly never comes out if I reverse her onto it.
 
Surbie said:
This is mine - I chopped 6in off his tail in late October. I dunk it in water every couple of weeks (unless it's looking really bad) and wash the bottom half, then brush teatree'd pig oil through it, with a bit more on the bottom foot or so. I wouldn't dare plait it, he's out with a couple of playful ponies who like putting things in their mouths, it would be tempting fate too much.
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I am pig oiling their legs at the moment and have been so tempted to just dunk their tails in it but everyone I know when I asked haven't heard of this being done and looked at me like I was mad1 I couldn't see the issue with it so delighted someone does it!

He looks delighted with himself and that rug btw !!
 
I have tried all sorts of conditioners with mine, but none beat the occasional application of Cowboy Magic serum detangler. I buy the biggest bottle, which seems horrific in price (£60), but given that it last me over a year, it's worth it. Over the last few months I've tried their spray detangler (shite), the usual Mane and Tail Conditioner spray (ok, but soon runs out), pig oil (ATTRACTS dirt with my boy - how??) and Farrier's shire oil (ditto as per pig oil, but smells nicer). Literally this week I thought sod this and re-ordered the serum...

I also trim the bottom, but if you want to make winter easier, you can also thin the tail a bit from underneath in September/October. Gets you through the worst of the winter, but it's grown back for the following season.
 
I've always chopped them by the start of winter and they grow enough usually by spring. 7 day mud away or a similar type liquid helps stop mud sticking. I find oils help attract muck.
 
Widgeon said:
Oh thanks goodness, I'm so glad I'm not the only one. It sort of sucks up all the clay colour and turns mine orange. Which I found quite tragic because I had such high hopes!
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Oh interesting. So one of my fellas with pig oil he looks like he is barely been in a muddy field. The other is a horrific mud monster who is constantly muddy on his legs. I didn't realise the pig oil might be attracting it. I have reduced the amount of times I use it on him recently and have increased his oil intake to see if that makes a difference. The other one seems to repel mud at the moment even though he's the big roller and is always in the muddest part of the field
 
Fransurrey said:
I have tried all sorts of conditioners with mine, but none beat the occasional application of Cowboy Magic serum detangler. I buy the biggest bottle, which seems horrific in price (£60), but given that it last me over a year, it's worth it. Over the last few months I've tried their spray detangler (shite), the usual Mane and Tail Conditioner spray (ok, but soon runs out), pig oil (ATTRACTS dirt with my boy - how??) and Farrier's shire oil (ditto as per pig oil, but smells nicer). Literally this week I thought sod this and re-ordered the serum...

I also trim the bottom, but if you want to make winter easier, you can also thin the tail a bit from underneath in September/October. Gets you through the worst of the winter, but it's grown back for the following season.
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Thank you! Would you rate the serum good for everything? Like for showing as well?
 
Cowboy magic serum is brilliant I have used it for years on my Arab's manes and tails stops it getting tangled and adds shine.

Another good one is supreme sparkle spray great stuff can use it everywhere I even spray it on hooves before going in the ring, it makes them shiny but nothing sticks to it.
 
Ive used loads of stuff over the years. The cowboy magic serum was fab, but expensive for 2 so i used pig oil. I didnt have any issues with staining there tails. I used it on feathers and tails/manes and they all stayed nice and white, even in clay fields.
 
Tailgator tail bags. Waterproof enough to stop the grot getting into them, and they velcro on so should come off if they were to really get caught up. For my western classes, the tail needs to be as long and full as possible without it getting stepped on when they reverse. This helps me start the season off with a decent length of tail. An alternate we do is figure 8 knots in sections below the dock that are wrapped in vetwrap, this shortens the tail to keep it out of the mud , without bagging it.
How to tie figure 8 (eight) knots in a horse's tail - YouTube
But I find that in the worst of UK winter the tail bag is needed.
 
I’ve chopped to hock level. Felt so wrong for a beautiful highland tail. He’s retired so comfort first. No more mud dreadlocks and will have grown enough to swot flies when needed.
 
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