How long do you like to see a horse's tail?

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MizElz

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I've alway liked them long, and was mortified when my instructor, after I'd had a lesson one day, took Ellie off to his new equine sauna/wetroom (
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), and she emerged ten minutes later with her tail lopped off at her hocks
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His defence? 'She looks like a REAL showjumper now!'
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I kept it short for a bit - although not that short - but she really does look better with it longer, as the Arab blood in her manifests itself in permanently high tail carriage
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At the moment, I have not touched her tail for over two months, and it is actually at fetlock length, which probably makes it look a bit thin, as she doesnt have the thickest tail in the world. I think for Ellie, I like to see her tail about five inches above her fetlocks
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What about you guys? Does it depend on the horse's way of going, or perhaps on the thickness of the tail itself? Or do you think the disciplines you take part in have an impact on how long you keep your horse's tails?
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I would have been very, very cross if someone had done that without my permission!!!!

But to answer your question - on the hocks. Long tails make a horse look terribly unbalanced. There is nothing smarter than a well banged tail sitting on the hocks.
 
I like them long and full, just above their fetlocks, can't stand to see them dragging on the floor.

yes the disciplines to play a part in how long they are as you wouldn't take a horse eventing with a very long tail, and you wouldnt show a native without its long tail
 
I like them fairly short, ideally to come to the bottom of their chestnuts on their hind legs when carried so therefore hanging 4 inches or so below the hock when not carried
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I think a nice cut off tail thats not too long looks extremely smart and can make a huge difference to the horses' overall look. A long tail can make a horse look long in the back.

As you say when they are long they tend to go thin & wispy.

TBH my pet hate is long tails!!!!!
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I would have been very, very cross if someone had done that without my permission!!!!



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I was - I think that is the only time I've ever really been p1ssed off at him!!!
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But he's so lovely, you cant stay mad at him for long - I forgave him by the time we had our next lesson
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I grasp the tail and have my little finger at the bottom of the chesnut and then cut an inch or so past my thumb - so I gues 5 or so inches above the fetlocks. I don't like them very long or short, they have to be just right - I am a bit like goldilocks in that respect
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For the horses that live out, and don't get so much attention in winter, I tend to cut nearer the hocks as it'll stay out of the mud better, and doesn't matter too much what they look like
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Un pulled!!!!!!!

Long in the Summer, but blunt ended, and shorter but not hock short in the winter - again blunt ended - think a good chasers tail - thats my sorta tail!
 
We've got an American Quarter Horse and for her in hand classes her tail should be as long and full as possible. In some of the ridden showing classes the judges like them really full so people use false tails.

But when I had my (cobby) hunter I was influenced by Robert Oliver and banged his tail off almost to the hocks. He looked great and it certainly kept it out of the mud!
 
I like my mares just below her hocks, she has a thick-ish tail so i like to keep it tidy, i think if it was any longer it would look a bit straggly. My mums mare has a long tail, only due to the fact that last time she cut it far too short!!
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My native had a tail like this, which suited her

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My ISH has a tail like this, which is much better to look after and suits her. I think there is nothing worse than a non native type with a tail too long. It just looks like they can't be bothered!

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tail 1 inch longer than hocks when not being ridden, tail to be just longer than hock height when ridden.

was told by a show producer that horses' with long tails leads to suspicion by the judges - long tails = hiding bad hocks
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plus it looks alot neater when cut to 1 inch longer than hock height
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I like them cut off to their chestnuts. So they are hock height when ridden. Pulled and banged.

However, natives are different! The sec d I ride HAD a very long tail practically down to the ground, I have to admit in his case it was a bit 'rat's taily'. However, having thought about it and looked into it sec ds are shown with their tails to just below the hocks but tapered not banged.

duly attacked the tail with the scissors, it looks very odd (but because I am not used to it, I think) but I think his hind limbs and bottom look better! Although, have to say, I have not seen him in action yet with the new short tail!
 
I also go for the unpulled look, a) because he is out 24/7 in the summer and I like to leave him as au naturel as possible (also don't take off whiskers) and b) I'd rather spend 5 mins plaiting it up for a show than have to spend all the time maintaining it
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i do m+m classes with my connie so he does have it long, but i am allowed to cut it so its straight against his fetlocks at the moment. makes it look nice and thick.

dont showjumpers cut them quite high as if they have it thick and long it can knock poles down?
 
The natives are long and unpulled- gets a bit muddy in winter - but hey- it brushes out...and they look lovely for shows...esp if I've plaited them the night before and they look all wavy....

My arab/TB cross usually has his banged and an inch or 2 below his hocks...got a bit straggly at the mo - but I'm planning a leg trim and tail-cut session at the weekend. I don't pull any tails...his is very thick and lovely- I'd rather plait it for a show.
 
Mizelz, my horsey went on holiday for a few days the other week and came back with a shorter tail. I was a bit annoyed to as he has a high set tail and does carry it up and it looks a bit sill now as it is sitting on his hock when going along. its ok for winter but I would of moaned if it had been summer!!! (flies). I also let my old horse go on loan to a riding school when I was at my first year of uni and I said the them 'Never pull her tail, I hate pulled tails'. I went to go see her two weeks later, and guess what tail pulled. They made up some excuse that it needed pulling, but I think my face gave away how I was feeling and it was left after that.
 
If someone had done that to mine, it would be one of the very rare occasions I would have lost it completely - I think I would still be in orbit
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Anyway, my TBs had pulled tails about 3" below the hocks as did my WB.

My gypsy cobs - tails touching the floor but I don't do the several inches dragging behind. Chancer has his tail bagged in winter and I also bag the bottom two thirds in summer and leave the top out - still more than any TB for swishing with.

Farra, our clyde - I recently banged her tail at her hocks and it really suits her - makes her bum look far more chunky. I could not bring myself to do the clydesdale show tail - shaved and just enough left to plait up.

Cairo looked very good with the shorter tail too, but also his tail was really nice if left to grow down to his fetlocks as it was silver with a black streak in the middle.
 
Another vote for unpulled!

I find if I cut mine to say 4 inches below the hock they look ridiculous when ridden because they are then, IMO, too short when the dock is being carried.

I always end up with tails slightly on the long side because I'd rather see it a bit long than a bit short. I also don't spend much time looking at my horses' tails so occasionally notice them and think, oh dear, I think that might need cutting! I do like to see them neatly banged though.

Would really really make me angry if somebody else cut my horse's tail without my permission. Somebody cut all the whiskers off one of my horses once without asking - I was furious! Unless it's a show horse I really don't see the need and frankly, horses have whiskers for a reason. They're not just a quirk of evolution!
 
Height of summer I leave them long as the flys can get pretty bad around here. Autum/winter they should be "banged" propperly! Not only looks smarter but makes life easier too! (unless you have a M&M when long and untrimmed is how it should be done!)
 
Ponio's is quite long as it's supposed to be natural for showing classes. TBx is kept shortish as it's so thick. I usually cut it at the chestnuts.
 
My OH trimmed his cob mares tail to keep it cleaner......IMO its far too short - its at her chestnuts- but she has a fat arse and a thinnish tail.....and carries it fairly high.....it looks too small for her......but then I don't have to be seen riding her, so not my problem!
 
Level with the chestnuts when they're moving along. Mine are NF Ponies. I can't bear a too long tail, and it doesn't seem to hold us back in the show ring.

As per the roan mare on the right (sweet itch pony by the way to justify it being a bit skimpy, it looks much fuller now 9 months on from when the photo was taken thanks to a Boett rug) Hers needs to be kept short anyway because her back is a bit longer than perfect.

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Demolition_derby we used to have goats that did the same thing. All tails were short!!!!

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Its a blimin nightmare isn't it?! I have tried to seperate them but they all just stand staring at each other over the fence. Plus the donkeys seem to be completely numb to electric fencing, the little buggers
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I love a long thick tail, but as many of you have pointed out it depends on what you're doing with you're horse/pony. My two are untouched most of the time. Angels tail it just off the floor, and Lucky bless him is still growing his out. It was pulled short when i bought him then proceeded to fall out....
 
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