how to get a pooey tail clean

[windand rain]

My veteran highland pony has acres of mane and tail she is pale cream and has had the squits from the hay how on earth do I get the clinkers of poo out of her tail
It is set like tar I have tried hosing it but it is still a bit cold to do it too often

 

[NaeNae87]

Soak it in a bucket of warm water??

And then wash it with shampoo.

 

[mrogers]

as above then plaster in pig oil, plait and turn up like the polo ponies

 

[Britestar]

Really hot bucket of water with shampoo in it. I use tesco value baby shampoo. Dunk the tail up top the dock and swirl around for as long as you can hold the bucket up. 5 minds is good. This will loosen the poo- locks and then you can repeat this as 2nd time, and you'll be VB on the way to a clean tail. Wash the top using warm soapy water.

 

[Britestar]

That should say bottom of dock!!

 

[Dry Rot]

Same problem here.

Biological washing powder is great for getting coffee stains out of mugs (!) and I have been wondering if it would also work for tails -- or perhaps be a bit harsh?

(Washing up liquid doesn't work on coffee stains and seems a bit slow on tails).

 

[rowy]

I soak in hot water to loosen the poo, then scrub with lemon fairy liquid and rinse and then scrub again with fairy liquid and rinse.

My 4 year old grey mare is stressy and tends to get the squits in stressful situations so her tail generally gets disgusting. If you keep it plaited all the time it should stop it getting half as bad.

 

[mrogers]

Same problem here.

Biological washing powder is great for getting coffee stains out of mugs (!) and I have been wondering if it would also work for tails -- or perhaps be a bit harsh?

(Washing up liquid doesn't work on coffee stains and seems a bit slow on tails).

my coloured is bathed all over with aerial actilift and vanish soap bars and (touch wood) has never had any reaction to it

 

[Harry44]

Biological washing powder is great for getting coffee stains out of mugs (!) and I have been wondering if it would also work for tails -- or perhaps be a bit harsh?

I use Biotex in a bucket of hot water on top of a up turned feed bin and then let the tail soak in it for 15 min, works a treat

 

[Muddyboots]

Wet the tail, squeeze washing up liquid up and down the tail and really scrub (put bits of tail in between your hands and rub together). This releases lots of the dirt. Rinse and do again! I do this atleast twice - more when it is really bad. Then apply Vanish and leave to soak for a while while you go away and do something else. Works on my very mucky grey!!! He's out on Saturday and it hasn't been washed all winter! I am planning on doing the about Friday night and Saturday morning!

I've yet to try bleach. Not on the skin, just on the end of the tail! Has anyone tried it?? The soil type where I am is orangey clay. My horses tail just gets so mucky!

 

[lottiepony]

I've yet to try bleach. Not on the skin, just on the end of the tail! Has anyone tried it?? The soil type where I am is orangey clay. My horses tail just gets so mucky!

Invest in a tailbag. These things are marvellous! A friend on the yard has just got one for her grey having seen mine and she's chuffed to bits with it saves so much time and effort!

 

[Britestar]

Forgot to add this morning, use a pair of exfoliating shower gloves too.

 

[NaeNae87]

I've yet to try bleach. Not on the skin, just on the end of the tail! Has anyone tried it?? The soil type where I am is orangey clay. My horses tail just gets so mucky!

No to Bleach!! I wouldn't use that if you paid me!!


I saw you use laundry stain remover... I use Sard Wonder soap (not sure if you have that over there) on the tail before I start washing the body. Once I have washed the body, I use Equinade Glo-White Shampoo on the tail to wash the Sard out.
Once it is all clean (may take a couple of repeats if the tail is super stained) then I use Blue-O which is an inwash optical whitener for your laundry. I put a small suirt in a bucket and fill it with water and dunk the tail up to the tip of the dock. Leave it in for a minute or so or until your arms can't take it anymore and then leave the tail to dry.

Grey tail comes up amazingly clean.
This pic was taken about 3 weeks after his tail was cleaned as decribed above... In winter it gets a lot worse as we have orangey brown clay soil too.

This is what it looks like once done.

 

[rowy]

They use bleach on the old yard I was st on the end of the tail. It worked but the tail got really dry and turned like the hair on a barbie.

 

[ironhorse]

Yes, tailbag is the only answer to keep the tail clean, especially on clay soil. Our mare also wees in her tail and if she's in season it's quite disgusting!

There are several different sorts on the market or if you are really good with a sewing machine you could get some nylon and velcro and make your own.
If the horse is turned out where there are a lot of bushes or hedges, you need a velcro attachment in case it gets caught up.

These are the best:
http://www.tailgator.co.uk/tg/pages/tailbagorder.html

Not cheap but you do save on shampoo!

 

[princestar]

Soak it in shampoo and stick it all in a black bag, tie up and leave for a while to soak - that way you dont need to hold a heavy bucket of water