How to save my horses tail?!

[oliviasinclair14]

We’ve just gone from a bay cob type mare who was good at keeping herself clean to a grey gelding with a white mane and tail who is the messiest horse I have ever met.
The people looking after him previously also have really neglected his tail, and it is stained almost black for about the bottom two thirds, very matted and full of burrs.
The other week we managed to start getting a brush through it and remove some of the burrs but everyone walking past said they felt very sorry for us and we had a massive job on our hands.

I was just wondering what people’s recoomendations are to trying to get it white again? We’ve got detangler and patience to get he matts out, but the colour is awful and with my younger sister doing pony club tack and turn out on him this weekend, it’s be great if we could get it semi clean by then.

P.S. he’s our first grey and also has many yellow stains on his body and very yellow legs so if anyone has any experience getting those stains off too that’d be greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

I found using a mane and tail detangler helps the mud stick less. I used some before cutting my mare’s mane and by the time I’d finished my hands were filthy and her mane was clean! So I would recommend using that a couple of times a week to stop the mud/wee/poo sticking as much.

Last time I attacked my mare’s tail I started by filling a bucket with water as hot as I could stand, blue shampoo and a couple of spritz of a whitener and putting her tail in it (minus the dock obviously) and holding it there for a few minutes to soak. I then lathered it up with blue shampoo and let it soak whilst I attacked her numerous other stains.

I then repeated her tail twice more (😩) and washed it all out. It still wasn’t white white but it was a lot better.

Good luck! Make sure you post a before and after ☺️

ETA this is the whitener I use, best I’ve used so far! It adds a pearly sheen which so far has lasted two weeks!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smart-Grooming-Unisexs-Removing-Regular/dp/B07DCGJCVZ

 

[blitznbobs]

Bleach .. just the end then use blue shampoo

 

[windand rain]

Tomat ketchup when you get it all separated out Mane and tail detangler then wash and use cheap coconut conditioner to really soak it in I dont rinse it out as thw next time I wash it the dirt comes off with the condtioner

 

[Leam_Carrie]

Multiple washes help with mine’s tail. I also something use purple shampoo (which you can get in Poundland).

If you google I think people recommend washing powder, on the tail not the dock, have a look at old threads. I haven’t tried this so please check with someone who has .

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Aldi blue washing up liquid after a good soak in ketchup then leave on a cheap conditioner for a few days then rewash with the Aldi stuff.

 

[madamebonnie]

Hot water, Blue/purple shampoo (provoke is the cheapest), fairy platinum is best for starting you off. Hold the bucket up as long as you can manage. Put some music on and try for a whole song. Rinse and repeat. Also use a decent amount of conditioner in your final rise. Cheapo supermarket own is fine. Buy a water proof tail bag and keep it plated and wrapped. If a non native type, chop off the worst and go for a shorter tail.

Get a good stain remover for the yellow bits on the body. NAF, cowboy magic and Smart Grooming all good brands. Brush as well as you can. Apply the remover thoroughly. Leave for 10 mins (do this first then tackle the tail whilst soaking). To remove use hot water and a microfiber cloth. Dab off the stains, if you scrub now it will smear. Keep rinsing your cloth and dab again/

 

[scrat]

When we had our traditional cob with white tail, he washed up a treat with Treseme deep cleansing shampoo. Used it on feathers, mane and tail. Use warm water and keep the tail in a fleece fabric tail bag in between washes. Don't use one of those waterproof ones as it can make the hair smelly and damp. Avoid harsh chemicals the hair will be destroyed. Purple shampoo helps but realistically you will probably have to wait for the new hair to grow down if it is stained that badly. Don't forget wet hair always looks darker so the tail may dry looking better than you expected.

 

[Steerpike]

Vanish powder in hot water and wash with blue shampoo, I repeat this a couple of days if the tail is really grim.

 

[AmyMay]

Give it a good wash and conditioner and then sry with copious amounts of Show Sheen. Leave it to dry and then start combing it out gently and removing the burs. Don’t worry about getting it pristinely clean. Once brushed out, bang it short to the jocks and wash and condition again/ spray and leave to dry.

 

[Mule]

We’ve just gone from a bay cob type mare who was good at keeping herself clean to a grey gelding with a white mane and tail who is the messiest horse I have ever met.
The people looking after him previously also have really neglected his tail, and it is stained almost black for about the bottom two thirds, very matted and full of burrs.
The other week we managed to start getting a brush through it and remove some of the burrs but everyone walking past said they felt very sorry for us and we had a massive job on our hands.

I was just wondering what people’s recoomendations are to trying to get it white again? We’ve got detangler and patience to get he matts out, but the colour is awful and with my younger sister doing pony club tack and turn out on him this weekend, it’s be great if we could get it semi clean by then.

P.S. he’s our first grey and also has many yellow stains on his body and very yellow legs so if anyone has any experience getting those stains off too that’d be greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

I'd brush through the tail before treating the stains. Use something like mane @ tail detangler.
Bleach the tail for the stains. Obviously not where the tailbone is but you can use it in the rest of the tail once it's rinsed out well. You'll need to use a human conditioner on it afterwards because it will get dry.

Washing up liquid is good for stains on the legs. Put it on a body brush and scrub the legs.

 

[windand rain]

I found bleach too harsh made the hair brittle and dry no matter how much conditioner I used. Also turned it yellow. you can use human hair products though if you can find the right colour

 

[AmyMay]

Hocks not jocks 🥺😬😆

 

[Cortez]

Just wash it; I do the end of my mares' tail about every two - three weeks in the summer to keep on top of the yellow and the tangles. In the winter maybe about every 6 - 8 weeks. I don't bother much with keeping grey horses unstained in the winter - we don't do much other than train then, and they're not clipped so the really stained bits fall out with their new coat in the spring.

 

[windand rain]

I am hoping the muddy mats will fall out of the muddy one I am not used to dealing with clinkers of clay soil as our soil is very sandy

 

[missmatch]

Baby oil will help get the burrs out and the poo won’t stick so much. I use shampoo by old style horse remedies and that works very well.

 

[Cortez]

Brushing the tail (or mane) is probably the fastest way to ruin it, by either breaking or pulling out the hair. Finger picking out any knots is all that I do routinely, and only brush out for "in public".

 

[Shavings]

ketchup!! the cheap stuff!!

i brush the hair take out chunks of mud or hedge my gelding gets it, then those hair is matt free pour it on and rub in, leave for 10 mins then rinse well

 

[Archangel]

I'm using Head & Shoulders Clinical Strength to fight a mite invasion and leaving it on for 15 minutes. A happy side effect is brilliant white feathers so may work on tail hair.

 

[BOWS28]

Baby shampoo and green fairy liquid

 

[still standing]

Nothing to add to the excellent advice above re cleaning the tail but for left-over yellow stains on the body or legs, you can get a Whitening powder, like talc, to sprinkle and pat in to the hair. Doesn't last long but it might help a bit on the day when your sister is showing this weekend.

 

[pansymouse]

I can't advise on getting it white but once you have spray lots of pig oil into it - stops dirt and vegetation sticking to it and makes it nice and silky looking. Re-apply every time you brush it out.

 

[onemoretime]

Bicarbonate of soda in hot water for the end of the tail (not dock) then shampoo with blue shampoo and condition. Also white vinegar is very good for making tail white again in hot water.

 

[Jill's Gym Karma]

How on earth did someone discover that ketchup makes tails clean?!

 

[Cortez]

How on earth did someone discover that ketchup makes tails clean?!

It also gets the smell of skunks' wee out of a dog's fur....you have to basically bath the dog in tomato juice/pulp: who figured that one out?

*PS: I have done this; believe me, you'll do ANYTHING to get rid of the smell - it's beyond gag-making & eye watering!

 

[Jaybugg]

I have a grey and use a little dusting of washing powder diluted in hot water works a treat on her tail and can use a sponge to sponge off stable stains etc