Taping/bandaging up tails

[Drummer]

Hi, next time I go out I think I will try tapping up my boys tail in an attempt to keep it semi clean. Does anyone have any tips for an idiot who will no doubt do it all wrong and have it fall out after 5 minutes. His tail is pulled - not sure if that makes a difference as the ones I was eyeing up sunday were un pulled and plaited up first???

Thank you

 

[Rowreach]

Lots of ways ! but I will tell you mine, and they don't often come down. I prefer to use tape the same colour as the tail. Some tapes have more stretch than others, the stretchy ones are best.

As your tail is pulled, simply start at the base of the dock, divide into equal parts and plait to the bottom, securing with a couple of plaiting bands. Then fold the bottom end of the tail up underneath to the end of the dock, then fold again under the dock, and secure with 3 plaiting bands, one at the top, one in the middle, one at the bottom.

Then get your tape, hold the end on the top with your thumb, and wrap round several times, as neatly as possible, where the plaiting bands are (I remove the bands at this point), and keep the ends of the tape in the same place (mine are always on the RHS) so that you can find them in the dark at the end of the day. :grin:

Takes a bit of practice, but saves you having to wash all that mud out, and saves the horse having to lug the extra weight around all day.

 

[Haniki]

Insulation tape is good for the job. Some people stitch the tail up but I use bands and tape like Rowreach.

 

[muffinino]

My boy's a traditional coloured, hairy and staying that way! I don't pull his tail as I love feather and show him, so if I can get his full tail to stay up, a pulled one should stay up. I do pretty much the same as described in the first reply and wrap insulation tape in black, like his tail, around it 4/5 times to keep it in place. If you were going to put a ribbon in your horse's tail (green/red) you could use this colour tape.

 

[RunToEarth]

I just plait it roughly, fold it up to the dock and use a lot of leccy tape, takes me roughly a minute

 

[Eagle_day]

... that's my style. And I've used duct tape when caught short. I later found the insulation tape in the pocket of my washed jeans.

 

[icemaiden113]

Why would you bother?It look so untidy! Surely getting dirty isn't that bad!!

 

[Drummer]

I don't mind with the getting dirty part, have a very white blue and white so have to not mind. But when I am showing a couple of days after a hunt the fewer layers of mud I have to get off the better!!

 

[Laafet]

I tried to do this the other day with Murphy but it looked terrible. I plaited his tail down then folded it up under his dock but it was huge. He has a very thick full tail which I don't think helped. Any suggestions for making it look neater. The only way I could think of getting it neat would be to do a proper tail plait then plait down and fold up. Not very time efficient and requires good plaiting skills!

 

[harleyandjasmine]

i tried this today and got the same as laafet
im going to thin her tail then try again but i also wondered if you plait it with a proper tail plait then fold it up ?

 

[k9h]

Why would you bother?It look so untidy! Surely getting dirty isn't that bad!!

Not if done correctly it doesn't & stiched in so none of the horrid electric tape. I have a pic but can't put it on in here!

 

[fruity]

I never used to tape up but i will when i hunt my youngster in the future,she has a nice tail in that it's not too thick but it's not too thin! It'll look quite nice taped up,i tried it with my Welsh D once and as she has a HUGE FAT tail it looked awful as it was to heavy for the tape to hold,if you know what i mean.