Tips for creating a thicker and longer tail for your horse??

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appaloosacaz

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Hello,

My horse has a very thin tail, will put my hands up and say it was entirely my fault from OCD of needing to brush his tail, and managing to break it all. I have tried cutting the bottom off, hso its short and waiting for it to grow back, I am also please to announce that I am a few months clean of brushing his tail (excluding shows where a generous amount of M & T has been applied and brushed carefully) I was looking for some tips (with proof would be excellent) of some ways (preferably cheaper ways) of creating a thicker and longer tail, in a preferably short amount of time :)

Thank you
 
No brushing just lots of cowboy magic and very wide toothed combs when necessary .
And feed farriers formula always makes the manes and tails grow like mad.
 
Also this is the tail in question (doesn't look that bad here)
picture.php
 
Amazing how many owners fall foul of the "my horse has a terrible tail .... I love brushing it" simple maths - every time you brush it hairs fall out = thin tail.

Stop brushing it!
Buy yourself a tail gator bag - stick tail in bag after applying mega tek and only take out once a week to reapply megatek and then stuff back in bag - come spring voila! New Tail!

Only ever brush tail when going to a show!
 
Ever since my lot have lived at home their tails have become thick and in wonderful condition. Oh dear, that probably says a lot about our grooming regime. Saddle/bridle areas are brushed when riding and they always look clean and smart when leaving the premises but the rest of the time, it's hooves picked out, rugs changed and into bed. :)
 
mcnaughty said:
Amazing how many owners fall foul of the "my horse has a terrible tail .... I love brushing it" simple maths - every time you brush it hairs fall out = thin tail.

Stop brushing it!
Buy yourself a tail gator bag - stick tail in bag after applying mega tek and only take out once a week to reapply megatek and then stuff back in bag - come spring voila! New Tail!

Only ever brush tail when going to a show!
Click to expand...

Thanks McNaughty, already confessed to that sin, and already announced that I'd stopped brushing it. (other than shows where it is covered in M and T and brushed ever so carefully)

And thanks for the advice!! How often would you suggest to bag it? (is it like an over night thing, or for a few days??
 
Have you tried the plaiting thing for when you go out in somewhere special .
It might not suit him but try .
Wash the tail condition the length leave on a few minutes comb through.
Rinse swing dry then plait the length into say five or so long plaits leave in when you get to the show unplait them , use a really wide toothed comb to gently comb through the wavy hair will look fuller however it does make the tail look a little shorter .
It only suits some horses worth a go though.
 
Only ever brush with a soft body brush, & even then minimal to remove bedding, twigs etc. Otherwise, only comb through when full of conditioner. Or for outings where turnout is important. And regular trimming. My mares mane & tail are very fine & sparse. So much so her mane has never needed thinning for a neat pulled look. But my rare brushing of her tail means its heel length & very full.
 
I would just keep not brushing and be patient. It will grow but progress may be slow. I always think dark colored tails look better anyway, they don't show the dirt much and look fuller as the light doesn't come through. So you are in luck hehe :P
 
My tails were always admired. My answer was never to brush them only to tease the hairs through with my fingers after washing them when they were full of conditioner (cheap human conditoner). The groom who looked after my mare while I was away was told "don't touch the tail". I did have someone decimate a lovely tail in the space of a few weeks though.
 
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Saw a video from Laura B's yard a while back. Tails are not brushed, but patiently detangled by hand. I do this now and find it very therapeutic after a stressful day at the office! Spray with M+T first but allow it to dry before you start. Only take small sections each time, to avoid pulling and hurting the horse.
 
As above

I was taught early on how to use my hands to de tangle. Piece by piece. My warmblood mare stands there and falls asleep. She loves her tail messed with. Obviously this is not a daily occurrence. I leave them alone except when they're going somewhere. They don't see brushes.

Terri
 
What 'Goldenstar' said, the waves from the plaits will make it look fuller in the meantime, and the plaiting will give you something to do with your itchy hands *fiddle fiddle* instead of brushing lol :D
 
My TB is very strange as he has always had a very thin tail (which I hardly ever brushed) but now I brush it out most days (after running some babyoil through it first) and its much thicker now!
 
Firstly, let the top grow out, once all those short hairs are full length the tail will be thicker.

Then, wash with shampoo and then use loads of conditioner (I use cheap human stuff too, think an unwanted bottle of Pantene is in the stables at the moment!), towel dry and then air dry. When you do brush it through use baby oil which coats the tail, using a soft bristle hair brush (I use a cheapy human one for this too). Brushing once or twice a week with a soft brush shouldn't do any harm.

If you want more volume for a show, wash, and then whilst the tail is slightly damp loosely plait the tail - not tightly or you'll get kinks! Just before you go into the ring, unplait and shake out. Voila!
 
Use a detangler serum first if you really must brush so often, and then use a very wide toothed comb. I use the EQyss detangler which is fab and on our ISH youngster who we got with a chewed tail the Mega-tek rebuilder worked wonders (also works on hooves). Another product to use to get a very silky tail is Argan Oil, I use this after bathing the night before a show. Argan oil also nourishes and I find on my own hair seems to make it grown faster and thicker.
 
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