Tried everything......any tips on getting a horses' tail white??

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jessie7

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I have a grey who has a distictly yellow tail.
I have tried what I consider to be EVERYTHING to get it white:
- soaked in Daz
-soaked in steradent (read that tip on here :))
- blue shampoo (the horse stuff for white horses)
- washing up liquid
-human shampoo

And I have been washing it once/ twice a day. Cut the worse bit off the end but still has a very yellow tinge.

Any suggestions???

Many thanks in advance :)
 
Maybe post in competition forum, you might get some tips off of showing people.
I did have someone once tell me that tomato sauce (yes as in heinz) worked to not only bring out the white but get rid of the smell, I have never actually tried it, but maybe ask about in competition see if anyone else has heard of this?
 
If all else fails you could try a warm, dilute solution of ACE, the mild bleach that is used for woollens. Make sure it doesn't touch the horse's skin, just the tail hair. Try to keep it in the bucket for 5 mins before rinsing very thoroughly. Then treat the tail with a conditioner and blow dry.
 
I find washing in hot water with a decent blue shampoo such as Cowboy Magic yellow out shine in or something similar and then soak in blue rinse. Don't overdo the blue rinse though as instead of shiny white it will be baby blue!
 
I had the same problem with mine.
I recently discovered just washing it in regular Head and Shoulders, letting it dry and then using a tail gator bag on it. It's made a difference to mine within 2 weeks.
 
Second the warm water - really warm water actually and detergent.

Then spray it libraly with Show sheen and gently comb out. Then bang the tail short, and keep it well combed out (using fingers and gentle combing action).
 
I make a thick goo of washing powder, mash it into the tail (but not on the dock) & leave for 10 mins. Rinse out thoroughly. Works for me. failing that buy a black horse.
 
Fairy liquid mixed with a tiny squirt of purple spray = cheap blueing shampoo

Lather up with hotish water and leave on your homemade slightly purply lather for a few minutes. Rinse. Threaten horse with torture should he decide to poo on his own tail. Voila. Done:D
 
Looks like you've tried it but i use the blue Fairy liquid or the platinum (which ever is on offer! warm water (cold will not work) scrub in then leave whilst you bath the rest of horse, then rinse and repeat if needed, turns my greys tail from yellow to shimmering silver white.

WARM WATER though ;)
 
POLLDARK said:
I make a thick goo of washing powder, mash it into the tail (but not on the dock) & leave for 10 mins. Rinse out thoroughly. Works for me. failing that buy a black horse.
Click to expand...

Really made me laugh currently shopping for next pony in less labour intensive colour ;o)
 
Any shampoo with warm water and splash a load of cider apple vinegar in the rinsing water, (warm) and hold the bucket up so that the tail hair is soaking in it until your arms fail!
 
Have just arranged vetting on next horse - it is piebald with predominently white tail. Am going to stockpile these tips as I have a feeling I'll need them:)
 
I wash his white bits with tea tree shampoo or head and shoulders first, or any shampoo you like to get rid of general dirty bits, then use Alto Lab Shimmering White and really work in well with warm water and leave on , then rinse well. Plenty of mane and tail on afterwards to help repel any more dirt
 
Ditto keeping it in a tail bag once it is clean, really does help. On our grey when she's had a yellow tail I've used the WAHL Dirty Beastie, used it neat on her tail except the dock and left it for about 10 mins before washing it off and scrubbing, and I banged it quite short to take the worst of the yellow off. She has a lovely clean tail now, kept in a 3 band tail wrap. :)
 
Ah thanks so much for the advice.
I shall be trying the different suggestions! Have already spent a fortune on cleaning bits and pieces for him (OH thinks I'm crazy - wishes I spent so much time on cleaning the house :)).

I have invented an innovative method of soaking his tail without giving myself arm ache holding a bucket so I shall attempt this with the different suggestions in warm water!

Hopefully he will have a white tail by Opening Meet!!! And I will get a tail bag- think this may be most useful in the stable as he is on straw. I keep it very, very clean but I don't think it helps the tail situation, doubt he will lie in wee in his field and surely mud doesn't stain so badly???
 
If you ride in an arena, or, hack out on clay, braid the tail up as the surface can stain it.
After using you preferred method of washing from the excellent posts above, get as much chalk as you can into the tail, braid it then leave it for as long as possible. When you undo it, it will be stiff and 'dull' but the chalk does brush out and it will have stained the tail white.
Years ago, I always used to soak tails, avoiding the dock, in a Daz solution as there were very few 'blue' products available. When you can find it, smaller chemists do a human range called 'Touch of Silver', much cheaper than horsey stuff. Batiste dry shampoo in silver also helps to take away slight yellowing.
 
I wash with Touch of Silver once a week shampoo, which you can get in some boots stores. Takes a bit of hunting, and is in a tiny purple bottle so very easy to miss. Works quite well.

I then soak for 5 minutes in diluted ACE in hot water.

Plait and bag up.

It's not perfectly white, but it works quite well!
 
Haven't read entire thread but I use bold 2 in 1 and it not only makes tail a beautiful White, it's also really silky and tangle free so you save on mane and tail spray!
 
when prepping daughters grey pony for a show i was struggling with his yellow tail until my brain remembered a bit of scientific colouring knowledge from my hairdressing days, lol

few drops of purple spray in a bucket of water, dunk tail in...... hey presto sparkly white. when i say a few drops i literally mean 2/3 and remember to waer gloves, it may look slightly violet when wet but i promise it will dry WHITE :D
 
From the TV adverts I have seen there is now a huge range of hair dyes to try at home. Why not experiment with a bit of No.2 dark brown or No.3 dark reddish brown or No.8 ash blonde or 8C medium champagne blonde etc etc. It does say it covers the majority of grey so you should be fine :D :D Please post a photo of your grey with his new tail for the Opening Meet!!! :p
 
If all else fails chalk - but I say it advisedly. Used frequently it can dry the tail out and cause breakage. I soak the tail in warm water then apply chalk liberally while wet leave to dry and then brush out. To combat the dryness that results I used mega-tek equine rebuilder as a conditioner apply and rise, or for more moisture tail bandage and leave in for a few hours before washing out. I also find when the tail is in good soft condition it picks up staining far less. If you use chalk then use some gloves or it will dry out your hands and make them sore.
 
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