What to do with this tail ?

[throwaway2022]

Always had natives and never even pulled a mane until fairly recently. I have absolutely no idea what to do with Piggy’s bog brush!! Pics don’t do it justice, I haven’t seen a tail so thick even on my Highlands or Fells.

Wouldn’t have a clue where to start with pulling it and it’s an awfully big job for a 10yo who I assume has never had anything pulled. Do I try and clip down the sides and blend the top in a bit? Also clip underneath to thin it out? Will bang it straight of course, literally haven’t touched it since I got him other than attempting to de-dreadlock it and rinse out ?

Will get a better pics when I’m down later

 

[Barton Bounty]

Get some animology serum , its great for detangling, i would then do a french plait at the top and leave the rest loose ?

 

[AmyMay]

Beautiful, beautiful tail. Don’t pull it. Wash it, condition, detangler - done.

 

[NinjaPony]

I would give it a proper scrub, rinse, conditioner and then detangle with a wide tooth comb whilst the conditioner is on. Rinse out, then coat in pig oil or something similar. Then I’d pop it in a loose plait to keep it from getting tangled again. I wouldn’t pull, you can always plait the top for outings.

 

[Goldenstar]

Wash use loads of conditioner comb carefully then apply serum comb again. We oil ours daily when when it’s muddy .
Theres no way I would pull clip or doing anything to the top of that ,it’s beautiful my cob has similar they had clipped the top we are a year and bit in to getting it regrown

 

[throwaway2022]

Now he’s hogged it looks totally out of balance, it definitely needs a a good tidy up

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I wouldn't touch it either. My Welsh D had a pulled mane but I didn't touch his lovely thick tail, bar pulling the odd bit at the top when it started to stick wildly out to the side, but it definitely wasn't bog brush pulled just a couple of strands removed that were wildly out of place.

The tail didn't look out of place next to his short mane and removed feathers.

I'd give a good wash them spray on a regular basis with detangler, and brush using a human hair brush as it's much more effective for thick tails than a comb

Definitely don't clip it. I'd be tempted to let it grow ever so slightly longer too (I didn't do dragging in the mud tails but half an inch more could make it look even more spectacular

 

[TealH0rse]

As others said, keep, detangle and plait.

Get the Leovet 5 star detangler - slightly pricey but it’s the best I’ve used.

Also, don’t use typical circle mane/tail brushes. They’re crap. Get a Lemieux tangle tidy mane/tail brush - the ones with the coloured bristles (pink and blue are the options, I believe) NOT the one with black bristles and their seasonal colours. The latter is no good.

 

[Red-1]

Rigsby has a huge tail and clipped legs. I just use silicone spray and brush with a human hairbrush. I also have it a lot longer as it balances out the thickness.

 

[throwaway2022]

Thanks everyone, didn’t end up touching it. He was a total prat and I couldn’t finish his clip, off home to sulk ?

 

[Auslander]

The moment you touch the top of a tail, you set yourself up for a lifetime of maintenance! I used to pull Alf's (huge) tail before I saw the error of my ways, and it took about 5 years to grow out properly. I had to fight with myself not to do anything to it, but I'm glad I stayed strong! I don;t touch it now, other than to oil it when I wash it, and I occasionally squirt a bit of detangler in it and finger comb it.

2012 - clipped (not my work!)

2014 - 2 years re growth

2016ish

 

[ycbm]

I loathe clipped tails, just hate the look of it. I had a hunter with an exceptionally thick tail and I used to use a pair of scissors to take the hair off the side of the dock (where it would tuck inside the bum cheeks at rest) but leave everything on the front. It thinned the tail out enough to be manageable, the long hair on the front camouflaged the cut parts at the sides and it looked pretty smart.
.

 

[Dexter]

Now he’s hogged it looks totally out of balance, it definitely needs a a good tidy up

Pull it using thinning combs. You get a smart pulled effect with no pain to the horse and its pretty idiot proof. ?I'd also take a fair amount of the weight out further down but from underneath. On a hogged and clipped cob the tail should be pulled and banged otherwise it looks ridiculous

 

[IrishMilo]

I'd let it grow it bit as it looks a bit too short. That's going to need sectioning and a good few washes - warm water and a laundry capsule is my go to and I'd probably manage 2 bottles of conditioner on his! Brush it by section and then plait. Pulled tails look like bog brushes!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Pass me the clippers, there is 3 inches coming off the length and a lot off the sides and underneath with the clipper blades facing downhill. Thinning rake afterwards and he will have a tail he can carry nicely and will add quality to him.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I despise clipped tails - mostly because people can't do it properly or we'll enough to give it the pulled look and it just looks stupid. Either do a proper job of it or leave it well alone.

 

[AdorableAlice]

I despise clipped tails - mostly because people can't do it properly or we'll enough to give it the pulled look and it just looks stupid. Either do a proper job of it or leave it well alone.

That is because people shove the blades uphill. I despise the full cob tails so frequently seen that are so heavy the horse can't lift the dock to poop and said poop is stuck fast to the tail which in turn wraps round the legs and plasters them in wet muck.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

That is because people shove the blades uphill. I despise the full cob tails so frequently seen that are so heavy the horse can't lift the dock to poop and said poop is stuck fast to the tail which in turn wraps round the legs and plasters them in wet muck.

True. Though up here you more see show ponies, hunter ponies and Hunters with shockingly badly clipped tails - they have shaved them clean. Horrific.

 

[AdorableAlice]

True. Though up here you more see show ponies, hunter ponies and Hunters with shockingly badly clipped tails - they have shaved them clean. Horrific.

that is just ignorance and laziness.

 

[throwaway2022]

Dexter and AdorableAlice - great minds think alike In my opinion he needs to be turned out as a show cob, albeit a 12.2 version, lol. I've got a friend to help tomorrow so will hopefully get his clip finished, didn't want to twitch but needs must for this first time as I need better access to treat his legs. If no luck tomorrow will have to sedate so I'll get someone out at the same time to sort his tail, it's too big of a job for me really with not having any experience of doing it but hopefully it's something I can then maintain. Both of us are a bit fed up after a rubbish afternoon, he's still sporting fluffy ears, a 'tache and three hairy legs...got to laugh or I'd cry.

I tell a lie, I did blend the top of his tail in slightly going with the direction of hair growth. Did have someone booked the other day to finish his clip and do his tail but she failed to turn up!

 

[throwaway2022]

 

[AdorableAlice]

View attachment 105312

He looks unimpressed !

Always remember when clipping the furry little souls that when you reach the back end the front end will have started to grow back. So if there is something you don't like or didn't go to plan, it will be grown out very quickly.

There is nothing smarter than a clipped out cob, plus from a health point of view they are so much easier to care for.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Poor floofy ear!

We had a wee black tb at work thay had a big white blaze, square head and he was really fluffy. So when I clipped him the boss wanted his full face off as she didn't want him looking like a kids pony with the usual half face clip. I duly clipped out his head and ears (with Big heavy duty clippers! Bless him he had a heart of gold!) Never again! Never, ever again! The poor horse looked like a clipped out dairy cow ???

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Always had natives and never even pulled a mane until fairly recently. I have absolutely no idea what to do with Piggy’s bog brush!! Pics don’t do it justice, I haven’t seen a tail so thick even on my Highlands or Fells.

Wouldn’t have a clue where to start with pulling it and it’s an awfully big job for a 10yo who I assume has never had anything pulled. Do I try and clip down the sides and blend the top in a bit? Also clip underneath to thin it out? Will bang it straight of course, literally haven’t touched it since I got him other than attempting to de-dreadlock it and rinse out ?

Will get a better pics when I’m down later

View attachment 105265

To short for my liking but like others, wash it oil it brush it.

 

[spotty_pony]

It’s a lovely tail - I’d just wash it and keep it well conditioned.

 

[Nasicus]

I considered shaving/trimming the underside of the dock once, but then I thought that can't be comfy when it starts to grow out, surely? Likened it to the agony of shaving your own adjacent area and having it start to grow back (?), and couldn't risk inflicting that on the poor pony ?

 

[Gloi]

Washed and allowed to grow a few inches it will be a nice tail. I'm afraid I think he looked a lot better with his mane, though it's too late now.

 

[marmalade76]

That is because people shove the blades uphill. I despise the full cob tails so frequently seen that are so heavy the horse can't lift the dock to poop and said poop is stuck fast to the tail which in turn wraps round the legs and plasters them in wet muck.

Agreed, they're just too heavy to leave to their own devices. With the cob I had, he wouldn't tolerate pulling so I clipped the sides and thinned the middle with a razor comb, then he helped thin it in the summer by rubbing it.

 

[throwaway2022]

Washed and allowed to grow a few inches it will be a nice tail. I'm afraid I think he looked a lot better with his mane, though it's too late now.

Totally disagree but each to their own, the world would be awfully boring if we all liked the same thing

 

[throwaway2022]

Agreed, they're just too heavy to leave to their own devices. With the cob I had, he wouldn't tolerate pulling so I clipped the sides and thinned the middle with a razor comb, then he helped thin it in the summer by rubbing it.

Yes, it’s incredibly heavy and underneath was totally caked in poo, such a shame. I’ve got pulling combs and a solo rake along with the clippers, might see what I can do with it myself - god help him! I’ve been poorly today so no progress made