Why don't people like plaited tails?

Agree with the others I don't like them because it's rare (unless practiced older time showing person) to see one done properly. I prefer the pulled look but I don't pull I have fine dog coat rakes that give the pulled look without the pain same with mane pulling I rake then scissor for plaiting rather than pulling as my oldie would murder anyone pulling his mane or tail. If the horse doesn't mind it getting done I can pull a mane efficiently and quickly but tails I never pull just rake and it looks the same :)
 
I think plaited tails are only amateurish when they're done... amateurishly! If they're done well (and on top looks particularly good, I wish I could do that!) then they can be spiffy. But it also depends why you're doing it. To me a plait is nice on certain show horses and racers, but daft on hunters and cobs, for example.

My old horse was very easy to pull, so I've been a bit upset by my 'new' boy who HATES anything being pulled! But he's a jack of all trades, and I'm beginning to really like the look of the full tail that's showing up in dressage now - so hopefully that'll be reason enough for me to let it grow out this year! I did try last year (and plaited it for shows - we're only ever going local so his type doesn't really matter) but the old fashioned part of me couldn't stand it and raked it out again. But I will try and stick to my guns this year. I do like a full tail. If we hunt I'll plait it all the way down and then bind it up, so it won't make any difference.
 
I like a plaited tail for a hunter or hunting, bizarrely, but not for dressage.

Not overly keen on a pulled tail either, I just trim Pipkin's with scissors if it's looking particularly scruffy.

I have arthritic hands and I'm 21 D: I'm blaming my shocking plaiting on that, though realistically I think I'm just useless at it, because they've always looked terrible :p
 
Floxie said:
I think plaited tails are only amateurish when they're done... amateurishly! If they're done well (and on top looks particularly good, I wish I could do that!) then they can be spiffy. But it also depends why you're doing it. To me a plait is nice on certain show horses and racers, but daft on hunters and cobs, for example.
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Echo this!
I rake tails as I'm rubbish at plaiting and it takes me ages to get it to look vaguely smart where as a pulled tail just needs a tail bandage when travelling and voila!
 
I love a plaited tail, but agree totally that it has to be done well and I can't plait to save myself, so would rather not.

However, I can't stand a badly turned out horse, so both of mine have tails pulled with clippers - is that what you mean by raked? I feather with the clippers rather than shaving up the sides and getting the loo brush look. That type of tail goes with one horses hogged mane (dressage) and the others pulled mane (endurance) and stops my mucky mare from peeing in hers.

I don't know that plaited tails are unfashionable, certainly they're not here, but it is a real skill to get it right. However, hate the shaved tail look and I really don't get how anyone thinks it looks good.
 
EKW said:
The old theory went - pulled tail for stabled horses, plaited tails for field horses - that way you don't take away the 'snow shoot' protection.
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this.

Working on the principle that the horses spend many many more hours being horses in the field than they do being 'poshed-up' for hunting or showing I have always plaited and left the full tail as they need it. Have never had any adverse comments about it, in fact quite the contrary. If you don't cut/pull the hair at the top then it is usually long enough to plait up really neatly and once you have the knack it's quick to do.

Of course the Ultimate Solution to the plait/pull dilemma is to get a native:)

.
 
I love plaited tails and am quite good at them too (if I do say so myself! :D). You are right in that it is very 'pony club' ish but that's where I learnt how to do mine and have won turnout classes with them. When I had my first pony I used to spend hours, grooming, plaiting and generally making a fuss of her and it helped with the bonding process. She was very ameanable (sp?), bless her :-). I have never pulled a tail and tbh, wouldn't know where to start s it suits me that I love plaiting :-)
 
I loathe plaiting, it hurts my poor old hands dreadfully, but I can turn out a reasonable plait on top of the tail in only a few minutes and I loathe the thought of pulling a tail, and maintaining a pulled tail, even more.

I've been told it's unprofessional and old-fashioned but hell I'm not professional and given my age I think "old-fashioned" is fair enough.
 
What could be better than a tail left as nature intended?!? The short pieces are there to fan out sideways in the wind and protect the sensitive genetalia from wet and cold the length allows the water to run down to th floor without getting the legs wet etc.

I hate pulling tails it's unnecessarily cruel and painful for th horse iv never seen one who looks vaguely comfortable about it and its another example of human preference over animal welfare.
 
TigerTail said:
What could be better than a tail left as nature intended?!? The short pieces are there to fan out sideways in the wind and protect the sensitive genetalia from wet and cold the length allows the water to run down to th floor without getting the legs wet etc.

I hate pulling tails it's unnecessarily cruel and painful for th horse iv never seen one who looks vaguely comfortable about it and its another example of human preference over animal welfare.
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This completely. A plaited tail can look nice when done well, but this often is not the case.
 
TigerTail said:
What could be better than a tail left as nature intended?!? The short pieces are there to fan out sideways in the wind and protect the sensitive genetalia from wet and cold the length allows the water to run down to th floor without getting the legs wet etc.

I hate pulling tails it's unnecessarily cruel and painful for th horse iv never seen one who looks vaguely comfortable about it and its another example of human preference over animal welfare.
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I pull my horses tail with a rake and scissors, he's never even moved a muscle, and I can assure you if he feels un-comfortable about anything he lets you know.
 
http://www.totallysmart.co.uk/products-page/smart-tails/smart-tails-yellow-handle

These are the rakes people are talking about, they thin and trim as they are pulled through the hair.
I do my horses tail with one and it does look like its been properly pulled.

NZJenny said:
I love a plaited tail, but agree totally that it has to be done well and I can't plait to save myself, so would rather not.

However, I can't stand a badly turned out horse, so both of mine have tails pulled with clippers - is that what you mean by raked? I feather with the clippers rather than shaving up the sides and getting the loo brush look. That type of tail goes with one horses hogged mane (dressage) and the others pulled mane (endurance) and stops my mucky mare from peeing in hers.

I don't know that plaited tails are unfashionable, certainly they're not here, but it is a real skill to get it right. However, hate the shaved tail look and I really don't get how anyone thinks it looks good.
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Tail plaiting goes in and out of fashion; at present it is a bit out - quite possibly due to the fact that it requires skill and practice = effort, which is also, to my grumpy old eyes at least, out of fashion in the current age. Hunters used to be mostly shown with plaited tails, pulled tails for hacks and show ponies. It's personal preference, fashions are ephemeral and the plaited tail will have it's day once again I'm sure.

P.S. the absolute best plaited tails I've ever seen were on American Hunter Jumpers; works of pure artifice!
 
Surely how a horse is turned out should reflect the work it does, it's type/conformation, how it is managed and the environment in which it lives.

A show horse is shown true to it's type. A native breed would look ridiculous produced like a hunter and vice versa. Plaited tails can look smart, every horse sent out from Jonjo O'Neills yard has a beautifully plaited tail for instance. The same horse competing as a show hunter would be incorrectly turned out with a plaited tail. Equally it would be downright cruel to pull a tail and then expect the horse to winter out without a rug with a deep and fitted tail flap on the rugs.

I have horses with tails that are never touched bar the ends trimmed. They live out and need all the protection they need, but I also have horses that are pulled and trimmed to enable them to be correctly turned out for the job they do. This horse would look awful with a bushy tail and a straggly mane.

Turn them out for the job they do.

083-1.jpg
 
zigzag said:
I like plaited tails but prefer the plait on top rather than under as in that photo
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This! I think it looks smarter when plaited Dutch as opposed to the French style in the picture. I won a couple of showing classes years ago plaiting out instead of in, the judges loved it!

It is a skill though, and if you cannot plait well, then don't plait at all.

When competing, I will plait the tail if I have time and if I am able to do so without the horse jumping on me or raising a leg!!
 
i completey agree i SJ my mare and hoping to do the same with my youngster. my mare has the most incredible tail. Its long thick wavy and has red highlights through it and becuase of that i keep it completely natural. i cant say i like a pulled/clipped tail in my opinon i dont think they look nice but each to their own :)
 
FfionWinnie said:
Some backside on that horse in the first pic. ;)
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Haha, dont tell him that, you will give him a complex! But seriously, I think that is his (very) distant Quarter Horse breeding showing through, the rest of him is still pretty weedy, he has a lot of catching up to do.

Girlracer said:
Personal preference but I prefer pulled, world would be a boring place if we all liked the same thing 'eh?
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I think this sums it up nicely!
 
MasterBenedict said:
Haha, dont tell him that, you will give him a complex! But seriously, I think that is his (very) distant Quarter Horse breeding showing through, the rest of him is still pretty weedy, he has a lot of catching up to do.



I think this sums it up nicely!
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Mine is the same. Makes her neck look weedy but in reality its her backside that's huge (she is an American Paint)
 
I like a plaited tail but it has to be well plaited. I have redone the entire thing if on arrival he has scrubbed some of it out on route.

Mines native so has a full tail (well almost the top bits can get a bit thin at the end of the season but grow back over winter) but is plaited for competing. The same way his mane is semi pulled, it's still longer and thicker than average but goes in to respectable plaits. I think pulled tails suit some horses, just not mine.
 
zigzag said:
I like plaited tails but prefer the plait on top rather than under as in that photo
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That's the way I was taught too. Also to fold the last bit of plait under , to make a loop, & secure it. I was told it was supposed to resemble a hunting whip with the thong but I don't know if that's right or not.
 
im not a fan of plaited tails, or pulled tails either if im honest. i like to see them full and natural. but thats just my preference. when i worked in a racing yard we were never allowed to plait tails as our boss said "they are not show ponies to be paraded round looking like faries, they are racehorses and should therefor have long flowing tails" his words not mine. we would however plait manes. our horses were emacuatly (spell??) turned out even without plaited tails and yes we did win turnout even if others were fully plaited as someone said above how annoying it is. but to me a horse looks better with a free flowing tail so each judge to their own.

my own ex racehorse still has his long flowing tail and im dreading having to pull or plait it for showing/dressage. unfortuantly though it seems im going to have to or get marked down on appearence for leaving it :(
 
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