Why don't people like plaited tails?

MasterBenedict

MasterBenedict

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Just a bit of a musing really...have noticed on quite a few threads recently where plaited tails have been called amateurish and unprofessional. Personally I love a good plaited tail - I like a neatly pulled/clipped tail but hate the thought of pulling the hair out of such a sensitive area and don't think I have the skill to clip without it looking bogbrush-like.

So, what is it about plaited tails that is so wrong??

If anyone has pics to share I would be interested for comparison!

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Because it's often done so badly it would look better just left! I cannot be faffed with plaiting a tail- my sister will be eventing 3 next year and it's enough effort to do their manes nicely :D She pulls their tails using a rake and scissors and it looks as good as pulled, just without the yanking.
 
I was wondering this too!!

Though mine aren't half as good as that one lol- maybe that's why? Cos people like me do them (oopsie!)

I did watch a video on youtube tho where the lady threaded the loose plait up behind the not loose (lack of better words!) part using a plaiting needle- looked very professional. Only need to get Red to stand still long enough for me to have a go now... Don't fancy stabbing him there about as much as you want a bogbrush tail lol ;) x
 
Personally can't stand a pulled tail. I think it looks terrible no matter how good the standard it's been done! I know I caused offence on another thread by saying that, but I honestly don't care.

I loooove a good plaited tail though :D
 
I must admit i really dont like the look of a plaited tail and the little bit that has to be looped up makes me cringe. Not saying it's not done extremely well and i'm impressed by the skill just that my preference is for natural tail. Dont know why i dont really like them, just never have.
 
I think its because people can't do them or are lazy!

I love a plaited tail. I do a pretty good one myself, although don't have photos on this notebook and am abroad! I plait my gelding's tail and pull my mare's. She makes a mess of a full tail when in season if not. The advantage of a pulled tail is they flatter a nice back end even when not at a show. I do tend to let my mare's tail grow out a bit mid winter as I'm sure a bit of hair around their neither regions is nicer for them in a winter gale!
 
Me personally I don't like a plaited tail more often than not it's badly done and also for me it just reminds of kids and being in pony club , not sure why but it does.

I like a nice neat clipped/pulled tail

I don't like tails left natural for comps, I think it looks lazy and scruffy.

That's just me though, I always have my horse turned out immaculately, just a neat fuss pot 😉
 
I love a plaited tail but hands beginning to go arthritic ( I am 41 and have arthritic hands Boo Hoo!) and carpul tunnel syndrome mean my hands seize up half way through and look like knarled old witch hands-so I try to avoid any plaiting
 
Daytona said:
I don't like tails left natural for comps, I think it looks lazy and scruffy.
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Doesn't that depend on the tail? I can see how some natural tails could look scruffy, but if a tail is nice and sleek and silky and not too thick and fully grown out, how can it look scruffy?

P
 
must be me being old fashioned but I hate raked, pulled or clipped tails much prefer a well done plait. I think the alternatives look lazy and unprofessional and after a few days quite messy but each to their own and if the fashion seems to be for butchered tails so be it
 
Prefer a plaited tail to a clipped one any day. What is it with people clipping tails? It looks horrid. It's a lazy person's pulling I guess. I personally hate plaiting (manes or tails) but I think it looks neat and serves a purpose for certain aspects of equestrianism (thankfully not so much need for it in showjumping!) so I will do it if I need to.
 
I'm not a fan of pulled or plaited tails. I like the horse to look comfortable and with its health and well being reflected in its gleaming coat and silky tail. Levelling the ends with scissors for neatness, is fine.
 
All for a plaited tail. Hate clipped tails, and dislike pulled ones, due to the obvious discomfort the horse has to be in when it is done. (hate pulling manes too!).
 
Don't mind either way....what ever you want! It's not my tail....

I just don't compete with a plaited tail as I have always found that with a plaited tail I do badly....may be I am superstitious but hey! They don't work for me so I don't use them!
 
PolarExpress said:
Doesn't that depend on the tail? I can see how some natural tails could look scruffy, but if a tail is nice and sleek and silky and not too thick and fully grown out, how can it look scruffy?

P
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Because to me it looks like no effort has been made. That's just how I see it. There is no right or wrong. If I see a horse at a show well turned out , I always think to myself - nice..

And well turned out to me is plaited mane , pulled tail.

I'd rather a plaited tail over natural as a lot of effort goes into a plaited tail.

But my preferred choice is pulled/clipped
 
I like a good plaited tail, I wonder if it's only been called amateur by people that can't do them well. I would always rather plait than pull and used to win best turned out whenever I had a horse with a plaited tail
 
I think it goes in fashions and some day they will come back in to fashion. People dont necessarily dislike them they just dont plait tails as its not the done thing in some circles currently

I like a nicely plaited tail.

After speaking to showing people and reading the net it is high on my list of showing no-no things though and so sadly when the time comes to show my youngster as a show hunter pony he will have a pulled or artfully raked tail

Raking doesnt leave them like bog brushes if you do it right, I think the trick is if you arent 100% sure of what you are doing is to do a bit and leave it to 'settle' over a couple of weeks then do a bit more - no good doing these things the night before a show
 
I plait tails for racing - I get annoyed when horses win the turnout prize with dodgy mane plaits and no tail plait! It's not that easy to do well!

I hate plaited tails on show horses - mainly because people can't do them properly and just grab 4-6 thick lumps and scrumple them together very loosely = it looks shockingly bad! If you can't plait then don't!

I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to plaiting. No horse will leave the stable yard at the races with less than perfect plaits - I have been known to pull every single plait out of a mane done by one of the girls and redo it with seconds to spare.

As for tails being left natural - natives only preferably but then I would rather see a tail left alone than a horrendously plaited one.
 
No idea why not having a plaited tail has become acceptable.

Plaited mane and not tail is to me like a woman wearing a nice bra and no pants. Doesn't matter how well the lawn is mown, the effect is still mismatched and unfinished ...
 
Mrs B said:
No idea why not having a plaited tail has become acceptable.

Plaited mane and not tail is to me like a woman wearing a nice bra and no pants. Doesn't matter how well the lawn is mown, the effect is still mismatched and unfinished ...
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Now that is a brilliant description! :D hahaha!
 
I love a good plaited tail, to me it shows much more skill than pulling (and don't get me started on this clipping trend, or the lovely afternoon tea I had today might make a reappearance!).
 
zigzag said:
I like plaited tails but prefer the plait on top rather than under as in that photo
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Me too, but not many people can do that one! Took me ages to discover how and to make my fingers work that way. Now my fingers are numb from tendonitis and I doubt if I could plait a mane, let alone a tail.
 
I agree plaited mane and tail go together, our ID's have always had lovely thick tails which look super plaited. However, it takes time and practise to become good at plaiting, perhaps this is part of the reason why some say they are out of fashion.
 
I like plaited tails. I've always shown my horses with plaited tails - I do the one with the plait on top as I find it a lot easier than the underneath version.
 
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