Wits end with yellow tail!!

NeverSayNever

NeverSayNever

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 July 2008
Messages
4,437
Location
uk
Visit site
I know this has been asked before and I have searched through old threads but would just love to hear if there is anything I am missing!

I bought a new pony a month or so ago, a grey, arrgh! Her tail was a disgusting mucky yellow and I’ve been trying and trying to get it clean and failing. So far I have washed it with gallop blue shampoo for greys, that did nothing. Have also washed it every week with Fairy Platinum since I got her, again, no difference. I’ve tried white vinegar and aside from making the stable smell like a chip shop, the yellow clung on for dear life! This week I filled a bucket with very hot water, added a Fairy NonBio capsule and some vanish and ‘soaked’ the end of the tail for 10 mins.... nothing! Still yellow! Now Im aware that I don’t want to strip the hair and damage it and have been rinsing very well and conditioning. I also use a tail bag for turnout and have snipped as much as I dare off the bottom as well. Is there anything else I can try? Thanks!
 
You were on the right track with the hot water & fairy non bio, but what you should have used was an Ariel bio capsule / or some vanish. Get the water very hot, grasp the tail as the end of the dock to ensure it doesn't go in, & dunk the rest of it, swishing it around in the water. Don't condition until the tail is the colour you want it to be as the conditioner acts as a kind of a laminate & will stop whatever cleaning agent from doing it's job as efficiently as it might. I speak as the owner of a coloured cob with a white tail who we used to show at county level, and I can assure you that his tail was never anything less than thick & full, and still is - he's now 22 :)
 
Last edited:
Net curtain whitener is something I've heard used as well, never tried it myself as horse is black.

Sometimes I do think the hair is damaged beyond repair and just needs to be chopped but obviously you don't want to take it too short.
 
The Lynn Russell whitening spray applied liberally then left on for 5-10 mins before rinsing is the best I've found. You have my sympathy!
 
DD265 said:
Net curtain whitener is something I've heard used as well, never tried it myself as horse is black.

Sometimes I do think the hair is damaged beyond repair and just needs to be chopped but obviously you don't want to take it too short.
Click to expand...

Second that!
 
Try Champion Tails silver highlight stain remover. Dissolve the crystals in boiling water before you soak the tail. Works a treat!
 
When I bought one of my grey mares, she came with a bucket full of things her previous hairdresser owner had tried to keep her tail clean.

I would say, shampoo, again and again, washing up liquid is pretty good. Leave suds on for ten mins or so.
Also like Hilton Herbs Blue shampoo.

THEN, get yourself some Dolly Blue Tablets if you can find them or Supreme Products Blue Powder for the final rinse. It really does take the yellow tinge out
 
Denture tablets!

Honestly. I have a grey and his tail gets very yellow. I take about half a tube of denture tablets in very hot water, soak his tail for about 10 or 15 minutes and then wash it with blue shampoo (tend to leave the shampoo in for 5 or 10 minutes too). Follow with lots of conditioner and detangler and the result is amazing.
 
I sympathise completely! One of mine is the same :( my mum swears by dolly blue but im yet too find anything that works and ive tried everything but bleach so far, im worried it will damage and snap her tail? I do wash and thoroughly condition every couple of mnths but her mane and tail is im sure jst naturally yellow!
 
joolie said:
Try Champion Tails silver highlight stain remover. Dissolve the crystals in
boiling water before you soak the tail. Works a treat!
Click to expand...

This is the best stuff i have found too. they do two kinds, it has to be the silver one
 
Last edited:
I once did a blue rinse on a yellow tail after multiple attempts at cleaning ... It was a pre-show emergency, but after that it did carry a silver sheen for weeks and then became easier to wash the usual way :lol:
 
A boring answer but my 24/7 turned out piebald has an all white tail (and legs). A bucket of the hottest water your hand will stand, plus plenty of Hibiscrub left on to soak for 10 minutes works like a dream. Dont know why but it does. His previously manure-brown and yellow tail practically glows!
 
Sorry to be boring, as I always give the same reply, but I love Cowboy Magic, shine in yellow out. I also find using a good mane and tail spray stops the stains penetrating the hair so much.
 
Purple shampoo!

In hairdressing to remove yellow/brassy tones from a blonde persons hair, a purple/violet shampoo is used! it is the opposite colour on the colour chart!
 
someone once told me to use purple spray for wounds to get my pony's tail white but I was too scared to try. I find the best way is to get human hair dye for the whitest hair you can get then get the hydrogen peroxide mix the blue paste up leave it on for half an hour then wash as normal condition well it may take a few goes followed by religious cleaning and and bagging but will work my friend used the same stuff to get her white dogs paws white for showing and it works really well makes them sparkly toes so shouldnt harm a pony even if it gets on the skin as obviously it is for human skin and doesn't cause a problem with her show dogs but please patch test first so you make sure there is no allergy
 
Safe Care for Animals do an amazing product for greys (but I can't recall it's name off the top of my head) theu are on facebook
 
daz works really well, kept a grey on sandy soil and kept his tail snow white. Don't put it on the dock though. Then something like canter to keep it clean.
 
Sorry I've not read all other threads as it upsets me what some people will put on their tails.

Simply the tail hangs on to the dirt when its dried out, so any products that dry it out make it keep the horrible stuff/dirt. So my answer is use conditioner - horse friendly (I use the Mane n tail and these people are about the cheapest http://www.africarr.com/store/Mane_ n_Tail) but the best bit is the conditioner can be left in! (particularly useful if you have a twitchy one that doesn't stand still)

This won't work overnight, but over a few days/week or so you should then obtain a beautiful tail and find that it naturally and long lasting goes white.

I have palominos and have used this for years! I also find it works on areas that are prone to stable stains. Having also used it myself, my husband and my dad also fight over it, if I leave it in the bathroom lol!
 
thanks all, a few ideas to try ! No way the tail is naturally yellow, it’s only the bottom half of it, which in many ways makes it look worse. Will update if I find anything that works :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top