Whether you show Stock Horses, Morgans, Arabians, Dressage or Hunters, the latest trend in tails is long, longer and full. In this article, I will pass on a few tips and tricks to help get those lovely locks in shape for next show season. Because horses tend to spend more time inside and there are fewer insects to contend with, winter is a great time to lengthen and thicken your horse’s tail. We will cover techniques to help grow and protect the tail so you should be pleased with it come springtime.

First, let’s talk about how to get that tail as long and full as possible. The most important issue is protection. This means that daily brushing with a stiff currycomb is not the way to go here. The right tool is critical. I recommend using something that you would use on your own hair. Look for flexible bristles and a rubber base with a sturdy handle. For the perfectionist, a brush or comb should not be used at all. The tails of many horses have all the knots carefully picked out by hand. This is not as daunting as it may seem, and we’ll cover how to tackle it without loosing your sanity. Another strategy is to not handle the tail every day. By putting the tail in a braid and keeping it there, daily handling is not necessary and will allow the tail hairs to grow without being broken.

The second important issue is conditioning. By keeping the hairs themselves in good condition, they are less likely to break and tangle. Conditioning the roots will help the tail grow faster and the hairs will be better quality so they won’t break….do you see a pattern to this!!

So, now we know what the goals are; let’s look at a few ways to achieve them.

Cleanliness is first

I’m sure everyone has washed a horse’s tail at some point, but let’s cover a few critical areas. Be sure to stand to one side of the horse’s hip to avoid possibly getting kicked. First, be sure that you get soap all the way to the skin of the tailbone and then rinse thoroughly. Warm water is a great help. This is often overlooked, but the horse will be much more co-operative if he’s not anticipating a blast of cold water at a very tender spot (even in summer). If running hot water is not available, try a bucket with warm water. I use a bucket small enough to lift easily and a sponge. Use the sponge to squish water all the way to the tailbone. Add shampoo or soap and massage all the dandruff and oils out. Use a mild soap that rinses easily. Then, work your way down the tail to the end while trying not to tangle and break the hairs. For the white tail, the best shampoo has bluing or other whitening agent to combat the dreaded ‘yellow ends’. Using warm water again, get all the soap out of the tail, working from top to bottom. Check all the way down to the roots to make sure the hair is squeaky clean.

Now is the best time to condition. My personal favorite has silk protein and literally makes the knots fall out. A good conditioner makes the hair silky (not sticky) and detangles easily. If yours does not do this, try another one! Follow the directions on the bottle for use and rinsing. I use my fingers to gently work the conditioner through the hair and very gently finger comb the worst of the tangles out. Now comes the most difficult part: Leave the tail alone!! Let it hang and dry naturally. If it is already long enough to be stepped on, you will need to tie it up till it dries. I like to use a simple overhand knot right in the middle. Let the tail dry thoroughly before the next step.