How do you make a horse's tail look as good as they did on the Olympics?

Question

I don't do high level showing with my horses, but, occasionally, we do performances for charities, fairs, parades, etc. One of my horses has a floor length tail, but it's usually discolored and tangled. Brushing aka pulling it out with a 'demonic weapon' lol drives her to the point of aggression. What is the secret of the 'elite' grooms for having a soft, beautiful tail? Thanks!

Answer 1

Rough brushing breaks hairs and really doesnt get you anywhere.

If your horse has a white tail. Good Luck with that. I have never seen a shampoo completely get rid of all dicsoloration.

I dont mess with my horses tail except for the day before a show. I coat his entire tail in the cheap suave conditioner and finger comb it. Start at the bottom and work your way up. Once the knots are out, rinse the hair and go back through it with your fingers. Then get show sheen and spray it all over the tail. Take your brush and start at the bottom again. Once it is completely combed out I put more show sheen in it and finish the rest of my grooming. His tail is short though (about a foot from the ground, maybe a little more) so I dont worry about it getting muddy or something. With your horse though, I would probably do a loose braid in the tail to keep it off the ground. Tail bags can help keep it clean and manageable as well.

The olympic horses are obsesivly cared for and that is why they have amazing tails. There is no real secret, its just constant top notch care.

Answer 2

Continuous washing and conditioning, brushing, detangling, and putting it in a tail bag when out in the pasture. Color wash shampoo for your horses tail color should work, too. I think Show Sheen has all the products you need. Mane 'N Tail works AMAZING, too!

Answer 3

A couple things you can do is first, brush it out until there are no tangles, then wash it with shampoo (I would suggest a brand that treats specific colored tails, but I don't know the color of your horse) Then you can put it in a tail bag. This keeps most dirt out of your horses tail, less tangles, and so on. Right before a show, take it out of the tail bag, wash it again, and it should look good =]

Answer 4

I have a friend with a horse whose tail drags 3 feet on the ground behind it.  These are the directions she gave me on how she cares for the tail:

First braid their tail, start about 3 inches below the tail bone, rubberband the bottom when done braiding.

Then loop the tail up between the top of the braid and the tail bone.  Make a couple of loops till you have the braided part about 6 inches long.

Then tie some twine (twine brakes down quickly I actually use old bed sheets ripped into strips.) around the bottom.   Those will be the fly swatters (I will literally dip these strips in fly spray about once a week).

Then take vetrap and go all the way around cover all of the braid, be sure to take the vetrap in the loop between the tail bone and the top of the braid, if you don't the whole thing will just slip off.  It takes about 1 roll of vetrap to completely cover the braid.  Do not wrap the tail bone.

Be sure to take it down at least 3-4 times a year and comb it out wash and rewrap it (I usally put in a leave in conditioner like mane and tail before rewrapping).  If you wait too long to take it down it will get really knotted between the tail bone and the top of the wrap.  Don't worry it always combs out it just takes lots of conditioner and patience if you don't take it down enough.  I usually only take it down once first thing in the spring, last thing before winter and if we are going to a show.

I have a horse that will pull off tail bags, flymasks, anything.  but I wrapped my mare's tail like this about 4 days ago and he hasn't gotten it off at all!  So I'm definitely a fan!

Answer 5

Brush from the bottom up, wash it with a horse type shampoo and use plenty of conditioner, there are several mane and tail conditioners on the market.  You can then plait it as you wish and wrap it in a tail bandage to keep it good till you get to your destination.  

When brushing, give her some form of distraction like a haynet or someone giving her praise and treats.  Also, brush little and often, if you brush a little each day it will keep it less tangled and therefore won't annoy her so much!  And when grooming, brush her tail for 5-10 mins or so, then do something else and come back to the tail.  

Answer 6

Routine care and maintenance. Wash and condition weekly  or bi weekly, air dry and use a wide tooth comb or use your fingers very softly after conditioning to get tangles out and use a detangling spray as well, just enough to saturate the hair. Then, braid the tail loosely, but not too loose starting at the end of the tailbone and put it in a tail bag or long sock (you can get a tail bag at most tack shops and to use long sock, you will cut the top off in 4 sections and tie two sections together though the braided tail at the bottom of the tail bone. Secure the end of the braid with a large rubber band  and leave at least 2-3 inches at the bottom unbraided (those new clear plastic or elastic bands work great that you can buy at the tack store or even at Target because they dont' break the hair). You dont' have to bag the tail, but it will help a great deal on keeping it clean, from getting caught on something or tangled in something like a snag of wood from the stall wall or out in the paddock/pasture.

Most horses' tails are very dry and brittle, so use care and have patience while working with it and always comb from the bottom up. I use a clarifying shampoo every other wash for my horses's tails as they can get a lot of grime and dirt build up and from thier natural oils. Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo is good and there are a few real good horse shampoos out there too, Orvis horse shampoo is great, it's gentle and doesnt' leave much residue and I also like Healthy Hair Care Products, thier products are great, effective and most of them smell real good (you can find at tack stores). For white/grey horses, purple shampoo works great to get out stains and manure. I also use a deep conditioning treatment and let it soak in the tail for 5-10 minutes.  As for a detangler, use a spray product that have little or no alcohol as this can dry out and damage the hair, show sheen or healthy hair care is a good detangler and will leave the tail shiny. You also can trim up the sides of the tail on the tailbone with a small pair of scissors to make a cleaner appearance and when doing this, only trim one or a few hairs at a time.

If I don't wash tails every 1-2 weeks, I at least will take them out of the bag, unbraid them and rebraid them and at shows, I will blow dry them out after washing and conditioning them to give them some extra body and will spray it with some shine spray.

Answer 7

try using baby oil and metholated spirits mixed together it makes there main and tails realy shine and smooth there olipic horses youl usually find they have false tails in aswell hope this is a helpto you.