# Tail Bags... Should I bag his tail?



## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

I want to... I really do.

I'm entertaining the thought of begging my geldings tail this winter to try and get it to grow longer and thicker... but I'm still debating over it. My boy is turned out 24/7 in a 15 acre pasture (though this winter we'll probably open the gate so our two pastures merge into the normal 50 acres). His tail is already long and thick... it comes within an inch or so of touching the ground when it's brushed out and his tail is actually really thick... almost as thick as my mares tail (my mare has enough tail for two horses, it's so thick, but short). 

Anyway, considering the fact that he's outside 24/7... would it be a good idea to bag it? I put it up in a pasture braid earlier (along with my mares tail) and I put pasture braids in his mane before letting him go...


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Do you show him? 
If not, I wouldn't bother. Better to be safe than sorry. Tail bags can get caught up and cause massive injury if you're not carefull. I don't bag my horse's tails unless they're in a stable/yard and when they go out into the paddock I just plait down from the dock. Occassionally I use one of those tail bags that have 3 'tubes' so you seperate the hair from the bottom of the dock into three pieces, put each piece into a seperate 'tube' and plait it down.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

No, he's just a trail horse.

So, tail bags can get caught up in things easily? I didn't know that...

Would it be ok to braid it in a loose pasture braid from the dock down and keep it braided for a week at a time, taking it out on Saturdays to finger brush? I'm a sucker for long, thick tails... Lol.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Yeah they can get hooked up on trees and things/ Alot of tail bags you also need to rug so you can attach the bag to the end of the rug to keep it up. If the horse decides to scratch its bum on a tree and the bag gets hooked on something it can seriously damage the horse's dock, which is the end of his spine so not a good thing to do!! 
Braiding it for a week at a time owuld be fine  Get some cheap leave in condition, and spray it through his tail before you braid it each time too, helps keeps the knots away and makes it lovely and soft


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

My grandma and I are going to town Wednesday... i'm planning on buying some sort of leave in conditioner. 

Do you know of any cheap leave in conditioner that I can buy for not much money? I don't have a lot of money to spare at the moment.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Sorry I'm in Aus so doubt the cheap one's would be the same. Doesn't really matter what brand though, just buy the cheapest one you can find and it'll still work well enough.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

Ah, I didn't realize that you were across the globe from me, lol... 

Alright then! Thanks a lot for the help and info.


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## BackInTheSaddleAgain (Apr 20, 2009)

Use MTG (mane tail groom). I use a tail bag w/ MTG, but my girl's tail has a long way to go. I'm also making mane bags for the same purpouse. If I were you, though, I wouldn't go any longer than that on the tail (that's just me, though) and I would focus more on growing out the mane.


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## Semperfiwife (Jul 17, 2009)

Try coconut oil. I've heard wonderful things about it. I bought some, but I have to wait for my horse to come back from the trainers to try it. 

Good Luck


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

I've used MTG in the past and loved it... but since I ran out a few months ago I haven't been able to get any more (haven't had time). I've never used cocanut oil, though.


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## roro (Aug 14, 2009)

It can be risky to keep a tail bag on in pasture as they can rub it and get tangled. Braiding for long periods of time can damage the hair. If I were you I would just let it loose.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

How can braiding damage the hair? I've always heard that braiding was like... the best thing in the world...


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Britt said:


> How can braiding damage the hair? I've always heard that braiding was like... the best thing in the world...


If they are switching bugs, chances are they are doing damage and breaking tail hairs if you have the tail braided 100% of the time and not using a conditioner.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

You can use a nylon tail bag with a snap, instead of braiding or tying the bag in. It's a little more safe and it's what I use.


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

Britt said:


> How can braiding damage the hair? I've always heard that braiding was like... the best thing in the world...


If you leave in the braid for too long or tie it too tight you can damage the hair. I use Cowboy Magic Leave In Conditioner...its amazing...I even use it for my own hair. This winter I'm gonna braid and bag my horse's tail, but we show and her tail is thick but short. She's outside 24/7 unless the weather is bad then she's in, but I check on her almost everyday but her pasture only like 2 acres or something.


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## SFMoneyMarket (Sep 20, 2008)

I'm bagging my gelding's tail this winter. But yes, even just braiding helps. Make sure you take the braid out once a week, thoroughly brush it, and condition it before putting it back up. I've done that all through this past summer, and his tail now drags on the ground about an inch. I show him in Arabs, so I want a long thick tail, that's why I'm putting it up this winter. But if you're not showing, I wouldn't really worry about it.


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## briget83 (Sep 16, 2009)

Even trail horses have the right to be pretty horses but keeping tailbgs on can be a pain as weel as dammageing. i actually use my old tube socks when i want to keep a horses tail up. I tear a piece of old sheet like a ribbon and braid the tail from right below the bone and braid it and tye it up then cut the tube sock top so i can tye it on it hould be right below the tail bone. DO ONT TYE ANYTHING ON THE TAIL BONE YOU CUT OF THE CIRRCLTION THEN YOU LOOSE ALL THE TAIL. the tube sock tears easily and will usally fall off if caught in anything. but keep in mind you have to remove take out the bagged tail everyweek condtion finger brush it then do it agin. so its also time consuming. you might alo try added flaxseed to his diet its really good for growing hair, purina ampliy supplemnt already s it in it. beauitufl manes and tails start from then inside then out. sorry i tend to rable. bye for now.


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