# Tips for maintaining a Friesian tail needed



## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I tried braiding her tail in 3 seperate braids and just let them hang. Her tail was then encrusted with pee and what ever else you may call it. I washed it and then braided it up in a cut up sheet. 

I am not sure what the best way to keep it is. It get's very cold in the winter here. Is it ok to leave it braided for a long period of time? Someone mentioned it could rot.

This picture is how it seems to keep best. When down her tail just touches the ground. I used to leave it down but I think someone was standing on it while she was laying down and then stood up as a chunk was ripped out.


----------



## Countrylady1071 (May 12, 2010)

What we do with horses at the show barn I work at is put them up in guardtex for the winter, and just check it daily to make sure it's not wet (f it is, we take down till it dries and put it back up)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I either braid and wrap in guardtex or Schneiders has waterproof tail bags and I braid and put the tail in a tail bag. Just check for moisture and I take the tails down at least once every month and finger comb them out and put them back up.


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I vet wrap year round and have never had a problem with the tail hering wet or rotting.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## enduroenglish (Dec 27, 2011)

Comb every day and add and leave conditioner in tail etc


----------



## ginofalltrades (Feb 18, 2012)

My Friesian cross has the biggest tail I have ever seen. I live in a mountain town under snow 5 months of the year. I leave it down but the ends go light in color, it's always clean though, even with a blanket hindering it. Is it possible she is going into heat, and that is what is crusting her tail up so much? I have heard of fellow horses chewing tails off. It's quit possible she stood on her own tail as well. 

I like to put MTG in the bases of my hoses tails, and leave them down, with lots of brushing.


----------



## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I would braid and either wrap in vet wrap or put in waterproof tail bags.


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I braid my guys in the winter-with a sheet, just like you have there, except that before I make the final tie I loop it up and tie it similar to how you do mane braids....below the bone of course, then wrap it with vet wrap. Yes, I take it out aout every 6 wks and brush it and put it back (I have been using Argan oil on mine this year).....until the muddy yukkiness of winter and spring are gone. When you brush it you will get quite a bit of hair out, but remember you haven't been brushing, so don't panic.


----------



## xXSerendipityXx (Jan 26, 2012)

Try feeding her stuff with flaxseed, biotin, & kelp. Ive heard they get hair to grow. If she rubs, garlic helps with itching. Shampoo the base of her tail, to make sure theres not a huge buildup of oil &grease. She should drink lots of water, too.
To keep other horses &the elements away, I would use a tail bag of some sort.
I love your horse, by the way. Friesians are so gorgeous Goodluck!


----------



## minihorse927 (Aug 11, 2008)

I always use MTG around the tailbone and very lightly through the rest of the tail. I let it dry for 12 to 24 hours, braid, roll up in a ball about 2 inches below the tailbone and then vet wrap. Check it and make sure it is not wet everyday and I take mine down once a month to run my fingers through and reapply MTG. Have (in the past, not right now) had horses with tail dragging 2 and 3 feet behind them going into the show ring. Pain in the rear to maintain, but pretty in the end. Honestly I chopped the ends off before winter hit this year as I didn't feel like messing with their tails.


----------



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

This is how I do my guys


----------



## dreamsunwind (Jan 15, 2012)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> I either braid and wrap in guardtex or Schneiders has waterproof tail bags and I braid and put the tail in a tail bag. Just check for moisture and I take the tails down at least once every month and finger comb them out and put them back up.


How well do the waterproof tailbags work? My mare is outside 24/7 and it's constantly rainy/snow/muddy here. I left her tail wrapped in vet wrap last year and some of it rotted out, so I just have her tail braided with nothing on it this year. I would llike to have it wrapped and bagged so that it would stay nicer and grow more because it's thick but pretty short. Can you or anyone else recommend this or anything else, or should I just keep doing what I'm doing?


----------



## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Golden Horse said:


> This is how I do my guys
> 
> How To Put Up A Tail - YouTube


Good easy to follow video


----------



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I know the girl who made it, she shows Arabs, and has to keep tails good, never had a problem in the cold or wet or anything here.


----------



## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

I just bag my horse's tails.... a million times easier than all that fussing around plaiting and vet wrapping (and I hope it wasn't vet wrapped over the dock :/ ) 
I use Swish Horse tail bags, bloody brilliant product. Mine are all waterproof that attach to rugs. They cover the whole tail. Don't think I'd survive without my Swish tail bags!!!


----------



## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

I start much like the video. However, 2/3 of the way down, I braid in a strip of sheeting with two of the sections. I tie the sheet strips at the bottom and wrap it much like the video. Once the braid is pulled through the top, I wrap the excess sheet strips around it and tie a bow. It's easy to test for moisture and, if damp, will dry easily.

I NEVER leave the tail up more than a week before I check it and rebraid. I knew a morgan trainer that had a couple of tails mildew/rot on his fancy show morgans because they got wet and were left wrapped.


----------



## yourcolorfuladdiction (Feb 19, 2012)

So I've never had to wrap or do anything fancy to a horses tail to get it to stay nice, if you show sheen and comb it out daily and wash and condition it once a week it should stay nice and detangled. Braiding such thick hair all the time will cause breakage and actually thin out the thick hair, I'd suggest keeping it free, or wrapping the top so the horse can't rub it. Trim an inch or two off the bottom once a month and it will look thick and full all year round, no time-consuming process necessary, just daily care. It has done wonders for all of the horses at our barn including the ones that are prone to dreadlock tail  Some that are really tough cases need to be washed and conditioned twice every other week but other than that, it's really not a difficult thing to take care of a tail.


----------



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

yourcolorfuladdiction said:


> Some that are really tough cases need to be washed and conditioned twice every other week but other than that, it's really not a difficult thing to take care of a tail.


LOL, some of us can't wash tails for many months during the winter, just to cold.:lol:

I have never had an issue with tails rotting, and have very little breakage, as long as you have oil, moisturizer or some such massaged into it teh it stays soft.

The biggest issue I have had since I started putting up tails was last year when Stewie would go around unwrapping everyone!


----------



## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

I certainly wouldn't be wrapping the top of the tail for more than a brief floating trip, yourcolourfuladdiction - good way to cut off blood circulation and amputate the tail!!


----------



## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

yourcolorfuladdiction said:


> So I've never had to wrap or do anything fancy to a horses tail to get it to stay nice, if you show sheen and comb it out daily and wash and condition it once a week it should stay nice and detangled. Braiding such thick hair all the time will cause breakage and actually thin out the thick hair, I'd suggest keeping it free, or wrapping the top so the horse can't rub it. Trim an inch or two off the bottom once a month and it will look thick and full all year round, no time-consuming process necessary, just daily care. It has done wonders for all of the horses at our barn including the ones that are prone to dreadlock tail  Some that are really tough cases need to be washed and conditioned twice every other week but other than that, it's really not a difficult thing to take care of a tail.


the whole idea is for to keep growing I don't want to trim it that's why I can't leave it hanging


----------



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

The video I shared is very careful to point out several times that you need to be an inch or two below the tail bone, so no worries if anyone follows that one.


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Golden Horse said:


> The video I shared is very careful to point out several times that you need to be an inch or two below the tail bone, so no worries if anyone follows that one.


And I was careful to say the same thing. WHen it comes to wrapping the tail at the TOP, like you would for trailering, to prevent rubs-totally different, and yes, very short term only. I don't even do that anymore. Not worth the risk, and many of my trips are over 6 hours.


----------

