# Winter Tail Care



## petitepyromaniac (Oct 12, 2010)

I realize this has been posted about many times, but in doing a search I couldn't find the answers I am looking for.

My horse lives in a paddock. He has a dry shelter, but all winter there's mud everywhere else. He has a thick, long tail, and I'd like to keep it healthy. 

In the past I've always wrapped my horse's tails with vet wrap, leave it in all winter, and take it out in the spring. This helped with length, but I'd get some breakage at the top, and I don't think the payoff was worth it. How do I avoid this?

I had a couple ideas: Tail bags (instead of vet wrap), and/or simply redoing it more often throughout the winter. However, the more I have to redo it, the more I'd like to go the bag route, because I think that would be easier and faster.

I really like the idea of this bag since it's waterproof:
Dura-Tech® Waterproof/Breathable Tail Bag in Tail Bags / Protection at Schneider Saddlery

Would that cause more breakage though??? I'm starting to wonder if I should just spray his tail with leave in conditioner every so often and just leave it down all winter...

What have you had the most success with?


----------



## AQHA13 (Apr 19, 2017)

subbing!


----------



## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

I would just buy a waterproof tail bag (Indie's nylon tail bag keeps her tail nice and dry) and then re-braid once a week and bag it back up. I also use conditioner in her tail every time I braid it up.


----------



## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

I trim my mares tail (thats exactly 1 inch from the ground normally) so it doesnt get ice balls and mud/urine frozen at the ends. Then she walks funny because the chunks hit her legs. By spring, its back almost touching the ground.

But i understand not everyone wants to trim. I cant bag, my mare loses them no matter what i do.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Tianimalz (Jan 6, 2009)

Indie too has a long and thick tail, I take a lot of precautions to KEEP it that way and that includes a special winter care program.

Once the flies die off, I trim off the split ends and coat the tail in coconut oil (which does harden in the cold) to "protect" the tail and hold it into a french braid. With the oil hardened, the braid doesn't come out nearly as easily and can stay in for longer periods of time, thus less work :lol: I too can't use tail bags, they somehow always come off. The hair I clipped has always grown back by spring time and riding season, and the past 2 years I've been doing this I think her tail has actually improved.


----------



## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

You can try tail bags but I would definitely redo it more often. A braid in tail bag will stay in.

Remember that horses tails (like human heads) have a certain amount of natural shedding of hair. When the tail is braided/wrapped/bagged that natural hair loss is stuck in the braid/wrap/bag and doesn't fall off like it would otherwise. When you take the tail down you're seeing all that loss at once which make make it seem like there's a lot of breakage.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## toosexy4myspotz (Oct 7, 2007)

i would not use a waterproof tail bag because to me it would seem like the rain would run down the horses tail dock into the bag then you got your braided tail sitting in water. i use lycra bags and have never had an issue with my tails staying wet after a hard rain
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## cheshirecat (Feb 24, 2012)

subbing! also, I have heard horror stories of people who used braid-in tail bags then their horses tail got stuck on something and ripped out the tail along with the braid.


----------



## AngieLee (Feb 20, 2011)

I do a mud knot in my horses tail when its really muddy. when its snowy and icy i normally just have a normal braid in to help prevent ice balls. either way i take it out, brush it, and re braid/ mud knot it every 1-2 weeks.

Its not very pretty or manly but i find it works best with my horse because even when he roles I don't get clumps of mud and what does stick is easily brushed out.

The ugly way, haha











and the new way im trying to see if it works better, and it maintains his dignity a tad more haha


----------



## TheRoundPen (Mar 15, 2012)

Subbing! I'm trying to think of ways this winter to do this, haha


----------



## juliette06 (Nov 27, 2011)

instead of wasting money(even though vet wrap is cheap) 

1. take a med length sock
2. cut from the top of the sock(not the toe) down towards the toe about 1 1/2 - 2" 
~ make 6 evenly spaced cuts around top creating 6 flappy slit type things
3. braid ponies tail
4. band the end of the braid
5. coil the braid up just as you would with vet wrap
6. put the sock over braid (very similar to vet wrap)
7. take the flappy slit type things and thread them above braid through hair and tie a knot
8. tie however many knots you need with your several flappy slit things, and you should be good. 

you can just rinse the sock and reuse it when it gets dirty. saving you vetwrap, money, and time


----------



## petitepyromaniac (Oct 12, 2010)

Brilliant idea about the sock! I'm loving all of these ideas actually  I might try a few of them!

Keep the ideas coming!


----------



## DancingWithSunny (Mar 13, 2011)

I feel like a bad mummy. I do nothing special, brush it (le gasp, yes, with a brush) before each ride and spray each time I brush with carr day and martin mane and tail spray. Year round it gets trimmed a few inches every 3-4 months and its long, thick and lustrous lol. I must just be really lucky.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## AngieLee (Feb 20, 2011)

DancingWithSunny said:


> I feel like a bad mummy. I do nothing special, brush it (le gasp, yes, with a brush) before each ride and spray each time I brush with carr day and martin mane and tail spray. Year round it gets trimmed a few inches every 3-4 months and its long, thick and lustrous lol. I must just be really lucky.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


hey if that works for your horse then why change it, dont fix what isn't broken you know My horse has an affair going with any mud he can find though lol seriously its like his 3rd love (food and mares come first. he thinks hes a stud i swear) so i NEED to do something, or its disgusting. like.... alot..... haha

This is what he does to himself, and that's not even his worst, so you can only imagine what his tail gets like if i don't pull out the tricks aha


----------



## TheRoundPen (Mar 15, 2012)

juliette06 said:


> instead of wasting money(even though vet wrap is cheap)
> 
> 1. take a med length sock
> 2. cut from the top of the sock(not the toe) down towards the toe about 1 1/2 - 2"
> ...


I will be trying this tomorrow with my mare before going and buying vet wrap lol.. I never thouht about making it to where you had to tie the sock in. That would work a lot better!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Barrelhorseluver1 (Nov 13, 2012)

Dont use tail bags in cold freezeing weather lol my tail bag got wet and froze the the fence my horse was standing by and ripped out alot of his tail
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## BarrelRacingLvr (Feb 26, 2012)

When fall hits and the weather starts changing we put all our performance horses tails in the braid in tail bags and leave it in for a couple weeks. It really keeps the horses tails nice through out the winter and especially spring when things get SO muddy.


----------



## Albertabarrelracer (Nov 13, 2012)

i love ur blankets soooo pretty!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## cowgirljumper (Nov 19, 2012)

braiding hair on hair actually breaks it. I use old pantyhose. I cut it shorter in the late fall, clean it real good, condition it and braid it into pantyhose. I take it down 2 or 3 times throughout the winter and condition it again. I do not wash the conditioner out and I use Dove usually. It's longer, prettier, stays full and thick and smells pretty in the spring!


----------



## TaraBearaIsBack (Oct 12, 2012)

I find that Braiding it and putting it in a tail bag and redo it once a week at least is very helpful! Also washing it and conditioning it every once in a while is beneficial too!


----------

