# Large dreadlocks in horses tail?



## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Time and patience along with plenty of elbow grease.... wash and soak in a detangler added to warm water then pick from the bottom up separating the strands carefully from outside to inside. Have a haybag to keep him busy and if he is reliably something to sit to the side because you'll be at it a while. It may need to be worked on over several sessions.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I wouldn't cut it. Anything slippery will help. Mineral oil, Vetrolin detangler concentrate works pretty well. Anything that you use will still need patients at working out the mats. 
I've worked out ones just as bad or worse, so not impossible.

Estimated labor time: About an hour


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

hoof pick, oil, and lots of patience. I've done worse ones.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Ditto all the above --- patience, patience, and more patience.

When I was a kid, I cleaned worse than that ------ those dreadlocks full of burrs because my parents didn't bush hog the pastures-------

I wouldn't even plan to get all that detangled in one session --- set a reasonable goal, one hair at a time.

The mane also looks like it needs help.


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## TeddyJ (Jul 8, 2018)

QtrBel said:


> Time and patience along with plenty of elbow grease.... wash and soak in a detangler added to warm water then pick from the bottom up separating the strands carefully from outside to inside. Have a haybag to keep him busy and if he is reliably something to sit to the side because you'll be at it a while. It may need to be worked on over several sessions.


Thank you, and thank you to everyone else who suggested similar things to this! I'll update y'all once I've finished 




walkinthewalk said:


> Ditto all the above --- patience, patience, and more patience.
> 
> When I was a kid, I cleaned worse than that ------ those dreadlocks full of burrs because my parents didn't bush hog the pastures-------
> 
> ...



Thank you! Also, yes the mane definitely needs help; I let my little cousins braid his mane a few hours before this was taken so the braids looked a little rough. I actually took this while taking those braids down


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## gw41968 (Jun 20, 2018)

I've used WD-40 on the mane and tail then brush it or comb it and it will be just fine

Sent from my Z982 using Tapatalk


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

yikes! when was the last time he saw a brush?? if you don't get to see him often or he is in a pasture that is prone to weeds or things that will tangle in it you should tail bag it to help protect it from this.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I have these every day on my Schwarzwalders..... I use Mane n tail detangler and an Oster mane brush(they last the longest) .....Spray well, hold the lock with my left hand, and gradually work it from the bottom with the brush in the right. You will begin to see where you can flip it through and untwist it. I usually have to spray again. Once I have only one twist, I work a little closer to the top, from the side of the dreadlock. Pictures will follow... Good luck!


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## Hackamore (Mar 28, 2014)

Just spray the tail and main with WD-40. and the tangles will brush out with a little work.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

WD40 is harsh and can be it=irritating to the skin. Plenty of other products that work better and are made for the job.


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## aromatherapy_gal (May 6, 2018)

TeddyJ said:


> Hey y'all
> So, recently I purchased a super sweet little gelding, turned him out into the pasture and realized he had a pretty big dreadlock in his tail. I'm not sure if I should cut it out, try and brush it out or just leave it be? It does seem to be aggravating him a bit, but I'm pretty hesitant to take scissors to it cause it is summer so the flies are pretty bad. What are your opinions on what I should do? I'll attach photos!
> Thanks in advance


I have been around horses all my life and I have seen a couple cases like this! So it is not uncommon. I feel like I have an advantage in these situations because I am also a licensed beautician and have been doing hair styling for 20 years as well. 

In this case, maybe you can try to use coconut oil which is available in any grocery store. You can use it to help loosen the tangles. In this kind of circumstance, a lot of patience is required. It may take time and more than one try to succeed. A little bit of extra tenacity will really pay off. However, if you run into a place which is so tangled that you cannot get through, try, very carefully, to make a couple of shallow, small vertical cuts with your scissors just to get past that point. I mean really tiny cuts!! This should do the trick and your horses' tail will be back in beautiful shape faster than you think.


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