# how long to leave a tail bag on?



## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

At the barn I use to work at we would put tails up end of november - beginning of december and leave them up for three or four months. Of course there were thirty or so horses there so it would have been a big pain to keep taking them down and putting them up again. 

With one horse I guess it would be easier. I have heard some horror stories of people taking the tails out a couple months later to find all the hair had fallen out, but I have never seen this happen.


----------



## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

Maybe I'll just take it out in a week and see how it is, I'd rather take it out earlier and have it grow slower than take it out later and have like, no tail at all! lol


----------



## JumpingTheMoon (Nov 11, 2009)

I've been putting mine up on Sundays, taking them down on Saturdays when I bring them in for the night, and then putting them up again the next morning. So far lovely results. I'm too chicken to leave them in longer than that.


----------



## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

I agree with you too JumpingTheMoon, after QHDragon told me about that horror story where all the hair fell out, I'm not leaving it in longer than what you do lol. I will be sure to let everyone know how it looks in a few weeks or so.


----------



## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

We ride all winter. I take the tail down every time the horse is worked.


----------



## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

I ride all winter too. So you take it down like, I'm going to assume, about 3 days a week? Does that give it time to grow?


----------



## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

Having a tail bag wont change how fast a tail grows. Ive never used one because my horses like to take things off the dont like. I could imagine it could be hours untill its rubbed or bitten off.


----------



## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

lol thats funny, kinda sucks though cuz if you ever go to bag em' to keep em' clean or help them to grow, it's not going to work. Is there anything else you could do?


----------



## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

My horses have great tails. I dont use bags, for me its too much of a hassle, I never have needed them. I dont really know anyone who bags, except for stalling the nite before a show if the horse has a light tail. It seems like it would be very itchy to me, something like a cast.


----------



## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

I bag my mare's tail for several reasons. She yanked out a big chunk a while back so it's currently cut short. I wash her tail really well once a week, let it dry while she eats or I groom her, then I put in MTG, braid it up, and bag it. In a week, I'll repeat the process. I probably keep it out of the bag for about a week every two months. It's mostly bagged because the grease from the MTG gets on her butt, and then dirt sticks to it, and she ends up with a nasty, grime-covered rear when it's supposed to be white.


----------



## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

I dont think Id touch my horses tails unless they were really thin/ unhealthy. Its like having you hair in a pony tail or braid for weeks. Its likely to pull out hair, cause more damange and either dry it up (too much washing/ product) or make it too greasy (too much product, or even cause a build up of natural oils.)


----------



## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

riccil0ve- Yea I don't always wash her tail before I braid and and wrap it, but I do when it really needs it. Her tail got chewed off by the previous owners horse thats why I'm wrapping it, I want it nice and long and flowy lol her mane is finally getting longer too. 

sillybunny- Thats the reason why when you braid it you make it loose because like you said, it will break the hairs if you braid it tight. And I think I would rahter have a build up of oils than not enough, but I do see your point.


----------



## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I will leave Flicka's bag on for as long as it looks like it will stay in; her braids and bag stay in for about 3 weeks. It definitely does help protect the hair ends, and since I've gotten her, her tail has grown probably 2-3 inches. The babies get their tails and manes braided, and theirs have grown considerably since I got here too. Plus, with the wind we get, it sure saves on how much brushing and detangling I have to do!


----------



## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

When I bag Soda's tail I leave it in for a couple of weeks, take it off, un-braid, finger comb, re-braid, and re-bag. His tail was bagged basically non-stop from December to May last year and the year before. He has a very thick and long tail. Almost too long, pulled a good bit out this summer backing up, I actually cut it quite a bit shorter because of that. Now it's just above his fetlocks.

I haven't bagged his tail yet this year, but it'll probably be soon (when the semesters done I imagine). This year it'll come out more often as I will be riding more this winter.


----------



## IrishRider (Aug 7, 2008)

If your bag lasts longer than two weeks, more power to ya. Mine never last more than that. Typically I leave it in for 2 weeks or less, depending, and then I let it down for a week. Then I put it back up and repeat the process.


----------



## horseoffire (Apr 7, 2009)

I put tail bags on my horses tails, I usully take it out when I ride which is normally every day or two. Then i put it up again when im done riding.


----------



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Why don't you use a bag that you don't have to braid in? Like this:










They can stay in for as long as you like because the tail is hanging naturally.


----------



## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I'm not sure I'd want to use a bag like that, to be honest; their tails could certainly get all matted up in that thing; part of the reason I braid is to keep their tails from twisting up, which reduces how much brushing I had to do to keep them lovely looking.


----------



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

^ fair enough - though i've never seen a tail get tangled in a bag like that. They are pretty much the only bags used by english riders and hackies over here - So they do work and do keep stunning tails.


----------



## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I like the concept, but I do enjoy braiding my horses tails...Lol! I've had good luck with it too, so why change now, right? haha


----------



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

^ of course, if it works for you!

Personally - I will only leave a braid in over night. I really don't think it would be comfortable!


----------



## SFMoneyMarket (Sep 20, 2008)

My horse's tail drags 3 inches on the ground, so I bag it just to keep it off the ground in the winter. I typically put it up on Sundays, take it out on Saturdays. I condition it, finger comb it out, and then rebraid it and put it back up.


----------



## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Wild Spot - How does that stay on? Does it attach to a blanket? I'm probably just being dumb, but I'm tired 

Oh and whoever posted about tail chewers had a good point. I braided and bagged Flame's tail for a little bit this fall. The next day I came out and the bag was all crusty and chewed on... Soda has the weirdest oral fixation I've seen yet...


----------



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Yup, attaches to a blanket.


----------



## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Well, it's out for me then... Oh well.


----------



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

That's the only downside - See here in Aus lots of horses have a light cotton rug even in summer - To keep the heat and the bugs away. Not so convenient when your horses aren't rugged!


----------



## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Yeah, that's the problem. He'll probably get a fly sheet this summer, but I don't bag tails in the summer anyways. During the winter he's not blanketed and that's when I bag to keep the ends of the tail out of the mud/water


----------

