mane and tail

[nrly]

i was wondering how most feel about keeping the mane and tail in braids and a tail bag. I know it helps cut down on tangles and stuff, but is it really worth it. please give me your thoughts?

[sonrisa98]

I think it depends on if your showing or personal preference. Our one mustang has such a long tail, she always steps on it so we cut off about 2 inches every year. When they are seperated there manes grow long but when together, they get shortened by the other horses chewing on them. I love long manes and tails on my horses but sometimes it can be a pain to keep braids in and taking them out and rebraiding. If you don't they'll matt up and you'll lose more hair trying to get them brushed out.

[desperatehorsewife]

Some horses tangle much more readily than others. Quiet Storm didn't tangle, but she had enough hair for three horses, so a tail bag to keep maintenance to a minimum was a must. Although FC doesn't appear to tangle easily, I'll bag her tail, as well as Jet's, when I get around to making bags just because I'd prefer not to untangle what's there.

A friend of mine has a mare who tosses her head and the tangles are back within two minutes of detangling.

[nrly]

I have cut stormy's once and got yelled at. So I thought maybe it is time to braid it and bag it.

[desperatehorsewife]

You cut it??

Get a bag on it, lol!

[Michelle Clarke]

I have done it all (used to show Arabs - big braiders and tail baggers!!); I find that just leaving them alone is best. I don't brush them out but a few times a year and if they get tangles, I just untangle with my fingers. I have had horses braided and they catch the braid on something and the whole thing rips out - nice big bald spot that takes YEARS to grow back!

We never let tails get lower than the pasterns and keep them cut between the hock and pastern. This way they don't step on them and rip them out. They can also pull our their sacrum VERY easily by stepping on the tail! I think it also keeps them healthier and they seem to grow like crazy anyway!

BTW, if a horse is chewing on manes and tails it is none other than a lack of silica. Cup of white millet once a day will take care of that if you can't figure out your problem with balancing the diet better.

[kigerfan]

I don't bag or braid firefly's tail, I just spray it with a detangler and brush it out

[nrly]

hum thank you for that information. where we stable our horses right now one of the horse's have chewed on Flashy's tail, we put up fencing so it cant (or we thought can't) do it. but the horse finds a way. it has slowed down though. I have decided not to braid and bag the tails or mane, ripping things out is not good.
thank you all for the input, and i too will trim the tails also and keep them at a very nice and manageable length,

[fantasykiger]

In the winter I hardly touch my horses manes other then running my fingers thru them and untangling big knots or twisted dreads. My horses tails are left to grow long, with the exception of Claudia the Clyde whos tail is docked. Zinga was my gelding who could not grow a forelock, but his tail dragged the ground. I kept his tail cut just above the ground about an inch. I also never brushed his tail for the first 3 yrs of his life until I decided to put him up for sale. He had perfect low maintentance tail with small twisted dreads, I just washed and rinsed they hung beautifully and I let them be. Yes, it took an hour to brush his whole tail, unrolling each one out when I did decide a new owner may want a nicely brushed out tail and like to see that his tail was a full one when brushed out. I wish all my horses had a mane like my Mustang mare Salsa thick and never tangles It is down right amazing. But it never gets to long before it starts to just break off. Her tail is another story it is so thick and so long, when a foal has not chose to eat it, it is just wild and wears me out brushing it. But if you have a weak mane or one that just don't sit right I don't bother I just roach em' I would rather see a nice clean roached mane then a sad short all over whispy one. Which is why my Clydesdale mare is roached in the summer, the poor girl just did not get a good mane. It is thick at the top thin in the middle then tries to get thick again towards the withers. Summer season is totally differant for me. My horses get hot I think they appreciate getting that hot hair off their neck so I will braid it for them, but I can give them more frequent baths and wash the manes and add conditioner to the hair. I never leave the braids in to long with out brushing them out and redoing. I do not braid tails they need them for swatting bugs, when the fly spray fails.

[nrly]

here is why I asked this question: Where I first kept stormy they firmly believed in braiding and bagging the tail, till you either were riding or showing. Horse's got baths every week, tails re braided and re bagged every week. manes were braided if they were extremely long. If stormy were to stay there they wanted us to start doing that also. Where we are now I brush her out as often as need be, right now it is to wet to do that. But after reading posts and such I do not think I will braid and bag. I agree they need their tail to swat flie, and also to let me know when they are annoyed with me. thank you for all the comments.

[lindaf]

Having Fjords, mane issues were not a concern until Mattie came. I had not considered that braids would be helpful in the summer heat. Thanks for the tip. It should have dawned on me before because she gets sweaty under the mane quickly. Mattie's trainer has suggested a mane and tail detangler, Eqyss Survivor . The only problem is that is is somewhat more expensive.
Linda

[JoanMRK]

I only braid manes in summer to keep the heat off their necks. I only brush out the tails and keep them trimmed... unless I am hauling. Then I braid both manes and tails just to keep them neat.
Washing the horses all the time is not a good idea. You can wash away their natural oils, if you must wash after a ride to get off the sweat, just use water and a brush. My two cents. ;D

[fantasykiger]

I use EQsolutions to wash my horses and that foam spray contraption, is awesome. With very little soap and the foam it is the best deal out there. But I agree with JoanMRK I do not give a full bath just to get the sweat off after a ride a simple rinse with water works just fine. My horses actually get full baths about every 3 weeks, in the warm months.