5 Ways To Help Your Horse Grow A Better Tail

Are you envious of the long, thick, luxurious tails that other horses have in the show ring? Is your horse’s tail thin, dull, and scrawny in comparison? Let’s fix that – here are five ways that you can help your horse grow a better tail.

Detangle Gently

Tails grow slowly, so it’s important to preserve any tail hair that your horse already has. At the same time, though, you need to make sure that your horse’s tail is detangled, otherwise he could catch knotted sections and tear them out.

When detangling your horse’s tail, use a detangling product and go slowly. Start at the bottom of the tail and start detangling sections using your hands. Be careful not to break hair, and gradually work your way up the tail. Once you’ve detangled the knots by hand, you can gently run a tail brush through the tail.

Condition the Tail

Use a quality horse mane and tail conditioner on your horse’s tail. A conditioning product can help to promote tail growth and can also prevent knots from forming. Make sure that you follow the directions on the conditioner – some are intended to be washed out, while others can be left in your horse’s tail.

Wrap and Protect

To protect your horse’s tail when he’s out in the pasture, consider braiding and wrapping the tail. If you do braid and wrap the tail, then make sure that there are no strings or extra wrap hanging down which could be caught on trees or bushes while your horse is outside.

When braiding your horse’s tail, make sure that you unwrap, unbraid, and rebraid the tail every two to three days to avoid hair breakage.

If your horse lives in a muddy pasture, it may be wise to tie his tail up into a mud knot. Mud knots help to keep your horse’s tail up and off the ground, reducing hair breakage.

Provide Dietary Support

Your horse’s diet is important in promoting tail hair growth. If your horse isn’t getting the nutrition that he needs, it may be reflected in a poor quality coat and tail. If you’re unsure of whether your horse’s diet is adequate for his needs, you may want to check with your vet or with an equine nutritionist.

Deworm Your Horse

Is all your hard work going out the window because your horse is rubbing the top of his tail off? This can be a sign that your horse has pinworms. Try deworming your horse and see if that solves the issue. If not, your horse may have dry, itchy skin – a bath with a soothing shampoo may help.

Ultimately, helping your horse grow a better tail requires patience. If you have to head into the show ring in the meantime, then using a fake tail can amplify and improve the appearance of your horse’s tail.