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Permalink Reply by Barbara F. on February 1, 2009 at 10:02pm

My biggest grooming secret actually is for the time between shows. RARELY brush your horse's tail! You can shake it and hand pick the shavings or straw, and you can brush the dock area, so it won't get itchy.

I know some people will disagree with me, but think about how long it would take for even one hair to grow to the length of a tail, if it got yanked out by a brush!

Then, before a show, you can give it a good wash, and then add some conditioner. Wait until it is completely dry and brush from the bottom, holding the tail in a tight fist just above where you are brushing. Then not too much show sheen, or the tail will get sticky! Just a light mist should do it!:)

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Permalink Reply by standard5acres on March 2, 2009 at 7:33pm

haha, buy a GRULLO !! lol
Of all the horses I've ever owned, my grullo gelding ALWAYS seems to LOOK clean. My grays have green stains, the blacks have flakes & the dust shows, bays get mucky too.

I'm just kidding. But I do love this colour... I mostly have to worry about his one white leg, lol.

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Permalink Reply by IrishRider on March 3, 2009 at 5:59pm

I agree with Barbara F. on generally leaving the tail alone until show time. I see so many people brushing the life out of their horses tails.

My favorite little thing in the world are the Slick N' Easy blocks. You can find them online and at tack stores for $3 and they are the best, especially as we move into shedding season. Even after I curry and use a shedding blade on my mare, I take that little block and it picks up so much more loose hair and dirt and helps to keep the coat nice and shiny. I couldn't live without one of those.

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Permalink Reply by Galetoi on March 4, 2009 at 8:21am

I agree with Barbara - and I know lots of showing people who DO NOT brush tails between shows as it is so important to have a lovely full tail! To keep the tail looking good, spray regularly with Absorbine ShowSheen - it gives a lovely shine and detangles the hair, so you can just finger through the tail and shake out any shavings, etc. There is also a gel version of ShowSheen which is brilliant because you use so little of it. I am a great fan of Absorbine products - they have just brought out Miracle Groom - a quick spray and wipe over gets rid of dust and dirt, grass and stable stains - brilliant if you are short of time as I always am!

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Synnot on March 4, 2009 at 2:05pm

You guys are all right right on the mark with the tail..I never brush it....I finger comb it with detangler if anything...to keep the dock from getting itchy I use diluted listerine to kill the germs that cause sweet itch. MTG works really well for that too.

I heard about someone buying hair extension hair to braid in as tail extensions, she said it worked like a charm, and it cost ten bucks as opposed to hundreds. I'm going to try it myself next horse show.

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